What type of skills does thinking aloud during read-aloud sessions primarily help develop in students?

Thinking aloud during read-aloud sessions primarily aids in the development of students' understanding of narrative text structure. This instructional approach encourages educators to model their thought processes as they interpret and analyze the text. By articulating their thoughts, teachers help students grasp the organization of the story, such as identifying the beginning, middle, and end, recognizing themes, and understanding character development.

When teachers share their strategies for decoding narrative elements, students learn to relate these structures to their own reading experiences, increasing their comprehension and ability to predict outcomes based on text clues. This modeling fosters a deeper awareness of how stories are constructed, allowing students to engage more critically with the material they read independently. As they grasp these structural components, students become better equipped to analyze texts, which ultimately enhances their reading proficiency.