10-second review: Help students to practice reading aloud by having them read aloud their compositions to other students, parents, relatives and friends. The purpose is to engage in discussion about writing.
Title: “Beyond checklists and Rubrics: Engaging Students in Authentic Considerations about Their Writing.” CM Dawson. English Journal (May 2009), 66-71. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Summary: The author suggests teaching students to practice reading aloud by reading their compositions aloud and gives two generic questions to encourage discussion: What do the listeners like about what they heard and what are the listeners wondering?
Comment: I don’t think it occurred to me to use students’ reading of their compositions aloud in order to prepare them for effective reading aloud. A missed opportunity for me. I think this is an excellent idea. Students will be uncomfortable to begin with, but they will become used to reading aloud effectively. Practice is the key.
Tomorrow, I will share with my readers my thoughts on the most forgotten skill in the English curriculum, reading aloud. RayS.