Reading aloud builds community and capacity.
"Read alouds are perfect opportunities to expose students to genres they often avoid like poetry, biographies and nonfiction, too. After discovering books they enjoy first through read alouds, children are more receptive to reading more books from these genres. You don't have to read the entire book to entice readers, either. Frequently, I will read the first chapter, article, or poem from a book and place it on the marker rail. The book rarely lasts until the end of the day before an eager reader claims it."
Some more blog posts on this theme:
- Building a Reading Culture in the Secondary Classroom by Sarah Mulhern at The Reading Zone
- Reading Culture and Preservice Teachers by Kristin McIlhagga at Children's Literature Crossroads
- Building a Classroom Reading Culture by Cynthia Alaniz at Teaching in Cute Shoes
- Choice--Share a Story/ Shape a Future by Doris Herrman at Reading, Writing, and Chocolate
- Creating a Reading Culture in Mrs. Selke's Lair by Maria Selke at Maria's Melange
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