Do you read aloud?

I don't but it sounds like a great thing to do. I think I've read somewhere that reading things aloud (or hearing them out loud instead of just reading them in print) actually imprints the information more strongly. I haven't read anything out loud since my daughter was much younger. (getting nostalgic) I do sometimes read things back to myself that I'm writing to see if they sound clunky, though. Does that count?

When my kids were growing up, I read books/series aloud to them and my husband. I would make up voices for the characters- the kids loved it. We read at home, while travelling in the car, camping, etc. We would often stop after sections and discuss things.

My kids are grown and out of the house, but I still read aloud to my husband at night and while in the car. We have less time to do it with a new business, but still enjoy sharing a book and discussing it. I belong to a book group and they get a kick out of knowing that I read our books aloud to my husband and always ask what he thinks of the book at our meetings.

Audrey it is so sweet you read to your granddaughter and try on different voices. Does she get bored with the sitting down or lack of pictures? There's a little six-year-old I know that needs a bit of running around like crazy before she'll settle in for quiet reading, and if the book doesn't have enough pictures it makes her fidgety.

"I do sometimes read things back to myself that I'm writing to see if they sound clunky, though. Does that count?" - Caryn D Sure Caryn, why not? It's a sign of a conscientious writer. o 0 (uh oh, I didn't read this article aloud before I clicked [publish]... oops!)

How about we spin it Caryn, does your daughter read aloud to you?

*high five* Sheryl O, that can be great couple time and make road trips/running errands in the car fly by. We'll even read magazine articles aloud, but right now the kids' books get priority. Do your kids fondly remember you reading aloud to them? Sounds like you guys had some great car traveling and you didn't even need a dvd player in the car ;-)

I never ever read aloud if I can help it. I completely rot at reading aloud. My kids never liked it when I read to them. (except when I read On the day you were born to them on their birthday, but then I get all choked up and weepy anyway) My partner hates it when I read to her aloud, though I will read snippets from the paper to her in the car or from the computer from time to time. If it is lengthy though, she will read over my shoulder or snatch the paper/book from me. I read way fast, much faster than I can speak so reading aloud just doesn't work.

Conversely, I do make a strange noise when I am thinking. (more so when coding web pages or working than reading but sometimes then) I didn't realize I made it until someone felt the need to point it out every time I did it.

I always read aloud to my children (even in utero!) but don't read aloud for myself.

When we were dating, my husband read aloud to me on occasion and those are some of my most memorable dates.

DVD player in the car?! Don't get me going!

Julia - my kids do remember and often bring up characters or things we read about. In fact, we read aloud through their HS years - I know that sounds kind of goofy to some people, but it was our special family time. We always tried to choose some books related to what they were studying at the time in school - novels about the Revolutionary War, etc. And we tried to fashion our summer vacations around their studies to some extent. One year we read some historical fiction on the early American wars, then went camping in VT and NY, visiting Fort Ticonderoga and some other places. Of course, we always fit in water parks, too!

T.F. when you said, "I read way fast, much faster than I can speak so reading aloud just doesn't work." are you talking speed-reading fast? Is that from practice due to all your computer time? Wish I could read that fast. I do read faster silently than I can read aloud, but that's kind of what makes it nice, because there's time to interact over a suspenseful sentence!

As to getting all choked up when reading "On the day you were born" to your kids on their birthday... no one here could blame you.

Diana! Okay, we won't get you started about DVD players in cars ;-) FWIW they blow my mind, but ... no, we won't get started! You must know I'm totally tempted to ask you about those reading dates but it might just be too personal.

That sounds absolutely cool, Sheryl. It doesn't sound goofy at all! I just may have to follow your footsteps in that as the kidlets in our lives grow older. It is a timely opportunity and also must become part of the vacation memory...

I always read aloud when I was teaching kids. I once belonged to a reader's theater group where we read aloud to each other. I miss that. I wanted to form a group of friends to read Ulysses by James Joyce aloud -- I'll never get through it by myself -- but no one I knew was interested.

