












































 

Georgia Journal of Literacy 
2024, Vol. 46(1), pp. 64–77 
https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.130 
ISSN: 2833-7611 

Practitioner Article  

 
 

 

CONTACT Dr. William P. Bintz, Professor of Literacy Education; College of Education, Health, and Human Services; 
School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; Kent State University, Kent, OH; email wbintz@kent.edu. 
 

Reading-Aloud as Complex Art, not Simple 
Activity: A Cautionary Tale, Part II 
 
William P. Bintz 
School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; Kent State University, Kent, OH 

 
ABSTRACT 

This article explores the nuanced art of reading aloud, positioning it as a complex, 
multifaceted practice rather than a mere activity. Drawing on a personal vignette 
involving a read-aloud session gone awry, the author, a literacy educator with a deep 
affinity for picturebooks and reading-aloud strategies, delves into the curricular and 
instructional implications of reading aloud. The discussion extends into a 
comprehensive review of literature across five major categories, including the 
significance of picturebooks and their role in engaging diverse readers like emergent 
bilingual students and special needs students. Through reflective analysis, the 
author shares insights on selecting picturebooks, employing effective read-aloud 
strategies, and the overall impact of reading aloud on children’s literacy 
development. Concluding with practical tips for educators and caregivers, the article 
underscores reading aloud as a sophisticated art that enriches the educational 
experience, advocating for its thoughtful integration into literacy instruction. 

KEYWORDS 

reading aloud; 
picturebooks; 
science read 
alouds; emergent 
bilingual 
students; special 
needs students 

 
harles Darwin, the famous 19th-century scientist, once stated, “If I had my life to live over 
again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once 
every week.” Unlike Darwin, I am not a scientist. I am a teacher educator in literacy 

education with professional interests in picturebooks and reading aloud strategies. Like Darwin, I 
also like to listen to music and read poetry, especially poems about fathers, grandfathers, and 
teachers. One of my favorite poems is “What Is It You Like To Do.” 
 

What is it that you like to do 
With someone you care about 
In a comfortable place 
With a lot of expression 
And with no interruptions? 
READ ALOUD! (of course) 
 

(Layne, 2001, p. 53) 
 

As a teacher, father, and now grandfather, I have always loved to read aloud to my children, 
my granddaughter, and my students, be they undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students. In fact, 
I conduct a read aloud at the beginning of each class, and students always state that it was one of 
the most beneficial experiences in the course.  

C 

mailto:wbintz@kent.edu


Bintz 65 

 
Recently, I spent time reading, rereading, and reflecting on “What Is It That You Like to 

Do” for a special occasion. I planned to take my 5-year-old granddaughter to a read-aloud session 
for young children at a local university. I was excited to take her to this session, if only for her to 
experience a read-aloud from somebody other than her grandfather. Unfortunately, the read-aloud 
session did not go as expected. What it did was inspire this article. 

I begin by sharing a vignette about my experience observing an adult read aloud to a small 
group of young children, including my granddaughter. Next, I describe several literacy lessons I 
learned from the whole experience about the process of reading aloud, and the curricular and 
instructional implications for reading aloud to children. Then, I briefly review research on reading 
aloud, highlighting five major categories: picturebooks, picturebooks and reading aloud, research 
on reading aloud, reading aloud picturebooks to older readers, and reading aloud to emergent 
bilingual students and special needs students. I share tips for selecting picturebooks, tips for using 
instructional strategies to read aloud, and tips for reading aloud in general. I end with some final 
thoughts. 
 
Vignette 
Recently, I took my 5-year-old granddaughter to a read-aloud session for young children. The 
session was sponsored by Scholastic Publication and took place in a library/media center at a local 
university. A total of 9 children attended, each accompanied by at least one parent, grandparent, 
or caregiver. The guest speaker was an educational administrator. 
 The children sat in a semi-circle in front of the administrator, who sat in a soft, cozy chair. 
He introduced himself and his 9-year-old son and identified the picturebook he selected to read 
that morning. It was The Good Egg (John, 2019). Here is a precis. 

