Read Alouds

The teaching assistant and I have spent the day setting up the basics of the Kindergarten learning environment. Picture books and read alouds were a recurring theme in our conversations, far beyond only having a "book corner". 







"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island." Walt Disney


Mem Fox is a strong advocate of reading aloud. More on her perspectives can be found here. 

Kath Murdoch has written a wonderful blog about how to inspire inquiry though picture books. 

There are many things that we can use to read aloud from (Eg. stories, poems, song lyrics, non-fiction texts, play scripts etc). Our purpose and manner of reading aloud may vary depending on if it is to entertain, think aloud or model a specific reading behaviour or strategy. 


Why should we read aloud?

Kathy Short encourages us to view reading as inquiry and urges us to support children to critically read the word and the world. 

Children learn language
- We model the behaviours of a reader (using different strategies such as making connections, predicting; fluency; expression; thinking aloud...)
- We model the mindset of a reader (a love, interest, care and curiosity in reading and making sense of the written word.) This genuine motivation, joy and inspiration ignites sparks for young children.
- Communication and social skills are fostered as children listen actively, participate actively in literature and respond with their own opinions and connections. 
- A sense of community is developed at the same time as an appreciation for storytelling. 
- Stories encourage an escape to new worlds, filled with wonder and imagination. 
- Texts often inspire and prompt conversations and sparks for writing and visual responses. Eg. comic strips, labelling, publishing their own picture books.


Children learn about language
- New vocabulary is introduced and reinforced in context. Subtleties and nuances can be explored. 
- The structure of stories and other texts is showcased. Big ideas such as character, setting, sequence and visual cues can all be explored.
- They are exposed to conventions such as punctuation and syntax to develop an ear for what is effective in engaging an audience.



Children learn through language
- Literature offers a mirror and a window. A mirror for children to reflect on their own experiences and cultural identity. A window into the culture of others. 
- Powerful ideas are often conveyed in texts and can reinforce or challenge bias and stereotypes. Literature is a powerful tool to tackle complex ideas such as inclusion, diversity and equity. 
- Children might deepen or develop new interests and new understandings. Eg. Ideas to develop in play, different forms of mark making, construction ideas and situations to dramatise. 
- Read alouds can provoke children to inquire, arousing surprise, curiosity and doubt. 
- Texts can be a source of information to research from. 
- Abstract concepts can be unpacked and illustrated through powerful visuals. 
- Read alouds urge thinking, empathy and dialogue. 


Which book is your favourite to read aloud to Kindergarten? Why?

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