|
Everyone needs to know about the information in this book
- it has the power to change lives.
Now in its sixth edition, Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook emphasizes the importance of reading aloud to children. He provides abundant research, both old and new,
that ties success in school to having a passion for reading. Parents and teachers can learn how to turn children into readers. Reading aloud to children, modeling good reading habits, having a large number of books at home or in the classroom and library, going to the public library,
and providing children with a library card are all ways to raise a child to become a reader: a child who has the motivation to read, a child who wants to read.
Trelease provides many examples of the books benefits through testimonials and correspondence
with others, like the Williams family. The Williams family
didn’t enroll their child in expensive prep or tutoring courses, and yet he still received a perfect score on the 2002 ACT exam. He was 1 of the 58, (out of 400,000 who took the exam) who got perfect scores.
His prep work: the 30 minutes a day his parents read to him when he was growing up. They created an environment where their children couldn’t help loving books. This is just one case of the power of reading aloud.
Other examples involve schools, teachers and classrooms, as well. The importance of Sustained Silent Reading in schools is stressed and supported with research, and it
is beneficial too for students to see their teachers read and enjoy books.
The second half of the handbook is the Treasury of Read-Alouds. Recommended books are divided into nine categories such as wordless books, full-length novels, and fairytales and folktales.
Trelease chooses books still in print, listing them in alphabetical order by title under each category. An author and illustrator index is provided;
other the information included about the books consists of publication date, number of pages, and listening level. Under a brief summary of the books, additional information is given for related titles, other titles by the author, and series information.
There are numerous reasons to read this book. It informs, updates and encourages.
Trelease also shares an ingenious idea for inexpensive shelving that parents, teachers and librarians can use so books can be displayed face out. Parents can learn the three B’s and the Do’s and Don’t of Read-Alouds.
It is also interesting to find out what Trelease has to say
- and what the research shows - on various topics such as series books, television, and computer games. Do any of these hamper children in any way?
The benefits of buying this book, and using the information inside, are countless.
|
|
The Read-Aloud Handbook: Sixth Edition