The Power of Read-Alouds in Language Development

Many skeptics of the science of reading are concerned that structured approaches will bore kids and make it less likely they’ll enjoy reading. 

These concerns are unfounded for a number of reasons. 

First, structured approaches help reach students who don’t learn through implicit learning (which is a lot of kids).

It’s hard to develop a love of something when you’ve failed repeatedly and no one has given you the tools to do it. Enjoyment comes with competence and confidence.

Second, many people assume that the science of reading is all about drilling phonics worksheets. But it’s not!

Good teachers know how to make structured approaches engaging and interesting. Even if they’re challenging. Good phonics instruction is not about drill and kill. 

And finally, the science of reading is WAY more than just phonics. It includes many other linguistic skills that help students decode, comprehend sentences, understand what they’re reading, spell words, or communicate through writing. 

Read-alouds and think-alouds are a powerful, accessible way to build these important language skills. 

That’s why I invited Dr. Molly Ness to episode 182 of De Facto Leaders as part of the National Literacy Month RIF series to talk about literacy advocacy work and the power of using read-alouds and think-alouds to build vocabulary. 

Dr. Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She earned a doctorate in reading education at the University of Virginia, and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University in New York City. The author of five books, Molly served on the Board of Directors for the International Literacy Association and is a New York state chapter founder of the Reading League. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction. 

She provided literacy leadership for nationally recognized literacy non-profits, as well as major educational publishers. In 2024, Molly was invited to serve on the New York State Dyslexia Task Force. A frequent speaker and presenter, her happy place is translating the science of reading to schools and teachers. As a tireless literacy advocate, Molly created the End Book Deserts podcast, which brings awareness to the 32 million American children who lack access to books. She is currently writing a forthcoming Scholastic book, helping teachers understand orthographic mapping. In 2024, she founded Dirigo Literacy, a literacy consulting firm supporting schools, districts, and states align with and implement the science of reading.

This episode is part of the National Literacy Month series of podcasts, presented in partnership between the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).

In this conversation, we discuss:

✅The impact of vocabulary on comprehension 

✅The science of reading as an evolving body of work instead of a trend or curriculum

✅Book deserts: Concerning statistics and how to help

✅Getting started with policy briefs and advocacy work

✅Think-alouds and read-alouds: Why they’re not just for younger kids

In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps related service providers develop a strategic plan for putting executive functioning support in place in collaboration with their school teams. You can learn more about that program here. 

In this episode I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that helps SLPs create a system for language therapy. You can learn more about Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.

You can get 25% off either program when you join between September 15-October 15. Just enter coupon code RIF25 on the checkout page to get this special rate. 

*If you’re already a member of either program and you refer a friend, tell them to email me at talktome@drkarenspeech.com if they join and let me know you referred them and I’ll send you a $100 referral bonus. 

Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of these amazing interviews/commentary. 

1. Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast.
2. Once you listen to an episode or two, leave me a rating and review. This helps get my show into the hands of people who need the information.
3. Do you have a colleague or friend who needs to learn more about the research surrounding language and literacy? Do you want to spread the word about practices and ideas you’d like to see in your school, community, or state? If so, tell them about the De Facto Leaders podcast so they can listen to all the episodes in this special campaign. 

Reading Is Fundamental is a nonprofit that focuses on connecting educators and families with materials and training aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction. Not only is their model aligned with the science of reading; they also offer unique book ownership solutions for professionals and families to address book equity issues. You can learn more about Reading Is Fundamental here. 

You can also learn more about the other BE Podcast Network shows at https://bepodcast.network 

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.