To Read Aloud or Not: A Comparative Study of the Two Reading Methods

Authors

  • Ahmed Khawaji

    The Applied College, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i7.10448
Received: 11 June 2025 | Revised: 17 June 2025 | Accepted: 30 June 2025 | Published Online: 24 July 2025

Abstract

Silent reading is the most favoured practice in general ELT methodology, particularly the communicative approach, to teach a foreign language, such as English. However, research studies have documented the benefits, such as phonemic awareness, morphological awareness, enhanced comprehension, and so on, of reading aloud to children. Research also documents the benefits of children themselves reading aloud in the early years of language development. Research investigations whether there are any potential benefits if adult EFL learners followed reading aloud approach to develop their reading skills are scanty since silent reading is accepted as the ELT norm. Nevertheless, in many ways, adult EFL learners are like early childhood native-language learners and may have ill-developed phonemic awareness, lack morphological awareness, and lack reading/listening comprehension. An empirical study employing a quasi-experimental design was conducted with undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia to examine if reading aloud approach can improve their pronunciation, lexical awareness, and reading/listening comprehension. The findings of the study indicate a positive impact of reading aloud approach on the selected research constructs. The study and its findings are significant in Saudi Arabian contexts as EFL undergraduates often need intervention to improve their pronunciation, lexical repertoire, and reading/listening comprehension. The findings also induce rethinking on silent reading as the only approach to teach reading.

Keywords:

Reading Aloud; Silent Reading; Reading Comprehension; Phonemic Awareness; Morphological Awareness

References

[1] Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., Hosp, M., et al., 2001. Oral Reading Fluency as an Indicator of Reading Competence: A Theoretical, Empirical, and Historical Analysis. Scientific Studies of Reading and Writing. 5(3), 239–256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532799XSSR0503_3

[2] Huey, E.B., 1968. The Psychology and Pedagogy of Reading. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA.

[3] Krashen, S., Mason, B., 2017. Sustained Silent Reading in Foreign Language Education: An Update. Turkish Online Journal of English Language Teaching. 2(2), 70–73.

[4] Ash, G.E., Kuhn, M.R., 2006. Meaningful Oral and Silent Reading in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom. In: Rasinski, T., Blachowicz, C., Lems, K. (eds.). Fluency Instruction: Research-based Best Practices. Guilford Press: New York, NY, USA. pp. 155–172.

[5] Rasinski, T.V., 2004. Assessing Reading Fluency. Pacific Resources for Education and Learning: Honolulu, HI, USA.

[6] Rasinski, T.V., 2003. The Fluent Reader. Scholastic Professional Books: New York, NY, USA.

[7] Kilpatrick, D.A., 2020. How the Phonology of Speech is Foundational for Instant Word Recognition. Perspectives on Language and Literacy. 46(3), 11–15.

[8] Bell, N., 2023. A Deep Dive into Phonemic Proficiency. MultiLit: Sydney, Australia.

[9] Ghaith, G.M., Harkous, S.A., 2024. Exploring the Interplay Between Reading Proficiency, the Dimensions of Adult Reading Motivation, and the Academic Achievement of a Diverse Cohort of EFL College Learners. Reading Psychology. 45(6), 601–616. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2024.2342388

[10] Gibson, S., 2008. Reading Aloud: A Useful Learning Tool? ELT Journal. 62(1), 29–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccm075

[11] Mahmood, M.A., 2022. The Role of Reading in Enhancing EFL Learners' Language Proficiency. Qalaai Zanist Scientific Journal. 7(4), 1230–1258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25212/lfu.qzj.7.4.49

[12] Allington, R.L., 2011. What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing Research-Based Programs. Pearson: Boston, MA, USA.

[13] Armbruster, B.B., Wilkinson, I.A.G., 1991. Silent Reading, Oral Reading, and Learning from Text. The Reading Teacher. 45(2), 154–155.

