What is the benefit of using a think-aloud strategy during instruction?

The think-aloud strategy is particularly beneficial because it actively demonstrates to students the cognitive processes involved in reading and writing. By verbalizing thoughts, teachers show how to approach a text, analyze information, make inferences, and develop ideas. This modeling helps students understand the internal dialogue that skilled readers and writers engage in, providing them with a clearer framework for their own comprehension and composition tasks. Instead of simply memorizing content or achieving fluency as isolated goals, the strategy cultivates a deeper understanding of the strategies and techniques used by proficient individuals in these tasks.