A good egg is both an idiom and a description of the main character. It tells the 
story of a verrrrrrry good egg who is kind to, generous with, and thoughtful of other 
eggs. He is perfect and that is the challenge. The good egg lives in a recycled carton 
with 11 other eggs, all of whom, except for the good egg, get into mischief and 
trouble. His carton-mates behave rotten. Metaphorically, the good egg starts to 
crack from the pressure of feeling like he, unlike the other eggs, must be perfect. 
He decides it’s time for a change. The good egg makes time for himself, goes on a 
road trip, and learns the value of caring for self is as important as caring for others 
(even if they are rotten). 
Before starting, the administrator invited his young son to sit next to him and be his co-

reader. Then, he started to read aloud the picturebook, but soon invited his son to take over. His 
son read the rest of the story aloud to the children in a simple, word-by-word, monotone way. The 
administrator interjected comments at different points in the story, such as, “See, boys and girls, 
how well-behaved the good egg is and how all the other eggs behave badly.” However, at one 
point in the story, one child interrupted the son and interjected her own question, asking, “Can I 
come up and read now?” Politely, the administrator stated that his son needed to first finish reading 
the whole story. 
 
Implications for Curricular and Instructional Decisions 
I was a grandfather at the read-aloud session. However, I am also a literacy educator specializing 
in reading education and am familiar with the power and potential of reading aloud to children. 



66 Georgia Journal of Literacy 46(1)  

 
Reading aloud is universally recognized and commonly practiced around the world. The practice 
is a good thing for teachers and students to do at school and for parents and children to do at home. 
 At the same time, many adults, including teachers and parents, all too often see reading 
aloud to children as a simple thing to do. In many ways, this is understandable. Reading aloud only 
requires one adult (teacher, parent, grandparent, or caregiver) and one picturebook to read to young 
children. This read-aloud session, however, reminded me that reading aloud is anything but a 
simple activity; rather, it is a complex art, requiring adults to make important curricular and 
instructional decisions as part of the process. 
 To start the process, a curricular decision must be made. This decision is based on the 
question: What gets read? Will it be a picturebook, chapter book, short story, poem, etc.? In this 
instance, a picturebook was a good curricular decision for this small group of children, all of whom 
were at or under the age of five years old. At the same time, during and after the read-aloud, I 
found myself questioning whether The Good Egg was a good curricular decision for this session. 
Here’s why. 

The major theme of the picturebook is how the good egg has difficulty dealing with being 
perfect, exacerbated by the fact that his carton-mates are just the opposite. During the reading by 
both the administrator and his son, the children sat quietly but did not appear highly engaged. The 
administrator kept pausing his son and reminding the children about how important it is for the 
bad eggs to be more like the good egg. They need to be perfect, not bad. I suspect the lack of 
engagement was because this theme was not highly interesting to this group of children. Moreover, 
the overall tone of the picturebook was didactic, almost moralizing, because of the importance it 
placed on behaving like the good egg and not like the mischievous eggs. 

In addition to curricular, an instructional decision must be made. This decision is based on 
the question: How will this book be read? Many before, during, and after instructional strategies 
can be used to conduct enjoyable and effective read-alouds. Before reading strategies are 
particularly important because they are designed to create interest, spark curiosity, and promote 
inquiry. Let’s Look at the Front Cover is one such before-reading strategy.  
 Before reading, the adult displays the front cover of the book to the children. Next, the 
adult states, “This page is called the front cover of the book. Let’s look at the front cover.” Silently, 
the adult slowly shows the front cover so all the children can see it. Then, the adult says, “Let’s 
look at it again. This time, though, let’s share with others what you notice or what really catches 
your eye.” Once again, the adult slowly shows the front cover and encourages the children to share 
what they noticed. Finally, the adult continues to display the front cover but asks the children, “So 
now, what do we think the story will be about?” Once children share their story predictions, the 
adult says, “Let’s find out!” and begins to read aloud. 

Unfortunately, there were no before, during, or after reading strategies used in the read-
aloud session I attended with my granddaughter. The administrator provided no engaging 
introduction to the read-aloud experience other than quickly displaying the front cover and then 
immediately starting to read. There was no attempt to generate curiosity, no invitation for the 
children to ponder the front cover and make inferences and predictions about the story, no 
connection to children’s personal experiences, and no wondering about what the title, characters, 
or story meant.  

