When teachers read to students, they supply students with information and understanding about different topics. For example, if a teacher reads her students the historical non-fiction text "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr, children are gaining important historical information and an understanding about the effect of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima during World War II. While reading passages in textbooks and lectures may supply students with the same information, reading the information from a piece of authentic literature has a greater impact on students, as the story is told in a way that they can relate to, increasing their understanding.
Reading to students increases their fluency and comprehension skills, two skills that are vital for successful reading. While reading, teachers can activate children's schema, or background knowledge, to help them connect to the book, and they can ask questions that pertain to the story to increase students' comprehension. By reading aloud, teachers model fluency, which children can refer to while reading on their own. To increase fluency, teachers may ask children to read chorally while the teacher reads, or they may ask students to echo read, or repeat sections of the text that the teacher has read.
Another benefit of teachers reading aloud to their students is the development of speech and language skills. While teachers read, students hear the proper pronunciation of words, which they can apply to their own speech. During reading, teachers can offer definitions of new words, building students' vocabulary, which is beneficial for both academics and for everyday life.
Students are more apt to focus and develop concentration when their teachers read aloud to them. While a teacher is reading, students must focus and concentrate on what is being read to understand the content of the text. In order to build these skills, teachers can ask specific questions that pertain to a text prior to reading and ask students to supply the answers to the questions after reading. In order to supply the answers, students must focus and concentrate on what their teacher is reading. Students can transfer and use the concentration skills that they build for other academic areas and for everyday life.