
The Magic That Still Matters: Why Read Alouds Change Everything
From The MagiCore Teacher Podcast by Julie Bochese
February 1, 2026 · 7 min · Season 1 · Episode 6
About this episode
This episode discusses the importance of read alouds in education and their impact on student engagement and learning.
There’s a special kind of quiet that happens during a read aloud—the kind where imaginations are working and students are fully engaged. In this episode, recorded in honor of World Read Aloud Day , we explore why read alouds are not just a classroom extra, but a powerful and essential part of learning at every grade level. From being captivated by The BFG and Number the Stars as a child, to witnessing reluctant readers fall in love with books in the classroom—this episode highlights how read alouds remove barriers, build vocabulary, deepen comprehension, and create lasting emotional connections to stories. We also examine the research behind read alouds, why they matter even more for students who aren’t read to at home, and why protecting time for read alouds is critical—no matter the pressure or schedule. If you’ve ever felt tempted to cut read aloud time, this episode is your reminder: read alouds are not filler. They are the work. And long after the worksheets are forgotten, the stories—and the feelings they created—remain. Click here to try MagiCore Academy for 10 Days - Thousands of engaging AND rigorous activities, including our best selling Webscapes. Stay Connected by…
Topics covered
- read alouds
- education
- student engagement
- vocabulary building
- comprehension
- emotional connections
Keywords
- World Read Aloud Day
- The BFG
- Number the Stars
- research
- learning
Mentioned in this episode
Products: MagiCore Academy
Books & works: The Magic That Still Matters, The BFG, Number the Stars
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