Our Writer in Residence SF Said reads from his book Tyger and talks about the power of reading aloud
There's a kind of magic that happens when adults read books aloud to children. It's the kind of magic that changes lives forever, and will never, ever be forgotten.
Research shows us that reading aloud is one of the most powerful ways of helping children to read for pleasure and become lifelong readers themselves. Just 10 minutes a day can do it. So it should be a regular part of every school day, and it's something parents and carers can do with children every bedtime too.
Reading aloud can lead to wonderful discussions around books. You can talk about the story: what's just happened, and what might happen next. You can talk about the characters and worlds, the words and pictures – every element of the book can be part of a shared experience. But please remember: this is about pleasure. Don't test them. Let them enjoy it, soak in the story, and dream about it afterwards in their own way!
I'm always amazed by the brilliant reading aloud that teachers have done with my books – much better than anything I can do myself! But just in case it's helpful to have a reading from the author, I'm going to read a chapter from my book Tyger now, and I would be delighted if you used it as part of your own reading with children.
