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Learn how to use punctuation and character emotions to read stories aloud with fluency and excitement.
Imagine reading a story where everyone sounds like a robot. Beep. Boop. Boring! What if you could make your favorite characters come to life just by using your voice?
When we read, punctuation marks are like road signs. They tell our voices when to stop, go, or get excited! A period (.) means 'stop and breathe.' A comma (,) means 'take a tiny pause.' But the most fun marks are exclamation points (!) and question marks (?). An exclamation point tells you to show big energy or speak a little louder. A question mark makes your voice go up at the end of the sentence, just like you are asking for a cookie! Following these signs helps you sound like a natural storyteller instead of a machine.
Try reading these sentences out loud to hear the difference: 1. The dog is home. (Normal voice, stop at the end.) 2. The dog is home? (Voice goes up at the end.) 3. The dog is home! (Voice is loud and excited!)
Quick Check
What does an exclamation point (!) tell your voice to do?
Answer
It tells your voice to show excitement, surprise, or to speak more loudly.
Characters in stories have feelings, just like you! To read with expression, you have to be an actor. If a character is sad, your voice might get slower and a bit quieter. If a character is brave, your voice might sound strong and steady. Look for clue words like 'shouted,' 'whispered,' or 'cried' to help you decide which voice to use. When you match your voice to the character's heart, the story becomes much more exciting for everyone listening.
Read this dialogue using two different voices: 1. Knight: 'I will save the day!' (Use a loud, deep, and strong voice.) 2. Mouse: 'Oh dear, I am so scared,' squeaked the mouse. (Use a high, shaky, and quiet voice.)
Quick Check
If a book says a character 'whispered,' how should your voice sound?
Answer
Your voice should be very quiet and soft.
To be a fluent reader, we want to avoid 'robot reading.' Robot reading happens when we say only one... word... at... a... time. Instead, try to read in scoops. A scoop is a group of or words that go together. For example, instead of 'The-big-red-bus,' try scooping it like 'The big red bus.' This makes your reading sound smooth, like water flowing down a stream. The more you practice scooping, the faster and better you will understand the story!
Try to read this sentence by 'scooping' the words in parentheses together without stopping: (The little frog) (jumped over) (the green log)!
Which punctuation mark makes your voice go UP at the end?
If a character is 'angry,' how might you read their words?
Reading one word at a time is the best way to sound like a storyteller.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the 4 'road signs' (punctuation marks) we talked about and what they do to your voice.
Practice Activity
Find a picture book today and read it out loud to a pet or a stuffed animal. Use a different, silly voice for every character!