[14] McCallum, R.S., Sharp, S., Bell, S.M., et al., 2004. Silent versus Oral Reading Comprehension and Efficiency. Psychology in the Schools. 41(2), 241–246. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.10152

[15] Batini, F., D'Autilia, B., Pera, E., et al., 2020. Reading Aloud and First Language Development: A Systematic Review. Journal of Education and Training Studies. 8(12), 49–68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v8i12.5047

[16] Ehri, L.C., 2017. Orthographic Mapping and Literacy Development Revisited. In: Cain, K., Compton, D., Parrila, R.K. (eds.). Theories of Reading Development. John Benjamins: Amsterdam, Netherlands. pp. 127–146.

[17] Seidenberg, M.S., 2013. The Science of Reading and Its Educational Implications. Language Learning and Development. 9(4), 331–360. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15475441.2013.812017

[18] Pearson, P.D., Goodin, S., 2010. Silent Reading Pedagogy: An Historical Perspective. In: Hiebert, E.H., Reutzel, D.R. (eds.). Revisiting Silent Reading: New Directions for Teachers and Researchers. International Reading Association: Newark, DE, USA. pp. 3–23.

[19] Tindal, G., Nese, J.F.T., Stevens, J.J., et al., 2015. Growth on Oral Reading Fluency Measures as a Function of Special Education and Measurement Sufficiency. Remedial and Special Education. 37(1), 28–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932515590234

[20] Rasinski, T.V., 2017. Fluency Matters. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education. 7(1), 3–12.

[21] Garan, E.M., DeVoogd, G., 2008. The Benefits of Sustained Silent Reading: Scientific Research and Common Sense Converge. The Reading Teacher. 62(4), 336–344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.62.4.6

[22] Zimmer, S., 2021. Sustained Silent Reading (SSR). EBSCO Research Starters. Available from: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/sports-and-leisure/sustained-silent-reading-ssr (cited 17 May 2025).

[23] Grabe, W., 2004. Research on Teaching Reading. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. 24, 44–69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190504000030

[24] Kuhn, M., Stahl, S., 2003. Fluency: A Review of Development and Remedial Practices. Journal of Educational Psychology. 95(1), 3–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.95.1.3

[25] Rasinski, T.V., 2006. Reading Fluency Instruction: Moving Beyond Accuracy. The Reading Teacher. 59(7), 704–706. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.59.7.10

[26] Richards, M., 2000. Be a Good Detective: Solve the Case of Oral Reading Fluency. The Reading Teacher. 53(7), 534–539.

[27] Tompkins, G.E., 2003. Literacy for the 21st Century: Teaching Reading and Writing in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 4. Pearson: Boston, MA, USA.

[28] Worthy, J., Broaddus, K., 2001. Fluency Beyond the Primary Grades: From Group Performance to Silent, Independent Reading. The Reading Teacher. 55(4), 334–343.

[29] Krashen, S., 2006. SSR is a Very Good Idea: A Response to Shanahan. Reading Today. 24(1), 16.

[30] Yen, T.T.N., 2021. The Relationship between EFL Oral Reading Fluency and Silent Reading Fluency: What Can a Speed-Reading Course Tell Us? Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal. 25(2), 1–22.

[31] Droop, M., Verhoeven, L., 2003. Language Proficiency and Reading Ability in First- and Second-Language Learners. Reading Research Quarterly. 38(1), 78–103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.38.1.4

[32] Fraser, C., 2007. Reading Rate in L1 Mandarin Chinese and L2 English Across Five Reading Tasks. The Modern Language Journal. 91, 372–394. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2007.00587.x

[33] Taguchi, E., Gorsuch, G.J., Sasamoto, E., 2006. Developing Second and Foreign Language Reading Fluency and its Effect on Comprehension: A Missing Link. The Reading Matrix. 6(2), 1–18.

[34] Just, M.A., Carpenter, P.A., 1987. The Psychology of Reading and Language Comprehension. Allyn & Bacon: Boston, MA, USA.