Lastly, I noticed the son read aloud most of the book but was not prepared to do so. It was 
clear he had not rehearsed reading aloud the picturebook before his father invited him to join him 
as a co-reader. For example, at one point in the story, the good egg returns to see his carton-mates, 
greeting each of them by their first name, e.g., “Hey, Greg.” When the son got to the text, which 



Bintz 67 

 
read, “Aloha, Shelly,” he struggled to read the word aloha. He tried to decode the word several 
different ways but was not sure which, if any, were correct. Finally, a grandparent in the group 
helped, offering the correct reading and pronunciation of the word. The son smiled and continued 
to read. 
 I share this vignette for two reasons. One, I want to emphasize that reading aloud to children 
is one of the most important and effective strategies for all readers, especially beginning readers. 
Two, I want to promote the idea that reading aloud is not a simple activity but a complex art that 
requires attention to what book gets read (curriculum) and how a book gets read (instruction). I 
did not share this vignette to criticize an administrator, much less his son, for the way they read 
aloud The Good Egg to other people’s children. On the contrary, I recognize that they kindly and 
generously volunteered their time and energy to a community event and asked for nothing in return. 
I was truly grateful to both of them for their time and commitment to the community. 
 
Picturebooks 
Historically, a picturebook has been defined in different ways. Almost fifty years ago, Sutherland 
and Hearn (1977) defined a picturebook as “one in which the pictures either dominate the text or 
are as important” (p. 158). Similarly, Marantz (1977) stated that “a picturebook, unlike an 
illustrated book, is properly conceived of as a unit, a totality that integrates all the designated parts 
in a sequence in which the relationships among them—the cover, endpapers, typography, 
pictures—are crucial to understanding the book” (p. 149).  

Since then, definitions have continued to change but still emphasize that “a picturebook is 
the inextricable connection of words and pictures and the unique qualities of the form, always 
rejecting the notion that a picturebook is not simply a book that happens to have pictures” 
(Wolfenbarger & Sipe, 2007, p. 273). From a semiotic perspective, a picturebook is an aesthetic 
object that involves three sign systems (language, illustration, design), and each system has 
meaning potential by itself and with each other (Sipe, 2002). Here, I advocate and use the following 
most cited definition of a picturebook: 

A picturebook is text, illustrations, total design; an item of manufacture and a 
commercial product; a social, cultural, historic document; and foremost, an 
experience for a [reader]. As an art form it hinges on the interdependence of pictures 
and words, on the simultaneous display of two facing pages, and on the drama of 
the turning page. (Bader, 1976, p. 1) 

 
Picturebooks and Reading Aloud 
Traditionally, reading aloud has been associated with picturebooks, often referred to as children’s 
literature. Picturebooks are a staple in most if not all, elementary schools as well as public and 
private libraries. Recently, they have also become increasingly popular and visible in middle 
school libraries, as well as in middle school teachers’ classroom libraries.  

There are many benefits to using picturebooks as instructional tools to read-alouds. First, 
they are short in length, only having an average of 32 pages. While some picturebooks are 
quantitatively sophisticated and have many words per page, the majority are sparse in words when 
compared to other forms of literature. Thus, most picturebooks are deemed as having a lower text 
complexity when assessed quantitatively compared to short stories, essays, and novels. Because 
picturebooks are often short in length, they are excellent tools to provide readers with opportunities 
to monitor their ongoing comprehension and make sense of their thinking. 



68 Georgia Journal of Literacy 46(1)  

 
Second, picturebooks have deep and multiple meanings. Often, this is shown in their 

qualitative text complexity and text potential. Qualitative text complexity includes the levels of 
meaning, structure, language conventionality, and knowledge demands. Picturebooks may be less 
quantitatively complex, but they have the potential to be complex qualitatively and thus engage 
readers in high levels of thinking as they create sophisticated meanings. 

Third, picturebooks provide opportunities for teachers and students to create a community 
of learners. They are instructional tools that help students feel connected, valued, and respected. 
In large part, this is due to the fact that many children personally connect with the characters in 
picturebooks and also with each other. 

Fourth, picturebooks support the process of making intertextual connections. Since these 
books are shorter in length, teachers can read two or more picturebooks that are related in some 
way. Text sets are one way to combine picturebooks that are connected in some way, e.g. topic, 
theme, main character, problem, etc. Afterward, students spend time thinking, recording, and 
discussing the intertextual connections they see between the picturebooks.  

Fifth, despite specific grade levels and grade bands, reading aloud picturebooks provides 
opportunities that reading other materials cannot do, e.g., basal stories, commercially produced 
program texts, or textbooks.  