I went to Norwegian language camp in Bemidji in April. I was in a group that was reading a children's story aloud. It is wonderful for learning to hear the language, but I found that when I was reading, I paid no attention to what the words meant, so very self-conscious about making the sounds right. It made me feel like I was in first grade again and what that was like for kids learning to read -- I remember sitting in a group named after birds. Those who read aloud best were in the "top group"? Perhaps not the best way to learn to read if you are shy and tongue-tied.

When I was in college, our reading/language arts teacher said that kids don't learn to read by reading aloud...it is a language art. It is theater, I would add.

I have friends who read grown-up books aloud to each other when they travel. That is cool.

It was cool, Julia. A trip I would very much recommend to you is to the historical areas in Virginia. They have family week packages where you pay one price and can get into Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, and some theme parks all week with the pass.

My daughter is 22 now and just went back to Williamsburg with her boyfriend from the area. She fondly remembered our trip there when she was in the 6th grade. They have these play-acting sessions where she got to stand up in a 1775 meeting and, pretending to be a local business owner whose livelihood depended on trade with England, spoke to the assembly against claiming independence from Britain. It really is a great learning experience for children when they can see and "live" history, besides reading historical fiction, as a way of understanding history.

I have always been an incredibly fast reader. I don't know about speed reading fast. I do know that I can finish a book in an hour that takes most people 4 hours to read.

Of course that helps when there is a new Harry Potter or Eragon book. No one disputes my chance to read it first because I am done with it by noon.

One of my daughters is joining me in being a vast consumer of literature. Her idea of a good day is finishing 5 or 6 serious chapter books. She reportedly read 7 Agatha Christie novels last weekend, at 11, and gave fairly in depth reviews of them over the phone.

I read aloud to my husband, but it's usually a quote from a newspaper or magazine that I want to share with him (interrupting his own reading or television viewing!) -- I'm not sure how he feels about that.

My daughter's teacher also advocated that we spend time asking her to read aloud to us at home. She was an early reader and a really good reader, but reading aloud was a challenge for her in school.

I rarely read aloud... when I do, I get the yawns! It's terrible! And it couldnt just be the yawns, I always tear up after yawning, which makes it hard to read.

This whole process is really great when I'm reading my God Daughter 'Free to Be...' at bedtime!

I try to make time, but it is usually in stages. Sometimes we will read loads of books all day long, other days (especially when the weather is great) the focus will be elsewhere. I think reading books (especially out loud) is a great stimulation and learning tools for the kids, but there are other equally great ways to teach the kids such as going for long walks talking about everything on your way and about the history.

"I wanted to form a group of friends to read Ulysses by James Joyce aloud -- I'll never get through it by myself -- but no one I knew was interested." - Cynthia Dang, how cool is that idea?! It is a bit of an undertaking, Cynthia, and that probably deterred some.

Your comment about reading aloud being theater is an excellent point.

Thanks for the suggestions, Sheryl. I think Virginia is beautiful but haven't been there for YEARS. Maybe I should start plotting and mapping out some trips... You've inspired me to dig up some books for this summer's visits!

T F. sounds like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree: "[T F's daughter] reportedly read 7 Agatha Christie novels last weekend, at 11, and gave fairly in depth reviews of them over the phone." Wow! You're a natural speedreader, and you're LUCKY. (speed reading article on Wikipedia)

I only read aloud when I read poetry.

I didn't know there was any other way.

Kat, you crack me up. If you get around to asking your husband how he feels about that let us know *grin*

Hey that happens to me too, Alison - so before I start up I force myself to yawn multiple times. This is highly amusing to the six-and-younger set. ;-)

j r. glad you joined in...and then you made great points. It really can be a balancing act between other activities (and distractions) and shouldn't replace all other forms of interaction. It always comes down to time and attention, doesn't it?

Missed you there Cornelius M. Poetry is something to savor, isn't it? I feel that way about song lyrics sometimes, too. They're meant for the voice.

Missed me?

That was my first ever posting on Gather.

And my penultimate I think.

This site is so difficult to navigate - probably the most complicated I have ever seen.

Perusing these replies, I wonder if the question shouldn't be flipped...
Do you enjoy when someone reads aloud to you?

*grin* Cornelius, I meant that we were commenting at the same time, so I didn't respond to you earlier.