So why then is reading out loud worth shouting about? Reach Out and Read, an American non-profit organisation that advocates for childhood literacy, outlines the key benefits that reading aloud has for young children. Reading aloud to children stimulates language and cognitive skills, develops memory and motivates children to be interested in learning more. The pleasure brought from snuggling up with your small children and reading a book for the first time, or returning to one of their favourites over and over, is enormous. The motivation to develop as readers, because of the children’s positive associations with reading, must not be underestimated. In addition, being read to gives children the opportunity to practise listening, a crucial skill for their later schooling.

There isn’t an age cap for how long reading aloud is beneficial. Obviously, once of school age, the advantages of being read to extend into the classroom; it is important that this should continue throughout a student’s schooling, and definitely should not be curbed just because a child can read independently. The same applies at home, don’t stop reading aloud with your child just because they are not little anymore. Through reading out loud, not only does reading comprehension and fluency increase and writing skills extend, but vocabulary is also increased exponentially. Additionally, being read to aloud helps to create the perfect environment in which to explore diverse and challenging topics within a supportive and engaging environment. Why not take it in turns to read out loud next time you are at a bookclub meeting? See how it extends and develops the discussion about an aspect of your chosen book.  Whilst it is clichéd to point it out, it is, of course, no coincidence that since time began stories have been used to explain and make meaning of the world. Readers of all technical ability can be exposed to topics with which they wouldn’t normally engage, and access text at a higher level than their reading comprehension allows.