An Investigation of the Effects of Reading Aloud to Intermediate Students

Abstract

This study explored the effects of reading aloud to intermediate school students. The researcher read aloud to her students from September through February. The study used twenty-six fifth grade students in a suburban school district in Monroe County, New York. A survey was used to measure the students’ perceived effects and/or benefits of listening to a read aloud story daily. It was divided into two sections: One section was short answer and Section Two was extended response. The researcher also made use of informal interviews, observation, as well as anecdotal notes to determine if reading aloud indeed had a positive correlation with leisurely reading. It was established that reading aloud does get children excited about reading. It was also determined that many students became interested in specific authors and/or series because of read-alouds.