Learning to read is quite important as we know, but as parents, what do we do to nurture this important skill?
Reading to your child has a great many benefits one of which is simply having that bonding time together.
In preparing your child to succeed as a reader, there couldn’t be an activity more important than reading together. Storytimes should be treasured and looked forward to, with a variety of books at your disposal. Patience and consistency will be the key here and in time, it will all fall into place for your child.
Quality reading time with your child is one thing that parents can give children at home that the classrooms cannot give.
As if our introduction wasn’t enough, we have put together 8 more reasons below, to read to your child.
1. As you read to your child, he/she will come to understand that reading is important to you. This will, in turn, have the same effect on your child, making reading important to him/her.
2.The more often your child hears the sounds, the more familiar they will become with them. This in turn will enable your child to perfect his/her skill in processing these sounds into words. As your child gets older and is of preschool/kindergarten age the listening word starts to become the written word.
3. Reading to a baby can have a very soothing effect on it, especially if it is a restless or fussy baby.
4. Bedtime reading is a wonderful routine, done in most households before the child goes to bed/sleep. This is something a lot of children look forward to and it provides the best way for a child to wind down at the end of the day – with (hopefully) good dreams!
5. Reading, as we know, can take us to many places whilst immersed in the story. This in itself, helps to develop your child's imagination. I’m sure we can all remember a time when we got lost in a good book. Well, the same could happen to your child whilst you are reading to him/her.
6. Being read to is all about listening, focus and concentration. These skills are needed in order to follow along. In doing so, your child will subconsciously adopt these skills, which they could go on, to apply in other areas of their learning journey.
7. Whilst reading to your child, you both take turns in turning the pages, or even get your child to hold the book. This will teach your child how to do these things the correct way for when they begin to read independently.
8. The more you read to your child, the more he/she will develop the desire to the same thing.
Conclusion
Even after your child has learnt to read by him/herself, still feel free to read aloud together. You can find stories that they are interested in, but are perhaps beyond their reading level. Reading such books with your child will stretch his/her understanding and motivate them to improve their skills.
At Leaders are Readers, we use advanced teaching methods that help all children from 3 years old, to learn to read fluently and with confidence, often to a standard, years above their peers. Even those diagnosed with reading difficulties such as dyslexia or autism, excel. Pupils develop a real love of reading which in turn expands their access to all subjects and knowledge of the world around them. Their vocabulary will also increase which can help develop their written and verbal self-expression.
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