Does anyone know of any articles, papers, or studies about the merits of enhancing learning and attention by reading aloud to oneself while reading and writing, as well as saying aloud the steps one is doing as solving math problems? I am encouraging my seventh grade son to do this as he does his homework or studies for a test to a) enforce learning by adding auditory to visual input and 2) help him keep focused on the matter at hand without having his attention wander into his very fertile imagination—this happens constantly although he takes medication for attention.
I notice he goes faster and at a much steadier pace if he is talking aloud to himself about his work as he is doing it. I do have to keep prodding him to remember to do it and have another problem—dh, the other homework monitor, thinks my theory is wacky and won’t support it by prodding and backing up the merits of this approach. I used this approach throughout my career as a student, during which others often remarked about my amazing ability to exert intense focus on the matter at hand. It would be incredibly helpful if a simple technique like this could help my ds.
Am I way off base here? If not, I would really like an article supporting the approach that I could hand to dh—he tends to be swayed by articles and ds is more willing to do things that both parents concur is the way to go. Thank you for any help.
Re: ? about reading aloud to yourself
DOn’t know of articles off hand — but IDA journals are where I would go. Or maybe the voice of teaching experience? You could find countless articles to supp0ort that students (especially LD students) learn better if you engage more of the senses. What I see is that when *I* read silently, without even trying I”m engaging my “listening,” etc — but some folks need to actually hear the stuff and engage lips and tongue in order to bring in all the brain parts that should be engaged in the process.
There was this period of time in teaching when it was anathema to “move your lips while reading.” Granted, ideally, that’s a stage people get past — and I’m sure there are some folks who need to be encouraged to put their lips together so they aren’t slowing themselves down unnecessarily. HOwever, now it’s readily acknowledged that “subvocalizing” is an excellent way to focus attention on reading and be a better ‘active reader.’ Reading aloud is a very logical first step… when he’s gotten accustomed to that he can graduate to subvocalizing — and then just “Listening” with his ears.
Thanks amyf, sue
Amyf, I was surprised to see this actually specified in an IEP (my very own little home remedy having such stature!) Sue—will search IDA—also “subvocalizing” (a term I hadn’t thought of) looks like a great keyword for a search.
Re: ? about reading aloud to yourself
My 9yr just started to be able to read independantly (with interest) in the last several months. She reads aloud vs. silently(which she calls ‘brain reading’). I’ve questioned whether this is good or bad - but for now, it has really helped her (and her reading has improved alot). I wonder whether she would be comprehending as well if she was not doing so. I’m worried about what happens when she reaches the grade that they have to read assignments. silently to themselves during class? I’m not sure she CAN ‘brain read’ effectively.
I had noticed when we were doing PACE, on several of the exercises she discovered she could remember better if she repeated aloud to herself.
So I believe there is something to reading aloud that works for many people. Everyone learns differently.
Re: ? about reading aloud to yourself
You are absolutely on target. I’m sorry I don’t have the papers handy for reference to back you up, but yes, using your oral language skills is a *good* thing. Read any decent linguistics text — it will tell you that language is *spoken* and that the written form is secondary, period. There is also the test of results — fewer errors, better grades — it works.
My son’s iep states in one place that he will talk himself through a problem, this was suggested by the sp.ed teacher. Does this help? Personally, I think if it works for him then go for it, it obviously worked for you.