Sixth, picturebooks not only can increase student engagement in reading, but also foster a 
positive disposition about reading (Bintz, 2015).  

Lastly, picturebooks have much potential for students of all ages and across all content 
areas. Braun (2010) states that “picturebooks serve to help middle grade students visualize 
concepts, become familiar with vocabulary, connect to content, and get excited about science” (p. 
46). 
 
Research on Reading Aloud 
According to Fox (2008), “Reading aloud to children of any age improves their literacy” (p. 5). 
This assertion is based on an extensive body of research. In this section, I briefly review research 
on reading aloud across five categories: reading aloud picturebooks across the curriculum, reading 
aloud picturebooks to older readers, and reading aloud to emergent bilingual students and special 
needs students. 
 
Reading Aloud Picturebooks across the Curriculum  
Reading aloud nonfiction picturebooks is also important (Hoyt, as cited in Oczkus, 2004; Oczkus, 
2012). Specifically, reading aloud nonfiction picturebooks is beneficial when introducing complex 
content area material across the curriculum. Wadsworth and Laminack (2006) use the idea of a 
bridge as a metaphor for the role picturebooks can play across the curriculum: 

Picturebooks have the very real potential for bringing together ideas, images, 
content, vocabulary, language, and art in the minds of any learner. Picturebooks 
often do become a bridge to span the curriculum, connecting each subject and each 
topic into one interconnected entity. This makes it possible for both teaching and 
learning to travel freely in the territory of ideas and information. (p. 208) 
Picturebooks can be used to introduce a new topic or generate interest in a concept across 

the curriculum. Science is a good example. Reading aloud nonfiction picturebooks in science helps 
students better understand scientific ideas (Webster, 2009). They can also “help students develop 
an interest in science, as well as help them read better” (Lee, 2010, p. 424). Reading aloud 



Bintz 69 

 
picturebook biographies of scientists can help students understand how scientists think, observe, 
infer, formulate, and test hypotheses, and draw conclusions (Zarnowski & Turkle, 2011, 2012).  

Reading aloud picturebooks in mathematics is also important. Reading aloud nonfiction 
picturebooks in mathematics can “provide students with opportunities to explore ideas, discuss 
mathematical concepts, and make connections to their own lives” (Hintz & Smith, 2022, p. 104). 
Making personal connections in math class helps make mathematics accessible for students. 
Integrating literature and mathematics also helps students make sense of their lives. 

Social studies is yet another good example. Columba et al. (2009) state, “Events in the past 
are told in stories; we learn about others in remote places through stories; and myths and legends 
from ancient civilizations are passed down as stories” (p. 21). Nonfiction picturebooks are also 
ideal for integrating literacy and social studies. They can be used “to promote civic competence, 
the underlying reason for teaching social studies” (Balantic et al., 2011, p. 2). Lastly, reading aloud 
picturebooks across the content areas can also increase word knowledge, syntax knowledge, and 
genre knowledge, and thus motivation to read (Allen, 2000), as well as support student conceptual 
understanding (Hoffman et al., 2015). 
 
Reading Aloud with Older Readers 

Compared to younger readers, less research has been conducted on reading aloud with 
older readers. And yet, in Becoming a Nation of Readers, the Commission on Reading states: 
“[Reading aloud] is a practice that should continue throughout the grades” (Anderson et al., 1985, 
p. 51), including middle grades education. Despite this emphasis, little is known about the 
effectiveness of read-aloud practices beyond elementary school (Ariail & Albright, 2006). This 
may be because students are exposed to read-alouds less frequently as they move from primary 
through intermediate grades (Brooks, 2011; Jacobs et al., 2000), and in middle and high school, 
the practice of reading aloud has all but disappeared (Delo, 2008). 

And yet, reading aloud is an instructional strategy teachers can use to encourage literacy 
for students regardless of their age. In fact, it is one of the most preferred instructional strategies 
by middle grades teachers (Harvey & Goudvis, 2017). For middle grades students, reading aloud 
can have positive outcomes for motivation, interest, engagement, and learning (Ariail & Albright, 
2006; Ivey & Broaddus, 2001). McCormick and McTigue (2011) state that “because students can 
often comprehend orally presented texts that are normally above their own reading level, teacher 
read-alouds allow middle school students to experience texts that may be otherwise inaccessible” 
(p. 46).  

