Out-Loud Reading and Comprehension in Adults and Teenagers Calliope Cutchins

Out-Loud Reading and Comprehension in Adults and Teenagers

Calliope Cutchins

Adults read out-loud better than teenagers. During teenage and adult life, most reading is done silently, not spoken. As one ages, reading becomes more challenging and more frequent, therefore enhancing the reader's experience and level of reading. By the late teenage years, most native American English speakers are fluent readers. When asked to read a passage out-loud, adults read out-loud with much better fluency in pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. Teenagers read the passage well but with more stutters and hesitations and less voice inflection. When asked to answer questions about the passage read, both adults and teenagers were able to answer comprehension questions easily. From late teens to adulthood, while reading comprehension stays mostly constant, out-loud reading improves.