Revisiting Read-Aloud: Instructional Strategies that Encourage Students' Engagement with Text"

This article was very detailed and gave so much wonderful information that included activities that can be tried in the classroom. I found it very fascinating that the data collected from this research concluded that social activity and social collaboration are essential to cognitive development. I whole-heartily agree with this. I think that I should be teaching in a Montessori school somewhere, due to the fact that I think learning is "hand-on" not "hands-off-sit-behind-the-desk-and-be-quiet-and-never-say-a-word-to-another-kid". Many teachers buy into this philosophy and it is not a productive one. People are social creatures and we are designed to communicate.

This article relates the idea that reading is a transactional process. Meaning does not reside in the text alone or in the reader alone, but it occurs when the two transact. Readers draw from several knowledge sources in order to assimilate meaning. These include: comprehension strategies, prior knowledge, making connections, question answering, question generating, and presenting alternative perspectives.

Read Alouds increase literacy learning and significantly impact vocabulary development and comprehension growth. Read Alouds motivate students to read and builds knowledge that is essential in the development of successful writing skills. This strategy supports listening and speaking abilities, which enhances overall language development.

Strategy engagement fosters meaning. Alpha boxes, making connections, and discussion webs are great strategies that encourage comprehension development. These strategies paired with small group collaboration will promote motivation, interest, and retention of knowledge.