Reading aloud as a resource for the development of reading comprehension : A study of teachers’ descriptions of reading aloud to develop students’ reading comprehension

The aim of the study is to investigate how teachers in grades 1­­­­­­­­­­­–3 use reading aloud to develop the pupils’ reading comprehension and how they reflect on the method. The study is based on interviews with four teachers, all of them working in these grades. The interviews have been interpreted hermeneutically and the statements compiled in accordance with the aim and research questions. The results indicate that all the teachers are aware that reading aloud can be used as a resource to develop pupils’ reading comprehension. The results can be interpreted to show that the teachers were accustomed to asking questions about the text that had been read but were uncertain about how to develop the pupils’ reading comprehension otherwise. One reason for the teachers’ uncertainty may be that they do not have the necessary training. The result shows that the reading aloud sessions in the schools look different. What they all have in common, however, is that all the teachers can put the time for reading aloud to better use in order to develop the pupils’ reading comprehension