Receptive Vocabulary and the Impact of Reading Aloud

Abstract: This study investigates the impact that reading aloud has on receptive vocabulary for youngerlearners. It takes the current environment of English language learning within Swedish schoolsinto account and explores several language acquisition theories that are deemed instrumental indeveloping a foundation for receptive vocabulary, as well as contrasting and comparing with howthe method of reading aloud has an impact on language learning. The study will also investigatehow this method differs among first- and second- or foreign-language learners. Through thesynthesis of multiple research articles that have been made on the subject, we discover that thepositive effects of a read aloud experience translate to a greater understanding of receptivevocabulary, and that there are ultimately only positives to draw from the experience. However,conflicting sources regarding second-language or foreign-language learners’ performances pointsto the importance of ensuring the material and exercises be carefully selected and structured inorder to foster an equal ground for everyone’s developmental trajectory.