The Read-Aloud in the Secondary English Language Arts Classroom and its Effect on Students’ Reading Attitudes: A Synthesis of Existing Research

This synthesis reviews eight primary studies and seven secondary studies that explore the relationship between teacher read-alouds in the secondary ELA classroom and students’ reading attitudes. In most studies, findings suggest that read-alouds can positively influence secondary students’ attitudes toward reading. However, the findings also indicate that several key factors contribute to the most effective read-alouds. The paper concludes with a discussion of the studies’ limitations and suggestions are offered for future research.