Reading Out Loud

Contributor: Morgan Haney. Lesson ID: 13968

When you read out loud, it's like you're performing the story. Practice reading words correctly and explore how to be expressive when you read out loud!

30To1Hour
categories

Verbal Communication

subject
English / Language Arts
learning style
Auditory
personality style
Golden Retriever
Grade Level
Primary (K-2)
Lesson Type
Skill Sharpener

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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Here are two versions of the same story about Whiskers the cat. Listen to both versions and decide which one you like better.

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  • Which one did you like more?

Although they were the same story, the first version was not very exciting. Adding expression makes listening to a story more fun!

  • Are you ready to practice reading a story with expression to make it more interesting?

Keep reading!

There are three steps to reading a story.

Before you get started, print out the story you will read.

It is called A Busy Squirrel, and you can find it under Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

  • Ready to read?

Step One: Read the Words Right

First, you must get all the words right so that the story makes sense.

If a story says that a princess rode across the sea in a boat, but you read that she rode across the sea on a goat, that doesn't make much sense!

  • How did the goat swim across the whole sea?

You would be pretty confused! That's why it's important to read the words correctly.

Look at your story A Busy Squirrel, and try to read all the words correctly.

If there are any words you don't know, you can sound them out or ask for help. Take as much time as you need to read the story all the way through.

Great job!

  cartoon quirrel holding a nut

 

Step Two: Read at the Right Speed

  • Now that you can read all the words in the story, what's next?

Good question! Step two is to read the story at the right speed.

You might have needed to stop and sound out words in step one. In step two, you are working on reading the story all the way through without pausing to understand words.

Remember, you want to read the story without stopping to sound things out, but you don't want to go so fast that someone listening wouldn't understand you!

Try to read A Busy Squirrel again. This time, read at a steady speed all the way through.

If you must pause because you can't read a word, that's okay! Sound the word out, then go back to the beginning and try to get through the story at a steady speed again.

Wow, awesome job keeping a steady speed!

Step Three: Add Expression

You're on the last step! Step three is to add expression.

  • Remember how listening to the first Whiskers story wasn't fun?

That's because it did not use expression like the second version.

Learn how to add expression to your reading as you watch the read-aloud video below for How To Read a Story by Kate Messner.

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Using expression makes a big difference in your reading!

Try reading A Busy Squirrel one more time. This time, use expression when you read. Stop at the ends of sentences and pay attention to how you say the story.

  • Would it be fun to listen to?

Move on to the Got It? section to test your memory of what you've learned.

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