Shared reading aloud is a highly effective educational practice that enhances thinking and reasoning skills, as well as linguistic, cognitive and emotional-relational abilities, significantly impacting learning outcomes and overall school wellbeing. This study proposes the structured and systematic integration of this practice into the middle school curriculum, analyzing its effects and implementation strategies. Research has demonstrated that shared reading aloud expands vocabulary, improves text comprehension and strengthens fundamental cognitive abilities, also contributing to the development of executive functions and emotional regulation. Moreover, this methodology serves as a powerful tool for educational equity, helping to create an inclusive environment and reducing educational gap between students from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. Shared reading aloud supports the overcoming of educational disparities by creating a learning context that stimulates active participation, strengthens expression and argumentation skills, and fosters the construction of shared meanings, while promoting school wellbeing and student integration through meaningful and participative reading experiences. Implementing reading aloud systematically in the middle school curriculum requires adequate teacher training, selection of diversified books and the creation of spaces for socialization. Empirical evidence suggests that this intervention not only enhances students' motivation for autonomous reading and active participation, but also serves as an effective strategy for preventing school dropout. To support this proposal, the results obtained from a study evaluating the longitudinal impact of shared reading aloud on the neurocognitive abilities of middle school students will be discussed. The study is part of the project “Aloud! Reading Aloud to Counter the Decline of Reading Literacy in Secondary Schools (Middle School)”. This project aims to analyze the impact of reading aloud on students aged 11–14 and develop an intervention model to prevent early school leaving and ensure equal access to learning opportunities. The study that will be described involved two groups of participants: a control group, which followed regular didactic activities, and an experimental group, which was subjected to narrative training. The Cognitive Assessment System – Second Edition, a standardized tool for assessing cognitive abilities, was administered individually to each participant at three time points: Time 0 (before the intervention), Time 1 (at the end of the narrative training), and Time 2 (follow-up). A repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) was performed on the collected data, with two factors: time (three levels: T0, T1, T2) and group (two levels: control, experimental). The results revealed a significantly greater cognitive development trajectory in the experimental group compared to the control group. The divergence in developmental outcomes between the two groups suggests not only the immediate efficacy of the intervention but also its lasting impact over time. In light of these findings, this study calls for a reevaluation of teaching strategies in middle school education, positioning shared reading aloud as a central element in curricular planning. By integrating this practice into the curriculum, schools can foster the holistic development of students' cognitive and transversal skills, ultimately enhancing their overall academic experience.

Keywords: Shared Reading Aloud, Middle School, Cognitive Benefits, School Curriculum Design, Educational Research, Inclusive Education.