Having students read aloud encourages them to become directly involved in lessons. The text comes alive, connecting that which Laurence Perrine defines as critical elements of language: the sound and the sense. Student writers are constantly encouraged to show, not tell their stories. By both reading aloud and being read to aloud, students make connections between showing and telling the text’s intent. Reading aloud directly addresses the needs of auditory learners in the classroom while enhancing the auditory experience for visual and kinesthetic learners. The goal of lifelong learning is directly addressed, and the authenticity of the text is maintained when the material is shared aloud. Moreover, interpretation can be included to generate a discussion of the challenges facing textual interpretation. For students to achieve literacy, they must believe they own the text. It must be clearly and concisely accessible, and it must be supported with appropriate interpretation.
