Reading is a silent activity.Reading aloud does not help understanding.

I don t entirely agree with the idea. I thought of one activity that might be helpful with reading aloud exercises, one of which I applied to intermediate - advanced pupils. For example, a student can read aloud a text while the others read silently, moving their fingers on the given text in accordance with the *reader. It s a kind of listening-reading all together. But in order for it to function, the student has to have a very good comand of the language, good intonation and fluency. The way you read a text, intonation - when you pause, stop etc., I think helps you - the student better understand the text, the meaning of phrases, the message. It s like reading a dialogue by getting into the characters”skin as well. This is a while-reading activity. 
 Pre reading the text silently, can help, so that he/she grasps the message/gist of the text. A cultural background can be emphasised, especially  when reading literary texts or those about British American etc culture.

It is helpful to use a dictionary to find the meaning of all new words

It is helpful, comfortable I would add. Depends on the aim of the lesson.
New words would be most interesting to teach through such activities as - bring real clothing to class, if the text is about what to wear in different seasons (begginers), or bring a skelleton to class if the text is about organs and terminal diseases..(advanced), a cause-effect-solution debate may follow.