Reading Aloud Effie Wang Introduction Young

Reading Aloud Effie Wang

Introduction • Young learners are not “taught” language in any formal sense, but acquire it naturally. • To help young learners acquire language naturally, adults should have them exposed adequately to rich input (Chomsky, 1972). • Through social interaction, language acquisition occurs (Vygotsky, 1978).

Introduction • “Acquisition may happen most efficiently when the acquirer “forgets” that he is listening to or reading another language (Krashen, 1984). ” • “Joining the Literacy Club” (Smith, 1988)

Introduction • Reading aloud contributes young learners’ language development (Trelease, 2001).

Previous Research • Reading aloud facilitates young learners’ vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, expressive ability, verbal fluency, writing ability, or even learning interests (e. g. Elley, 1989; Ehri & Robbins, 1994; Ewers & Brownson, 1999; Justice, 2002; Nagy & Herman, 1987; Ninio, 1983; Robbins & Ehri, 1994; Senechal & Cornell, 1993; Senechal, Thomas, & Monker, 1997; Snow & Goldfield , 1983; Snow & Ninio, 1986; Huang, 2006; Lee, 2002; Wang, 2007). (L 1, L 2, & EFL)

Ways to Tell Stories (Snow &Goldfield, 1983; Whitehurst, 1988) • • labeling yes/no questions simple wh- questions open-ended questions imitative directives repetition pointing requests expansion

Book Selection • For beginning readers, picture storybooks with interesting storyline but simple text are the first choice. (a great collection of books for reading aloud, see The Read-Aloud Handbook (Trelease, 2006)

Book Selection • For older readers, appealing series books or chapter books are very helpful. For example, , Amelia Bedelia, Magic Tree House, Marvin Redpost and so forth)

The 5 most critical factors • Frequency & multiple exposures (the more, the better) • Books selection • Book access • Role of adults (provide great quantities of comprehensible input) • Reader-listener interaction

Other Issues • The class size (no bigger than 15 kids) • Utilization of big books • Classroom arrangement (a circular arrangement of seats) • For big class-size EFL classrooms: technology helps! (overhead projector or Power. Point)

After Reading Aloud… • Reading aloud and silent reading are natural partners when we are making effort to make our children readers (Trelease, 2006). • Reading aloud + sustained silent reading = free reading habit (autonomous learners)

Conclusion • “the single most important activity of building the knowledge required for children’s eventual success in reading is reading aloud to them. (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985). ” • The goal of language education: to create autonomous learners