Reading Aloud in the High School Language Class: A Gateway to Cultural Awareness

This thesis investigates the idea of incorporating more cultural study into a high school Spanish class by the reading aloud of cultural material to the students. It chronicles a yearlong experience, comprised of seven read aloud sessions. In each session the author reads a text aloud to the students, the students respond to the cultural topics and themes in journals, and a group discussion takes place. The thesis looks for evidence that the students' awareness and knowledge of the Hispanic culture is growing, while also considering the impact of adding more cultural study to the curriculum and the impact of reading aloud to adolescents. The author finds that the students enjoy being read to and grow substantially in their understanding of the Hispanic culture. The extra class time that the sessions take are well worth it as they prove to be a successful gateway to cultural awareness.