Umm Omar recently commented on reading aloud and how kids enjoy it. Since then I've had a few thoughts on reading aloud!
A lot of people think reading aloud is just for little kids, who cannot read fluently themselves yet. Little kids do love it, but so do big kids, and adults too! What are audio books for? There are lots of audio books for adults in the library. How about on the radio, there are programmes just for reading aloud novels.
When I was studying A level literature, (so about 17 years old) we had two teachers for the course. One teacher would always arrive carrying only his bunch of keys and the book we were reading. He would sweep in, sit down and read aloud to us for 40 minutes with full dramatic style, then sweep out again. The poems of Byron seemed to be his favourites. I don't remember anything else happening in lessons, mostly just him reading aloud. The other teacher was a bit more flexible and let the students do the reading aloud in her lessons. We even got some discussion too!
So what I'm saying is I don't think reading aloud ever has to stop, as long as it remains enjoyable for listener and reader alike. My grandfather used to read aloud to my grandmother as she did her embroidery in the afternoons. That is more companionable than TV, isn't it.
4 comments:
Salaam,
Kinda got swept up in the scene of your Literature tutor! :)
And I think it is amazing that your grandparents share such wonderful times together. I think it is so sweet masha'Allah. You are right, reading aloud does not need to stop. Maybe something to talk about on the forum?
There are books I love to read out loud with the kids, and then are those (usually cartoon film adaptations) which the authors should be forced to read aloud before they are published as they are so terrible. Sometimes I have a laugh when Biryani wants me to read some of the reading scheme books and I try to read the parts in character(1960's English
'Mother, Mother can I help you make cakes for Daddy' type thing;)
That must've been neat having been read to for 40 minutes a day like that. In today's world, the art of listening is pretty much lost, so older ones are sure to benefit too. People tend to associate only reading & writing with Language Arts, but really, it should be Reading, Writing, & Listening. Honestly at 30 something years old, I *wish* someone would read to me!
JazakAllahkhair for your comments. Umm Omar, of course you'd like someone to read sometimes! I say, train the kids and enjoy hearing them read in years to come, inshAllah.
UmSuhayb, Ia also reads in a character voice in Peter and Jane - but how does she know???
UmmRaiyaan, yes my grandparents spent a lot of time reading/listening like that. They have both died now.
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