Real Writers Read Out Loud

We have all heard of book signings where authors read excerpts of their books. And who hasn’t happened by an open mic poetry reading at niche coffee shop? We even buy books on tape. So why don’t we encourage our students to read their own written work out loud?

Reading out loud is an excellent tool for students to learn about the flow and pacing of good writing. 

If reading a sentence makes him feel tongue tied or rushes by so fast that he runs out of breath, chances are that the sentence needs revision.

Good writers use their ear to HEAR mistakes even when their fine tuned brain compensates for errors that they SEE on a page.

An added bonus of learning to read out loud properly is a big boost in self-confidence. Public speaking skills are sorely lacking in many students partly because they don’t have the opportunity to practice and get good feedback along the way.

So the next time your child hands you a draft to read, hand it right back and say, ”Let’s hear it!”

The Top 10 Literary Devices Everyone should Know and Use

10. Irony: words used that often mean something different or the

                   opposite of what they mean  

  

A man who is a traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid parking tickets.

             

 9. Parallelism: repetition of word or phrases to emphasize a point

My favorite foods are pizza, chocolate, steak and donuts.

8. Metaphor: compares two things where one is the other

He is the apple of my eye.

7. Simile: compares two things using like or as

He is as fast as a cheetah.

6. Oxymoron: the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated words

The paper tablecloth flapped in the wind.

5. Onomatopoeia: words that represent sounds

The floor board squeaked as I ran across it.

4. Personification: using animals or inanimate objects are given

                                   human qualities  

The clock screamed the time.

3. Alliteration: repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of

                           words

Sister Susie sat in the sun.

2. Hyperbole: an exaggeration

The dog weighed a ton.

1. Imagery: descriptive language that attempts to invoke one or

                         more of the five senses

The azure sky melted into the horizon across the tumbling waves.