Did you know?:
“The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children. This is especially so during the preschool years.” (from Becoming a Nation of Readers)
So simple! So intuitive!
I would hazard a guess that everyone reading this is already reading to their child. But let’s take it a few steps further. When are we reading? What are we reading? How are we reading?
When should I read to my child?
Read often!
Read to your child when she is in a good mood. You want to make the book sharing experience as pleasurable as possible. It is not just the content of the book that is making an impression on your child. Studies have shown that when the interaction with reading is negative (making her sit still to listen or using harsh or impatient language) your child will like reading less. When reading is a special time with someone she loves, the child will be more attentive and responsive.
As important as knowing when to read to your child, is knowing when to stop reading. Children have very short attention spans, especially the very young ones. When your child gets restless, impatient or is distracted during reading, it is time to put the book away for later. There is nothing to gain from struggling to finish a book your child has obviously lost interest in. If your child continues to react negatively to a particular book, retire it for a few months before trying it again.
What should I read to my child?
Read books you enjoy. Introduce books that you loved as a child. If you love the story, it will show in your voice and your child will probably love it too.
Read books your child enjoys. This means that you may have to read the same book over and over and over. Children learn through repetition and they love the affirmation that comes from hearing a familiar story again and again. How do you keep from going crazy when reading the same book for the zillionth time? Find ways to make it fun:
- By now your child should be very familiar with the story. Ask her to “read” it to you.
- Find (or make) toys, puppets or props to act out the story.
- Change your voice to suit the different characters and situations in the story.
- Go to the library and see if you can find other books like the one she likes so much. Another one by the same author, perhaps, or on the same subject.
Don’t forget to include non-fiction titles as well as picture books. The text may be beyond your child’s comprehension or patience, but you can look at the pictures and read the captions.
How should I read to my child?
When you read to a child, even the very youngest of babies, you are planting in their ear and mind the sound of the language they will grow up to speak.
Read expressively. Change your voice for different characters and situations in the story. Sound excited when something exciting is happening. Read quietly and softly when the story is calm.
Slow down. Most people (adults as well as children) read too fast. Pay attention to the punctuation in the sentences. Think about what you are reading. Use your voice to help your child understand what is being said.
Be dramatic. Use sound effects. Many books have them written in. Take advantage of them. If they aren’t there and you think they should be, by all means add them. Once your child has heard the story a few times, encourage her to help you make the sound effects.
Read to your child often, and make it fun! Spark an interest in and enjoyment of reading in your child that will start her on the way to being a life long reader and learner.
Published on February 3, 2012.
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