The evidence for teacher read-aloud is strong and consistent. The practice remains rare and unsustained in most Indian classrooms. This article examines the real barriers — not the obvious ones — and what schools, teacher educators, and policymakers can do to remove them.

Thousands of Indian teachers want to read aloud to their students but have almost no books to read from. This practical guide covers every realistic option for building a classroom library with limited or no budget — from government schemes and NGO partnerships to community donations and low-cost sourcing.

Reading aloud is widely recommended — but what does the evidence actually show? This article reviews the research on shared book reading and children's literacy development honestly, including its genuine strengths and its real limitations, with specific attention to what the evidence means for India.