Over the years I have heard adults talk about a favorite school teacher. One of the things that has struck me about many of these reminiscences is that the teachers cited are often linked to those who read out-loud in the classroom.
There is something about an out-loud reading experience that clings to people. Perhaps it brings forward a fundamental aspect of being human — the desire for a shared story. How ancient that practice must be.
Many, many years ago, my grandmother told me fairy tales. Only later did I realize that these were Grimm Brothers stories that she learned during her childhood. In other words, almost two hundred years of shared storytelling!
One of my own fondest parental memories is of reading to my kids. Quite often it was a bedtime story, but it could be anytime and often was. The comfort afforded to my child (and me) when the kids snuggled up to me and we would share books, which sometimes went on for days. Reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder books went on for a full year. The “What’s going to happen to Laura?” was constant dinnertime talk.
(Perhaps that’s why as part of my own writing process I read my books aloud.)
It was not just that these stories were fun to share or that the kids were learning to love reading. There was greater pleasure in listening and engaging with my kids’ ideas, even as they heard mine. It was talking out and forecasting what would come next, working out (through stories) life’s predicaments. Then there was also that irresistible plea, “Can’t we read one more chapter?”
I’ve even met married couples who read to one another.
Reading out loud doesn’t just bring stories to kids; it helps them become better writers. It teaches — in a casual way — vocabulary, sentence structure (grammar!), pacing, what makes for a well-told story, and beyond all else, brings listeners the pleasures of immersive reading.
Insofar as it happens in a classroom, it also becomes a shared experience in which every listener is engaged in the same story through the filter of their own lives. I have heard teachers relate how reading aloud brings calmness to a classroom, how it brings a diverse group of kids together.
One can learn to become a better out-loud reader. When, as a writer, I began to be called upon to do public readings, I found a theater acting school that taught actors how to use their voices more effectively. I learned about pitching my voice, pacing, how to bring drama to reading skills, even how to stand and breathe for more effective voice control, plus much more.
To be sure, not every good book is a good read aloud. Years ago Jim Trelease developed the Read-Aloud Handbook, which not only addressed how meaningful reading aloud was but also selected multiple books that made for the best read-aloud experience. The book has gone through multiple editions and was taken over by Arizona State University professor Cyndi Giorgis.
In these days of AI and dominating social media, it doesn’t hurt to recall one of the most profound experiences one can have is sharing a story person to person.
2 thoughts on “Sharing a Story is Profound”
My children and and I love reading books out loud! Even my 16 yo will linger a little and listen while my daughter read our current read-aloud, The Secret School. Its not easy to find something we all enjoy. Thank you for endorsing reading aloud for all ages!
Enjoying your posts so much! I loved reading aloud to my children, and still will when they tolerate it! As a children’s librarian it was the best part of my job. And now that I am retired, I am lucky enough to have grandchildren to read with. My oldest granddaughter has read all of your books. Gold Rush Girl is her favorite! You are a treasure.