Reading aloud can be appropriate to all disciplines. Literature instructors might encourage students to focus on a passage from Shakespeare. Math instructors might ask students to read the margin notes of a famous mathematician to learn about the mathematician’s thinking process. 

Consider assigning a jump-in reading. Begin by asking students to read the passage silently to themselves. Next, have students take turns rereading the passage aloud, stopping at natural breaks and allowing a new volunteer to jump in to take over the reading.  

In most cases it is best to only have students read aloud a piece that they have already encountered in class or as homework. 

Another variation is to read aloud, in front of students, a piece with which you are unfamiliar, interjecting with your thoughts and questions as you read along. Students may find it helpful to see your process of questioning, even experiencing initial confusion. You can ask them for anonymous feedback about how your reading compares to their experiences reading assignments outside the classroom.

Instructors might wish to experiment with podcasts as a means of reading aloud. Audacity is free, open source, cross-platform software some instructors use for recording and editing sounds.