Today is World Read Aloud Day! I am someone who firmly believes in the importance of reading aloud. I read to my middle schoolers every chance I get. I’ve talked to some people who feel that as a child grows older you should stop reading to them and make them read by themselves. I don’t think being read to is something one ever outgrows. Yes, I think it is important for children to learn to read on their own. I don’t think this means we have to stop reading to them (or having them read to us!) Maya Angelou said:
Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.
I think this applies to the way a child “receives” a book as well. It is good for them to fall in love with a story whether they read it or you read it to them.
To celebrate World Read Aloud Day I have the delightful Rosalyn Schanzer on my blog. I talked about her book Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem on Monday. I was totally fascinated by it! Rosalyn writes very readable nonfiction. She graciously filmed herself reading aloud from Witches! for World Read Aloud Day.
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