Reading aloud

[ajjkt]

I was wondering until what age/stage you have your DC read aloud to you. DS7 is reading quite well (tests in McCalls at about a grade 4 level, usually) and I'm wondering if I should still insist he reads aloud as well as silent reading time and reading comprehension exercises each day.

Should I still be insisting he read aloud to me each day? At what point do you stop doing this? Is it at a certain age or is it once they hit a certain level?

When you stop making them read aloud to you each day, do you replace this with a different activity, or do you just drop it?

Thanks, Amy

[JoyfulMama]

My dd8 must still read aloud to me, and I plan on continuing some sort of this for quite a long time, since I equate it to preparation for public speaking.
A way to continue this is to work it into other subjects - take turns reading passages, etc.
When my dd8 must also recite something for me, I insist that she stand a distance away from me, also to prepare for public speaking, as she must speak loudly and clearly, without fidgeting.
I also insist that she read books to my younger children on occasion.

[prairiegirl]

This is something that I have fallen down on. Once my dd was reading well, I stopped having her to read aloud to me. I was reading LCC this past week and Drew recommends having your child read aloud even when they are older (11, 12 years older.) This helps prepare them for rhetoric as they get older. (I think that is the reason why.) So after Christmas, my dd(age 9)and I will co-read some of her read alouds.

[whitestavern]

I do not require my DD8 to read aloud to me anymore. She's a very good reader and we did do it for several years. She does a great deal of memory work though and that I do make sure she recites for me once she's memorized it. She has to stand straight, hands at side, speak clearly, yada yada yada. She also does readings at church from time to time and we always practice these beforehand.

[Cami in UT]

I do make both my ds10 & ds8 read aloud to me. For my ds8, I pick a story to read, it can be short and be done in one day or a chapter book that we read for a week or so. For my ds10 we just read the book he is currently reading for History or Literature, we start where he left off when he last stopped. With both of the boys they read the first paragraph on the page, then I read the rest of the page. We do that for around 10 pages each day. They are also required silent reading daily during quiet time after lunch.

[EKS]

I will have each of my kids read aloud to me regularly until they read aloud fluently on an adult level.

[Lori D.]

We *still* read aloud together -- GRADES 9 & 10! :tongue_smilie:

BUT... we do it "popcorn" style ("you read a page, I read a page"). AND it is only about 6 books a year. AND they are books that are a bit above their reading level due to mature content, vocabulary/sentence structure, or cultural/time period differences that they wouldn't "get".

The benefits:
- good practice for the student to enunciate, use inflection, practice reading/speaking in front of others
- we can enjoy the classics all together
- we learn the vocabulary better (see it/discuss it/look it up as we read it in context)
- we remember it better; don't need comprehension questions (which seem like "busywork" to me)
- we get *great* "in the moment" discussions (we get lots more out of discussing/analyzing the work as we're reading than me asking a few questions about it after they've read it)
- we can tackle more mature/difficult works because we're doing it together
- it's *fun* to enjoy great literature together!:001_smile:


Just our experience! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest dd stopped reading aloud to me at about 7yo. She was reading fluently and easily at 4th grade level at that point.

My middle dd stopped reading aloud to me at about 8yo. She was reading fluently and easily at 4th grade level at that point.

My youngest is 10.5yo and is still reading aloud to me. She is dyslexic. She is reading at about 5th grade level, but often struggles. She will probably read to me for a long time.

[angela in ohio]

My 12 to still reads aloud to me almost every day. I know WAY too many homeschool kiddos who can't read aloud very well, even though they are said to be reading well above grade level.

It is such a vital skill; I'm not taking any chances. We have received compliments on their reading skills (reading Bible out loud in group, etc.,) and I credit the practice at home. It is a different skill than reading silently.