Portuguese Year 3: Reading aloud and reading silently
Portuguese, Year 3 (Portugal): Two ways of reading: aloud, with rhythm and intonation, to share; and silently, on your own, to read more and understand.
Two ways of reading
You read aloud when you want others to hear: you use rhythm (a short pause at a comma, a longer one at a full stop) and intonation (your voice changes with «?» and «!»). You read silently when you read for yourself: without moving your lips, at your own pace, and on your own: you choose the book and decide when to stop. In both cases you read to understand, not just to say the words.
Each kind of reading has its own job
Reading aloud is for sharing a story or a poem and for practice: rhythm and intonation follow the meaning, so someone who reads aloud well is usually understanding. Silent reading is the way of reading most used later on, and it is quicker, because you do not have to say the words. As you do it alone, at your own pace, you can stop, go back and think. Practising both makes you an independent reader.
One text, two readings
Text: «Ontem, a Rita foi ao parque. Viu um pato, um cisne e três patinhos. Que lindos!» (Yesterday Rita went to the park. She saw a duck, a swan and three ducklings. How lovely!) Aloud: a short pause after «Ontem,» and after «pato,»; a longer one after «parque.»; a cheerful voice for «Que lindos!». Silently: you read it once, without moving your lips, and test yourself: what did Rita see? A duck, a swan and three ducklings. If you did not know, you would read it again.
Reading fast is not reading well
Someone who reads in a rush may think they read well, but they swallow the pauses, swap words and do not understand what they read. The same happens silently: running your eyes over the lines is not reading. A good test: at the end, try to say in your own words what you read. If you cannot, no problem: read it again, more slowly, thinking about the meaning. Reading well is understanding, not reaching the end quickly.
Aloud and silently, at school and at home
You read aloud when you read a story to your little brother or sister, when you read to the class or when you say a poem with other voices. You read silently when you choose a book in the school library, when you read alone before going to sleep or when you read the rules of a game. Whoever reads often, in both ways, gains rhythm, new words and a liking for reading.
Test what you learned
Which sentence describes the difference between reading aloud and reading silently?
- a) In silent reading you have to whisper every word
- b) Aloud is for sharing, with rhythm and intonation; silently is on your own, at your own pace
- c) Silent reading is only for adults
- d) When reading aloud you do not need to understand
Correct answer: b) Aloud is for sharing, with rhythm and intonation; silently is on your own, at your own pace — Yes: reading aloud is for other people to hear, so it uses rhythm and intonation; silent reading is your own, at your own pace.
You will read aloud: «Ontem, a Rita foi ao parque. Que lindo dia!» (Yesterday Rita went to the park. What a lovely day!) How do you read it?
- a) With no pauses and the same voice from start to end
- b) A long pause after «Ontem,» and a sad voice for «Que lindo dia!»
- c) A short pause after «parque.» and a long one after «Ontem,»
- d) A short pause after «Ontem,», a longer one after «parque.» and a cheerful voice for «Que lindo dia!»
Correct answer: d) A short pause after «Ontem,», a longer one after «parque.» and a cheerful voice for «Que lindo dia!» — Yes: a short pause at the comma, a longer one at the full stop and a voice that matches the exclamation.
You read a text very fast and, at the end, you cannot say what it was about. What is best to do?
- a) Read it again, more slowly, thinking about the meaning
- b) Move on to the next text, since it is finished
- c) Read even faster next time, to practise
- d) Say that I read it, and that is enough
Correct answer: a) Read it again, more slowly, thinking about the meaning — Yes: reading well is understanding. A slower second reading, thinking about the meaning, fixes what the rush missed.
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