Read-Alouds Are Already Perfect — They Don't Need Zany Sound Effects
In this video, Dr. Justin Baeder argues that adding gimmicks to read-alouds undermines their power as a simple, effective instructional practice.
Key Takeaways
- Simplicity is the strength - Read-alouds work because they expose students to rich language and storytelling through a human voice
- Sound effects distract - Adding bells, whistles, and dramatic effects pulls attention away from the text itself
- Don't fix what isn't broken - Some practices are effective precisely because they're straightforward and unpretentious
Transcript
Reading a picture book aloud to your class is already such a perfect and pure and engaging activity.
It does not need zany sound effects.
Check out this product.
I never put things back where they belong.
I'm late to everything.
I already love reading aloud.
I love it because it's a performance.
This takes my, like, it takes me to the next level.
Now what makes me so sad about this product is that people are going to see this and think, oh, I need that.
I need to spice up my read-alouds with this product.
No, you don't.
You do not need this product to make your read-alouds interesting and engaging.
They're already one of the most flawless, ready-to-go, always works products.
things you can do with your class.
So when people think, OK, I'm going to add value to that, what are we really adding here?
What we're not realizing is happening when we add things like this to the educational experience is we're fragmenting kids attention.
We're doubling down on the fragmentation that's already happening due to constant exposure to electronics, right?
A lot of these kids have been on smartphones since they were babies.
A lot of these kids have their own smartphones in elementary school.
Their attention is already fragmented.
And if we're taking the one time school when they're supposed to be looking at paper, they're supposed to be looking at pictures, they're supposed to be hearing from their teacher and talking with one another, and we add computer stuff to that, that does not make it better.
And I think we've got to remember one of the main functions of reading to kids.
It's not that they get to hear the story in an entertaining way.
It's not just about entertainment.
It's also about stamina.
And if we undermine the ability of read-alouds to build kids' stamina for reading, for paying attention to a story, they are not going to develop that stamina as independent readers either.
This is a crucial opportunity we have in elementary school to read to young kids, to engage them with stories, and to hold their attention with the story itself, not with the zany sound effects.
And another selling point of this service seems to be that they have activities that you can download.
But if you look at those activities, this is not great standards aligned literacy stuff.
This is cut and color and paste.
Like this is craft type stuff that is not the best use of time.
So like, I'm sorry, I don't want to be negative to any, you know, anybody who's really trying to do a good thing, but not everything is a good thing.
And I think this product is a net negative for the education world.
Let me know what you think.