First grade students are enjoying our first chapter book read aloud, The Boxcar Children. Read aloud is not only a favorite time of day but an important one too. Reading aloud to children stimulates language development and cognitive abilities. It creates positive associations with books and builds motivation, curiosity, and memory. Through read aloud, students are exposed to a variety of literature. They practice listening skills as reading fluency and expression are modeled for them.
As we read aloud a chapter at a time, first grade students are also practicing reading comprehension skills. They are asked to visualize (make a movie in your mind), make predictions, and make connections. Through written response, students are identifying story elements of character, setting, and plot. They are practicing reading questions and responding in complete sentences.