Similarly, for middle grade teachers, it allows them to model aspects of fluent reading, 
such as pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and style, and it makes texts more accessible to students 
(Ariail & Albright, 2006). It also helps teachers enhance student vocabulary development, 
especially when teachers pause to go over difficult words and then have conversations with 
students using the new words after reading (Reutzel & Cooter, 2008). 

Reading aloud benefits students at all grade levels including middle grades and high school 
(Routman, 1994; Zehr, 2019). Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook (2019), believes 
that continuing to read aloud to learners at any age is beneficial. Similarly, Routman (2002) notes 
that “reading aloud—in all grades—has long been viewed as a critical factor in producing 
successful readers as well as learners who are interested in reading” (p. 20). In particular, older 
students who are less fluent readers receive the greatest benefits from teachers reading aloud 
(Herrold et al., 1989; Meloy et al., 2002). Trelease states that “the first reason to read aloud to 
older kids is to consider the fact that a child’s reading level does not catch up to his listening level 



70 Georgia Journal of Literacy 46(1)  

 
until about the eighth grade . . . You have to hear it before you can speak it, and you have to speak 
it before you can read it. Reading at this level happens through the ear” (as cited in Korbey, 2013, 
pp. 1-2). In addition to children and adolescents, Pitts states that even “college students read more 
and better books when they are read to” (as cited in Krashen, 2004, p. 78). 
 
Reading Aloud to Emergent Bilingual Students and Special Needs Students 

Reading aloud helps emergent bilingual students develop English fluency, word meanings, oral 
language, and thinking skills (Hickman & Pollard-Durodola, 2004). Interactive read-alouds help 
emergent bilingual students’ language development, curiosity, vocabulary development, 
particularly incidental vocabulary acquisition (Hoyt, 2009; Layne, 2001), learning, and 
comprehension, especially making connections with and across texts (Giroir et al., 2015, p. 647).  

Similarly, reading aloud is beneficial with special needs students. The practice helps “build 
a sense of community in any class that experiences the same shared, secret joy of listening to the 
same great pieces of literature, be they brief or much longer. The class bonds in such a way that it 
becomes more like a family than a class” (Fox, 2008, p. 6). 
 
Tips for Selecting Read-Aloud Texts 
In real life, selecting anything for the purpose of entertainment, enjoyment, or information is a 
subjective, if not risky, process. It is not as easy as it sounds. The traditional practice of returning 
Christmas gifts is a yearly reminder. Selecting picturebooks to read aloud is also a subjective 
process, and it, too, is not as easy as it sounds. Fortunately, there has been and continues to be, 
much professional literature on tips for selecting texts to read aloud (see Trelease, 1992). The 
following tips and rationales are based on the literature included after the reference section of this 
article. 
 
Table 1: Tips for Selecting Read-Aloud Texts  

Tip 1 Select picturebooks that are likely to be personally relevant and potentially 
meaningful to the age and background of the children; that is, select 
picturebooks that mean more to the children than they do to the reader;  

Tip 2 Select familiar and popular picturebooks geared for a particular group of 
children. Children need to see children like themselves in the books they read 
and are read to them; 

Tip 3 Select picturebooks with colorful and evocative illustrations. Picturebooks 
integrate, not separate, language and illustrations. Children do not privilege 
language over illustration. They use both to make sense of the picturebook;   

Tip 4 Select picturebooks that reflect examples of good writing. Children internalize 
story structures from reading and use them in their own writing; 

Tip 5 Select picturebooks that introduce different kinds of genres, e.g., stories, 
biographies, poetry, etc. It is important that children read deeply and broadly; 

Tip 6 Select picturebooks that provide natural stopping points to pause during a 
read-aloud. At each stopping point, share ongoing understanding of the story. 
Children need to hear not only what good reading sounds like, but also hear 
how good readers understand stories. 



Bintz 71 

 

Tip 7 Select picturebooks in which the author uses authentic, patterned, and 
predictable language. These three characteristics are fundamental to language 
and language learning. 

