Reading and Math Help: "The Think Aloud" Approach

Parents can employ a variety of techniques to help their child learn at home.  One such strategy is to "Think Aloud."

The Think Aloud technique  is used, for the most part, when problem solving.  When you hear the term problem solving, you automatically assume math problems.  That is not necessarily the case. 

The think-aloud strategy asks students to say out loud what they are thinking in terms of reading, solving math problems, or simply responding to questions posed by teachers and classmates. Effective teachers think out loud on a regular basis to model this process for students. For example, during story time, a teacher will ask questions about characters, predict what is to come, relate the story to her prior knowledge, and create images in her mind.  This process helps students to comprehend the story more easily.  However, the think-aloud strategy can also be used by parents at home, particular when their children are struggling with homework, math problems, or any subject that requires solid reading comprehension skills. Parents can easily adopt this strategy.
 
Parents can use think-alouds just like effective teachers. The think-aloud is an excellent way to teach how to estimate the number of people in a crowd, revise a thesis paper, predict the outcome of a scientific experiment, use a key to decipher a map, access prior knowledge before reading a new passage, monitor comprehension while reading a difficult textbook, and so on.
 
Thinking aloud helps the learning process.  To learn more about this technique or the reading tutoring programs at Think Tutoring, visit us at www.ThinkTutoring.com.