How does a think-aloud strategy help improve reading comprehension?

The think-aloud strategy significantly enhances metacognitive skills by encouraging readers to articulate their thoughts, predictions, and connections as they engage with a text. This process allows readers to become more aware of their own thinking patterns and strategies during reading. As they verbalize their thought processes, they can monitor their understanding, identify any confusion, and make adjustments to their strategies as needed. Such metacognitive awareness fosters deeper comprehension and retention of the material, as readers learn to evaluate their own understanding and approach to texts more critically. This self-reflection is central to improving overall reading comprehension, making the think-aloud strategy an effective tool in educational settings.