The Sound of Story: Bringing Tempo and Dynamics to Read-Alouds

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Ever thought of your read-alouds as musical performances? In this episode, Dr. Gina Pepin explores how tempo and dynamics—from slow and reflective Largo to fast and joyful Allegro—can transform the way children experience stories. Learn how matching your voice to the mood of a text engages students’ whole bodies, hearts, and brains, builds attention and comprehension, and makes storytime a joyful, memorable experience.

Dr. Pepin breaks down practical strategies for every tempo:

• Slow, thoughtful pacing for reflective texts
• Moderate, playful rhythms for humor and dialogue
• Fast, energetic reading for silly, lively stories

Plus, discover ways to involve students: letting them choose tempo words, match facial expressions, and even move along with the rhythm of the story. Whether you’re reading a classic picture book or a new favorite, this episode will help you turn every read-aloud into a concert of language, emotion, and engagement.

Check out more at: www.ginapepin.com

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Episode Transcript

UNKNOWN (00:00):
Music.

SPEAKER_00 (00:12):
Hey teachers, welcome back to Let's Talk
Teacher to Teacher, a podcastwhere we speak from the heart.
We share real classroom momentsand grow together.
I'm Dr.
Gina Pepin, and today we'redoing something fun, musical,
and surprisingly powerful.
Let's talk about tempo, tone,and texts, and how you can

(00:34):
transform your read-alouds bythinking like a musician.
You heard me right.
As early literacy teachers, weknow that how how we read a book
can be just as important as whatwe read.
But have you ever consideredusing musical tempo to guide
your read aloud energy?
Let's talk a little bit moreabout why tempo actually

(00:56):
matters.
When we read to young children,we're not just delivering words,
we're creating an experience.
Children learn throughengagement and emotion and
rhythm.
And just like music, your voicehas tempo how fast or slow you
speak, and dynamics, how loud orsoft, intense or gentle.

(01:23):
Let's align some story time withmusical tempo markings.
So here's kind of a breakdown.
Using Largo, which is about 40to 60 beats per minute, very
slow, deep, and reflective.
Think of those quiet moments ofone or bedtime silliness.

(01:44):
Try a book like Owl Moon by JaneYolen.
And your voice tip would be tospeak slowly, pause often, and
let every word land like snow.
If we were to utilize lento,which is about 60 to 66 beats
per minute, it's still slow, butit's a little bit more melodic.

(02:09):
You could try a book like TheSnowy Day Ezra Jack Keats.
Your voice tip would includesomething like use soft,
soothing tones and give spacefor the illustrations.
If we were to do Adagio, whichis about 66 to 76 beats per

(02:30):
minute, it would includesomething that would be more
leisurely and flowing.
You could try a book like LastStop on Market Street by Matt
Della Pina.
And the voice tip here would beto read like a gentle walk
through the city and let thelanguage move naturally.
If we were to pick it up alittle bit, we'd be moving on to
Andante, which is about 76 to108 beats per minute.

(02:55):
A good walking pay most of ourstories truly live here.
This would be fantastic for abook like Click Clack Moo, cows
that type.
Your voice tip here would be toadd some rhythm and some voice
character, but keep a prettygood steady beat.

(03:15):
Moving on to moderato, which isabout 108 to 120 beats per
minute.
It's moderate and very cheerful.
A great text for this would bedon't let the pigeons drive the
bus.
Your voice tip would be veryplayful, expressive, and
slightly quicker with yourpacing.
And finally, Allegro would beabout 120 to 168 beats per

(03:39):
minute.
This is fast.
This is super joyful and reallyenergetic.
A great book for this would beThe Book with No Pictures.
The voice tip would be like goall in.
Use exaggerated emotion andsilly voices and just create a
whole lot of fun.

UNKNOWN (03:56):
you

SPEAKER_00 (03:57):
When we match our read aloud tempo to the
emotional tone of a book, thestudents can truly feel it.
They're going to start to leanin and they're going to giggle.
They're going to gasp.
You're going to build attention,comprehension, and memory
without even needing aworksheet.
You're engaging their wholebrain and whole body.
And let's not forget, it's very,very joyful.

(04:20):
So try opening your next readaloud by telling students, we're
going to read this book like atoday.
Then play a short piece of musicto kind of set the tone.
Let students match facialexpressions and body movements
to the tempo.
Invite them to choose a tempoword.
Largo?
Allegro?

(04:42):
Let's try it.
So friends, let your read aloudstruly sing.
Whether it's slow like a lullabyor fast like a dance party, when
you read with rhythm, yourstudents listen with their
hearts.
thanks for joining me today onlet's talk teacher to teacher if

(05:02):
this episode struck a chordshare it with a colleague and
remember literacy is not justtaught it's felt it's lived and
it's truly experienced untilnext time keep the joy alive in
every page you turn