| Have you ever noticed that some adults will read | | | | I've developed a little acronym that helps me |
| to a child or a group of children and very few of | | | | remember how to do this. It is SEE. |
| them are listening? Yet someone else could read | | | | S - Slow enough |
| to that same group and you could hear a pin drop. | | | | Some people tend to read too fast, and it is hard |
| I often read to my students in Sunday school | | | | for the children to follow. You don't want to read |
| class, even though they are nine and ten years | | | | so slowly that they fall asleep, either! |
| old, and they can read themselves. There are a | | | | E - Enunciate |
| few reasons for this. | | | | Pronounce the words clearly. Don't run them |
| 1. First of all, I only see them on Sundays, so I'm | | | | together. |
| not as familiar with their reading levels. I don't | | | | E - Expression |
| want to embarrass any of them. | | | | This may be the most important of all. Don't read |
| 2. Kids notoriously don't listen to other kids read. | | | | in a monotone. Use expression as you read. |
| While one child is muddling through the text, the | | | | You might want to tape yourself reading a story |
| others are talking or fidgeting. | | | | and listen to it. Sometimes we don't realize how |
| 3. The time factor. Often there isn't time to have | | | | we sound to others. |
| children read the Bible story and still be able to | | | | So read the text at a slow enough speed so that |
| complete the other activities that go with the | | | | the children will hear the words, enunciate clearly, |
| lesson. | | | | and use expression. Hopefully you'll be able to hear |
| Now, back to the original question. How do you | | | | a pin drop in your class! |
| read aloud to children and keep their attention? | | | | |