 

Patterned Picturebooks and Predictable Picturebooks are two genres that offer a wealth of 
high-quality and award-winning picturebooks to meet these tips for selecting read-aloud texts. 
Based on my personal experience, young children find the following patterned and predictable 
picturebooks enjoyable, engaging, and memorable. Who Sank the Boat (Allen, 1996), The 
Important Book (Brown, 1999), Fortunately (Charlip, 1993), Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Farm (Cowley, 
2006), Tough Boris (Fox, 1998), It Didn’t Frighten Me (Goss & Harste, 1984), Don’t Forget the 
Bacon (Hutchins, 1989), Dog In, Cat Out (Rubinstein, 1993), Gotta Go, Gotta Go (Swope, 2000), 
No Baths for Tabitha (Thomas & Siegal, 1982), Noisy Nora (Wells, 1999), and Grandpa’s Slippers 
(Watson, 1989). 
 
Tips for Using Read-Aloud Strategies 
There are many strategies adults can use to read aloud. Here, I share several popular and different 
ways for reading aloud to students. 
 
Traditional Read-Aloud 

This is an instructional strategy in which an adult reads aloud a picturebook to a large or small 
group of children but also to an individual child. In this strategy, the primary role of children is to 
listen to the story and view the illustrations which are shared visually by the adult. The primary 
goal of the practice is for the adult to model proficient reading, share rich and authentic language, 
promote conversation, motivate readers, and support comprehension (see International Literacy 
Association, 2023). 
 
Interactive Read-Aloud 

This is an instructional strategy in which an adult reads aloud a picturebook to a whole group or 
small group of children. While reading, the adult pauses at predetermined, selective, and strategic 
places in the picturebook. At these places, the adult invites children to respond to the picturebook 
and share their responses with others (Fountas & Pinnell, 2019) 
 
Turn & Talk 

This is an instructional strategy that can be used with an interactive read-aloud (see Routman, 
2002). Children are placed in pairs. Then, the adult starts to read aloud a picturebook, pausing at 
strategic places. At these places, the adult invites children to turn and talk for a minute or two with 
their partner about what they are understanding about the picturebook. The talk is informal, 
conversational, and open-ended. Afterward, pairs of children are invited to share what they talked 
about. 
 
Echo Reading 

This is an instructional strategy that, like Turn and Talk, can be used with an interactive read-
aloud. The adult reads a short segment of text, e.g., line by line, sentence by sentence, etc. After 



72 Georgia Journal of Literacy 46(1)  

 
each line, the adult pauses, and a student(s) echoes the line or sentence back. This strategy helps 
children develop expressive, fluent reading.  
 
Choral Reading 

This is an instructional strategy in which the adult reads aloud but pauses at places when students 
can read aloud a repeated choral line in unison as a whole class or as a small group. Daisy, Eat 
Your Peas (Gray & Sharratt, 2000) is a good example of a picturebook that has a repeating choral 
line. 
 
Think Aloud 

This is an instructional strategy in which an adult reads aloud strategic sections of a picturebook, 
pausing after each section to share with children what s/he is understanding up to that point and 
what strategies s/he is using to maintain and extend understanding of the picturebook. This strategy 
allows adults to share what they understand and what strategies they are using to broaden and 
extend their understanding. Simply put, this strategy is like adults allowing children to eavesdrop 
on their reading and thinking. It allows adults to share with children what is going on behind their 
eyes and demonstrate what is going on in the minds of good readers. 
 
Reverse Think Aloud 

Like the Think Aloud, this is an instructional strategy in which an adult reads aloud strategic 
sections of a picturebook, pausing after each section. Unlike the think aloud, when pausing after 
each section, the adult invites children to make comments and ask questions to the adult about the 
picturebook. For example, based on my own experience with this strategy, children make simple 
comments like, “I really like the way you read. You sound my dad when he reads to me.” They 
also ask questions like, “I’m liking this book. Are you liking it?” “I love the illustrations. Do you 
love them?” “What is your favorite part of the story so far?” “Why is that your favorite part?” “Are 
there any parts of the story you don’t like?”  One of my favorite questions was from a little boy 
who asked me, “Do you ever read stories and not know all of the words?” 
 
Tips for Reading Aloud  
Much professional literature exists on tips for effectively reading aloud (see Table 2). Like many 
other reading teachers, I have been influenced by much of this literature, specifically the work of 
two authors, Jim Trelease (1992; 2019) and Mem Fox (2008). These authors have informed not 
only my own beliefs and practices on reading aloud but also those of parents and teachers around 
the world. 
 
