It is harder now for high school students to focus on and make sense of long, complex texts, particularly the underserved students who were already struggling with reading.

The 24-hour news and entertainment cycle, cellphones, work schedules and family problems are just a few of the pressures competing for teens’ attention. That means when teachers assign the reading of literature for homework and use class time for lectures and quizzes, they may not be providing the engagement necessary to compete with such distractions.

One strong solution is to have teachers read aloud to their classes, then move into leading inquiry-based discussions about texts.

In this shared-experience vision of reading aloud, students are following along, taking notes with old-school technology: a pencil.

The benefits of reading aloud to students have been known for decades. A landmark report called “Becoming a Nation of Readers” identified listening as “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading.” This report by the National Academy of Education, the National Institute of Education, and the Center for the Study of Reading may have been published more than 30 years ago, but that truth is timeless.

More recent research indicates that for students — even those in high school — hearing literature aloud helps model fluency in diction and tone, build background knowledge, and develop language acquisition skills. So, for better literature comprehension and appreciation from their high school students, teachers should continue to read aloud to their classes.

Read the full article about the benefits of reading aloud to students by Danielle Martin at The Hechinger Report.