Description
The benefits of reading aloud have been thoroughly examined and supported by research (Anderson et al., 2003; Isik, 2016; Phillips, 2000; Shickedanz & Collins, 2012; Suggate et al., 2013). Reading aloud is regarded as a positive foundation for children's lives and is indicative of academic and social success (Gurdon, 2019). This case study delves into the cognitive processes of children while being read an English picture book. It aimed to investigate: 1) the cognitive activities observed, 2) the affective responses elicited, and 3) the language learning features. The pedagogical approaches employed were interactive read-alouds (Barrentine, 1996) and shared reading, both of which align with established theories of language learning. Two third-year students from a public elementary school (aged 9) participated in the "English picture book read-aloud" event organized by our university. The reading was conducted by a university student who majors in the university’s Children’s English Teacher Training Course. The research methodology employed participatory observation, wherein one researcher intermittently posed questions to the children during the reading session. These questions were designed to explore the children's thoughts, emotions, and reasoning processes. The discourse analysis revealed that the children exhibited advanced cognitive abilities, including content prediction, analogical reasoning, and inference—skills that are distinctive and surpass what adult listeners might conceive. Additionally, the children demonstrated imaginative and astute visual perception skills when engaging with the illustrations of the book. This study underscores the importance of reading books to children, as it may equip them with essential thinking skills that prove valuable throughout their lives.
