Teachers throughout the Oak Park Unified School District are participating in the National Read Aloud Program. The National Read Aloud Program is a program in which teachers from across the nation read to students of all ages in order to implement a sense of community and increase a love of reading. 

With this program, children are able to reap greater benefits with reading and enjoy a time of bonding with others. According to a 2008 review in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, “Reading aloud to young children, particularly in an engaging manner, promotes emerging literacy and language development.” 

However, the benefits of reading aloud are not limited to young students.

According to English teacher Jennifer Hankins, “the books…[show an] appreciation for language and an appreciation for storytelling.” Hankins is one of the few teachers on campus who is doing the read-aloud program and has been since the 2017-2018 school year. 

Reading aloud to students can help boost literacy and build a community together while having fun at the same time.  Reading books aloud help children deal with situations in real life, too. According to Scholastic, “Just over half of kids (53%) also agree a book has helped them through a difficult time, and it’s heartening to see that nearly the same percentage of parents (55%) feel books have played this role for their child.”  

“Students are able to engage in a different style of learning,” Hankins said. “With picture books, students connect the words and pictures together. The illustrations are powerful in how they help to convey the story.” 

Ross Gelick, a past student of Hankins, found the program beneficial.

“It gave the book more personality rather than just me reading it on my own,” Gelick wrote.