Oral Reading

Oral reading is a complex process in which the reader becomes the "link" between the author and the listeners by comprehending the selection and interpreting it for the enjoyment and understanding of those listening. Students who read orally improve their speech and understanding, and gain much enjoyment when they experience success.

Students should be given many opportunities to practise oral reading, either by themselves (with an audio recorder) or in pairs. Often, the support given by a peer changes hesitant oral readers into willing and competent oral readers. Always provide time for sufficient practice before expecting a student to read aloud in class.

A willing audience is necessary for success in oral reading and the teacher should prepare students to be effective listeners. Students may read to individuals, to small groups, to the whole class, to other classes, and to interested adults. Students benefit from listening to oral reading, and should be given opportunities to listen to the teacher and to professionally recorded audiotapes.

Before Oral Reading

The teacher and students should identify the purpose(s) for oral reading. Some common purposes for oral reading include the following:

• to enjoy and appreciate (e.g., share a well-known or favourite story)
  
• to respond (e.g., share a student-written story or poem)
  
• to inform the audience about a topic
  
• to build confidence (e.g., take turns reading a selection with a partner)
  
• to practise reading with expression and enthusiasm (e.g., share a suitable story with a younger student)
  
• to serve as a springboard for discussion and writing.

Allow time for students to prepare for reading aloud. For example they may wish to "pencil in" slashes at appropriate pause points to facilitate ease of reading, or highlight phrases to be read with extra emphasis.

During Oral Reading

After the preparation for oral reading is complete, students are ready to read. Encourage them to:

• read fluently, pausing and stopping at appropriate places
  
• read at a suitable rate for the audience and purpose
  
• use a variable and appropriate pitch and tone of voice
  
• project the mood of the selection.

Listening is an important aspect of the oral reading process. Usually, the listening audience will be listening to comprehend a message or to appreciate or enjoy. Listeners can be prepared through a variety of pre-reading experiences such as anticipation guides and teacher (or student) narrative.

After Oral Reading

After listening to an oral reading, students can discuss their responses in small or large groups. The teacher or student-reader might ask questions such as, "What did you like?" or "What did you wonder about?" Student-listeners should be encouraged to talk about their personal reactions to the oral reading. They might also make up questions they would like to ask a character, or compare a particular character with one from a different story. Listeners may assess their own listening abilities with a checklist similar to the one on the following page.

If students record their oral reading on video, they could play back the tapes at a convenient time using a checklist of criteria to assess their oral reading abilities.

Sample Listener Self-assessment for Oral Reading
Sample Oral Reading Assessment