Reading aloud to first grade students: A case study of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was two-fold: To understand how reading aloud can help improve the cognitive learning processes of first grade students in Saudi Arabia; and to analyze different reading aloud techniques and their effects on the students’ learning attitudes and motivation in the classroom. The applied research required two first grade classes in which two different reading aloud techniques were conducted twice a week over a six-week period. More specifically, one group received a traditional reading experience, while the other received an interactive one. According to the results, although both groups showed improvements in all areas, the group that received the interactive reading experience had higher vocabulary retention and better lexical analysis and listening skills than the traditional reading group. The implication of the findings is that interactive reading is better suited to the characteristics of Saudi Arabian students than traditional reading.