[35] Nation, P., 2005. Reading faster. PASAA. 36, 21–37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58837/CHULA.PASAA.36.1.1

[36] Pham, N.Y.V., Baker, J.R., Nguyễn, T., 2024. Comparing the Effects of Two Repeated Reading Methods on EFL Learners' Reading Rates. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 11, 456. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-02793-0

[37] Nirwana, I., Mahmudah, K., Pratama, A., 2025. Systematic Review: How the Reading Aloud Strategy Still Used in the Last Five Years. SALEE Study of Applied Linguistics and English Education. 6(1), 234–253. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v6i1.1638

[38] Duursma, E., Augustyn, M., Zuckerman, B., 2008. Reading Aloud to Children: The Evidence. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 93(7), 554–557. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.106336

[39] Proverbio, A.M., Vecchi, L., Zani, A., 2004. From Orthography to Phonetics: ERP Measures of Grapheme-to-Phoneme Conversion Mechanisms in Reading. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 16(2), 301–317. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/089892904322984580

[40] Tusmagambet, B., 2020. Effects of Audiobooks On EFL Learners' Reading Development: Focus on Fluency and Motivation. English Teaching. 75(2), 41–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.75.2.202006.41

[41] Isozaki, A.H., 2018. Reading-Listening and Reading Circles: Bimodal Approaches Building Fluency. The Reading Matrix. 18(1), 82–103.

[42] Zamanian, F., 2014. A Comparative Study between the Effects of Interactive Read-Aloud and Sustained Silent Reading on Iranian EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension [MA thesis]. Islamic Azad University: Tehran, Iran.

[43] Zolfagharkhani, M., Kowsary, M.A., 2013. The Relationship between Reading Aloud Strategies and Comprehension among the Iranian EFL Learners in Pre-Intermediate Levels. Studies in Literature and Language. 6(1), 74–77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3968/j.sll.1923156320130601.1682

[44] Milliner, B., 2021. The Effects of Combining Timed Reading, Repeated Oral Reading, and Extensive Reading. Reading in a Foreign Language. 33(2), 191–211.

[45] Amin, E.A.-R., 2022. Using Repeated-Reading and Listening-While-Reading via Text-To-Speech APPs in Developing Fluency and Comprehension. World Journal of English Language. 12(1), 211–220. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n1p211

[46] Al-Obaydi, L.H., Rahul, D.R., Pikhart, M., 2024. The Effect of Online Oral Reading on Reading Comprehension, Reading Anxiety, and Classroom Anxiety among EFL Learners. Education and Information Technologies. 29(3), 2841–2855. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11950-y

[47] Rodríguez-Fuentes, R.A., Ariza, E.F., Linero, J., 2025. Digital Reading Aloud Protocols and its Effects on EFL Fluency. System. 133, 103712. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103712

[48] Chan, V., 2020. To Read or Not to Read: A Critical Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Extensive Reading in ESL/EFL Contexts. Social Sciences and Education Research Review. 7(2), 48–68.

[49] Baker, D.L., Santoro, L., 2023. Quality Read-Alouds Matter: How you Teach is Just as Important as What you Teach. The Reading Teacher. 77(3), 310–320. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2241

[50] Ledger, S., Merga, M.K., 2018. Reading Aloud: Children's Attitudes toward being Read to at Home and at School. Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 43(3), 124–139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2018v43n3.8

[51] Rodríguez-Fuentes, R.A., Calle-Díaz, C., 2023. Fluency Development beyond Speech Rate: A Study on the Effects of Read Aloud Protocols on EFL Learners. Ampersand. 11, 100133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2023.100133

[52] Swanson, E., Vaughn, S., Wanzek, J., et al., 2011. A Synthesis of Read-Aloud Interventions on Early Reading Outcomes Among Preschool Through Third Graders at Risk for Reading Difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 44(3), 258–275. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219410378444

[53] Tang, K., Noordin, N., Ismail, L., 2025. Evaluating the Think-Aloud Method for English Reading: A Systematic Review. Cogent Education. 12(1), 2497150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2497150

[54] Wang, C., Ho, C.-T., 2019. Extensive Reading for University EFL Learners: Its Effects and Both Teachers' and Learners' Views. Journal of Language Teaching and Research. 10(4), 692–701. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1004.04

Downloads

How to Cite

Khawaji, A. (2025). To Read Aloud or Not: A Comparative Study of the Two Reading Methods. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(7), 1139–1151. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i7.10448

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 7 (July 2025)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Ahmed Khawaji

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.