Do you consider yourself a master read-alouder? Not many do, though people have had a lot more practice during these last few months. Especially if they are teachers who have been recording read-alouds for their students! No matter your confidence level, I encourage you to read aloud to your kiddos. I know you can do it! In fact, I am so confident in your abilities that I'm issuing you a read aloud challenge. Add nonfiction titles to your stack of books! The many reasons for reading aloud a fictional book — to bond, to entertain, to inspire, to reassure, to explain — can be applied to reading aloud nonfiction. Both fiction and nonfiction also expands kids’ vocabulary by introducing new words and specialized terms. Background knowledge increases when reading nonfiction aloud, as it introduces kids to people and places, historical events and current issues, and natural disasters and scientific explorations. Additional benefits of nonfiction include the opportunity for vicarious experiences and the possibility to learn about things that may never be encountered.
Here are some tips for reading nonfiction titles aloud:
