5 Benefits of Reading Aloud

Find out how our reading helpers for kids can assist with reading aloud.

Strong literacy skills matter both inside and outside of the classroom and can help set children up for success throughout their lifetimes. One common technique to improve literacy and comprehension is reading aloud. This simple method can guide children to become more attentive and confident readers, along with other benefits, including:  

• Sharpened focus
• Improved vocabulary
• Increased comprehension
• Strengthened listening skills
• Intrigued young minds

Keep reading to find out more about these benefits of reading aloud.

Sharpened focus

Little ones who struggle to stay still and focus may find it easier to do so when they are reading aloud. Because reading aloud requires concentration to comprehend and pronounce the words on the page, it’s easier to ignore distractions, whether it be in the classroom or at home.

Improved vocabulary

Often, when we are reading in our head, we tend to skip words we aren’t familiar with or end up pronouncing and misinterpreting them. Reading aloud forces children to tackle new words by sounding them out and analyzing them in the context of their reading material. Students are also able to use each other’s collective knowledge to identify these words and correct mispronunciations or incorrect meanings. This effect can improve and expand early readers’ vocabulary and even help them with advancing reading levels.  

Increased comprehension

Reading comprehension is a difficult skill to teach, but it is one of the most important for young students to learn. While every child has their own preferred method of learning, reading aloud may provide them a better chance of internalizing the words and understanding them. For many children, reading aloud may feel more “active” than reading alone in their heads, which may make it easier for them to ingest the information they or their partner reader has read.

Strengthened listening skills

Another benefit of reading aloud is the improvement of listening skills. This form of reading requires both the reader and the listener to be more aware and attentive, which can help them identify proper sentence structure, grammar, word choice, and more.

Intrigued young minds

The children in your life who don’t enjoy reading as much as you’d like may also benefit from reading aloud. Sometimes, implementing partner reading or making reading aloud a class-wide activity can help encourage reluctant readers to participate more actively. Reading aloud also lets you add emotion and tone that can “liven” up the story. You may even wish to ask students to act out the story and take turns reading different sections.

Find more tips on how to make reading enjoyable for all on our blog.

Make Reading Aloud Fun with Our Reading Helpers for Kids

Reading aloud in the classroom or at home just got more fun! Our kid-approved reading tools can extend the benefits listed above and make the experience more enjoyable.

• Toobaloo Whisper Phone

The Toobaloo whisper phone is a small, lightweight auditory feedback device that’s designed to enhance reading fluency and comprehension. This fluency phone provides instant feedback to the user, allowing the child to make any necessary adjustments as they speak. Whisper phones are wonderful tools for reluctant or struggling readers, as well as children who stutter or have a learning disability like dyslexia.

Interested in the Toobaloo for your classroom or child? Find out everything you need to know in our whisper phone guide.

• Eye Lighter Colored Overlays

The Eye Lighter is a colored overlay tool for reading that allows the user to highlight multiple lines of text or underline a single sentence. This benefit can aid with eye-tracking as the child reads aloud or follows along as the teacher or another student reads aloud.

These five benefits of reading aloud show how this simple reading technique can lead to success in and out of the classroom. Shop our reading helpers for kids today or find more resources for literacy success on our blog.