Table 2: Tips for Reading Aloud 

Tip 1 Practice, practice, practice. Reading aloud is not a simple activity but a 
complex art;  

Tip 2 Preview the picturebook yourself. Look for sections of the story you want to 
shorten or emphasize; 

Tip 3 Do not rush into the read-aloud. Allow children time to get comfortable and 
ready for the read-aloud; 



Bintz 73 

 

Tip 4 Allow yourself time to get comfortable. Your head should be above the heads 
of your listeners so all children can hear your voice; 

Tip 5 Set the stage for reading. Display the cover page, read the title, and introduce 
the author and illustrator. If applicable, note any special features on the front 
cover, e.g., won an award, written in interesting and/or multiple font(s), 
includes unusual colors, etc.; 

Tip 6 Don’t privilege language over illustrations. Both are integral parts of the 
process, so make sure the children can see the pictures easily; 

Tip 7 Use prosody and reading with expression when reading aloud (see Rasinski & 
Smith, 2018; Rasinski & Young, 2023). Read fluently and change your tone of 
voice to fit the language and dialogue; 

Tip 8 Don’t read too fast or too slow. Adjust your pace to fit the story and the comfort 
of the children; 

Tip 9 Don’t be unnerved by questions during the reading. Foster curiosity with 
patient answers, then resume reading; 

Tip 10 Allow time for discussion after reading a picture book. Ask open-ended 
questions like, How did you like our story? What part of the story did you like 
the most? How did I do as a reader? What did I do as a reader that you really 
liked? Do not turn discussions into quizzes. 

Tip 11 Most importantly, relax and have fun! 

 
Final Thought  
As noted earlier, the purpose of this article was not to critique one read-aloud session. Rather, it 
was to offer a cautionary tale. I hope this tale will help promote a big idea; namely, that reading 
aloud is a complex art, not a simple activity. The fact that it is complex is what makes it such a 
powerful instructional teaching and learning tool. The fact that it is an art is what makes it such an 
effective instructional practice, provided it is planned thoughtfully. 
 I also hope that sharing tips for selecting picturebooks, using instructional strategies to read 
aloud, and reading aloud will help all adults, especially teachers, put this idea of reading aloud into 
practice. Let’s start reading aloud and having lots of fun.  
 
References  
Allen, J. (2000). Yellow brick roads: Shared and guided paths to independent reading 4–12. 

Stenhouse. 
Anderson, R., Hiebert, E. H., Scott, J. A., & Wilkinson, I. A. G. (1985). Becoming a nation of 

readers: The report of the commission on reading. The National Academy of Education. 
Ariail, J., & Albright, L. K. (2006). A survey of teachers’ read-aloud practices in middle schools. 

Reading Research and Instruction, 45(2), 69–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/1938807060955
8443 

Bader, B. (1976). American picturebooks from Noah’s ark to the beast within. Macmillan. 
Balantic, J., Libresco, A. S., & Kipling, J. C. (2011). Every book is a social studies book: How to 

meet standards with picture books. Libraries Unlimited. 

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76 Georgia Journal of Literacy 46(1)  

 
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books. Corwin. 
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learning. Heinemann. 
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distraction. Harper Paperbacks. 
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strategies. Pearson. 
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older readers. Heinemann. 
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Bintz 77 

 
Wadsworth, R. M., & Laminack, L. L. (2006). Reading aloud across the curriculum: How to build 

bridges in language arts, math, science, and social studies. Heinemann. 
Walther, M. P. (2019). The ramped-up read aloud: What to notice as you turn the page. Corwin. 
Walther, M. P. (2022). Shake up shared reading: Expanding on read alouds to encourage student 

independence. Corwin. 
 
 
Received: October 4, 2023 | Accepted: November 13, 2023 | Published: May 15, 2024 


	Vignette
	Implications for Curricular and Instructional Decisions
	Picturebooks
	Picturebooks and Reading Aloud
	Research on Reading Aloud
	Reading Aloud Picturebooks across the Curriculum
	Reading Aloud with Older Readers
	Reading Aloud to Emergent Bilingual Students and Special Needs Students

	Tips for Selecting Read-Aloud Texts
	Tips for Using Read-Aloud Strategies
	Traditional Read-Aloud
	Interactive Read-Aloud
	Turn & Talk
	Echo Reading
	Choral Reading
	Think Aloud
	Reverse Think Aloud

	Tips for Reading Aloud
	Final Thought
	References
	Literature Cited

