Reading aloud: growing beyond reading

The book is aimed at all audiences, with the aim of spreading the importance of sharing a read in the family and at school. Illustration: Cristina Bueno
The book is aimed at all audiences, with the aim of spreading the importance of sharing a read in the family and at school. Illustration: Cristina Bueno
Research
(09/02/2023)

What are the advantages of reading aloud? Can it help to consolidate reading habits and cognitive skills in childhood? What happens at a cognitive level when we share an expressive reading? From the perspective of neuroeducation, reading aloud is an activity that goes far beyond verbalizing a written text and enjoying the act of sharing a narrative. Now, the book Els beneficis de la lectura en veu alta, promoted by the UB-EDU1st Chair on Neuroeducation and published by Enciclopèdia Catalana, gives details on the cognitive and learning benefits of sharing reading —at home and also at school— from the perspective of research published in internationally prestigious scientific journals.

The book is aimed at all audiences, with the aim of spreading the importance of sharing a read in the family and at school. Illustration: Cristina Bueno
The book is aimed at all audiences, with the aim of spreading the importance of sharing a read in the family and at school. Illustration: Cristina Bueno
Research
09/02/2023

What are the advantages of reading aloud? Can it help to consolidate reading habits and cognitive skills in childhood? What happens at a cognitive level when we share an expressive reading? From the perspective of neuroeducation, reading aloud is an activity that goes far beyond verbalizing a written text and enjoying the act of sharing a narrative. Now, the book Els beneficis de la lectura en veu alta, promoted by the UB-EDU1st Chair on Neuroeducation and published by Enciclopèdia Catalana, gives details on the cognitive and learning benefits of sharing reading —at home and also at school— from the perspective of research published in internationally prestigious scientific journals.

The authors of the book are David Bueno, lecturer at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Barcelona and director of the Chair; Anna Forés, lecturer at the Faculty of Education of the UB and assistant director of the Chair, and Antonio Ruiz, lecturer at the Faculty of Education of the UB. The book will be presented on Tuesday 14 February at 19:00 at Llibreria Ona (Gran de Gràcia 217, Barcelona), in an event in which the authors will participate.

Sharing readings to grow as a person

Reading is much more than distinguishing the sounds letters make: it is also about understanding what words, sentences and texts say. Reading involves understanding the message they encode. The book Els beneficis de la lectura en veu alta, written in an informative style, is aimed at all audiences, with the aim of spreading the importance of sharing a read in the family and at school, for a better development in the cognitive, personal and relational spheres.

"Reading begins long before reading or the first contact with written letters: it starts with oral language. Based on the analysis of the results, the book presents relevant data and reflects on the advantages of reading aloud for the learning and consolidation of reading, for good reading habits, as well as for the construction and consolidation of some key cognitive skills that develop during childhood and are maintained into adulthood", the authors point out.

The UB-EDU1st Chair on Neuroeducation, created in 2019 and a pioneer in Spain, aims to promote the training of professionals in the field of neuroeducation and facilitate pedagogical and educational —and therefore social— changes that improve flexible, adaptable and inclusive education for all people, with a special focus on children, adolescents and young people.