Reading aloud should be an everyday class activity. Pupils should be at ease, and the teacher should make sure the situation is free from stress. There should be a clear purpose for pupils: reading a favourite poem or story to friends; reading own or others' work. At first, the audience will be teacher, parent fellow pupil, small group. Paired reading also develops awareness of audience. The teacher will be a model by reading aloud often. Tape recording allows pupils to hear themselves and others read.

Pupils should be encouraged to share texts they have enjoyed with other individuals, groups or class. Tape recording can help pupils hear how fluency aids the conveying of meaning. Discussion with teacher and other pupils will draw attention to stress, pauses, emphases and how to use these.

Pupils can be shown how to gain an overview of an unfamiliar text by scanning, and effectively using textual cues, such as commas and full stops. The setting of a priming question before reading may help the pupil to express understanding in reading aloud. The response of audience will help the reader to review reading performance, and work at developing the skills of reading aloud.

Although there are no targets in these strands at levels D and E, reading aloud should be continued to develop the skills of dramatic expression, reading for effect and performance. Pupils should have opportunities to perform, from a script or from memory, worthwhile poems or other items that they particularly like. The audience will be the class or a group of pupils or the tape-recorder. Occasionally it might be a larger gathering such as a school assembly or concert.