Reading to Children

Benefits: Positive impact upon speech Pronunciation Vocabulary Grammar

Improved listening skills

Increased Attention Span A child’s attention span is their age + 2 A seven year old: 7 + 2 = 9 minutes Also increases comprehension/ attention to detail

Increased memory

Gives an eagerness to read Reading is essential to most learning throughout life.

Promotes family and interpersonal bond Children want you to read to them because they have your FULL attention. You can’t multi-task and read too.

The NUMBER ONE predictor of future success in school is the time spent reading to a child!

Reading Rules #1 Read EVERY day 15-30 minutes is best.

#2 NEVER take reading away as discipline/punishment Should learning ever be “removed” as punishment? NO Avoid using learning activities as punishment too (NO WRITING SENTENCES!!!)

#3 Ham it up while you read Voices Animal noises Knocking

#4 Begin reading with a newborn and read aloud until at least 5th grade.

#5 In 1st grade, have your child read to you. Only reading aloud at this point will slow reading skills.

#6 Talk about what you read What is in the tree? What color is the daddy’s truck? What color is your daddy’s truck? How many mice are drinking milk?

#7 Model Reading Read in front of your child. This allows them to see that reading is enjoyable.

#8 Age guidelines are suggestions only! Use your child’s interests to choose books. Some children like picture books well into late elementary school while others want chapter books in Kindergarten.

Reading to Infants Newborns do not understand what you read– READ ANYWAY! By three months, a baby can connect words of the parent to pictures on the page.

By six months, baby will recognize books and respond: Widened eyes Arm/Leg movement Squeels of excitement At 6-8 months, a baby may: Try to taste pages Try to turn pages Try to “talk” about the book while you read

Infant Book Characteristics Made of cloth, vinyl, or sturdy cardboard.

Features simple pictures of FAMILIAR objects.

Family picture books are a good choice. An infant should recognize all family members including pets by age one.

Books featuring real pictures of other infants are also excellent choices.

Reading to Toddlers (1-3) Stories need simple plots that reflect their own world. Potty training Manners Pacifier loss New baby Eating broccoli Day Care Hair Cuts…

Predictable books that feature repetition are best. Promotes synapse development in the brain Children also like predictability im times of change (new day care, no more bottles, potty training, big kid bed…) Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale

Older toddlers are ready for CONCEPT BOOKS. These are books that teach something specific: Colors Letters Feelings Body Parts Types of Dinosaurs…

Teach VISUAL DISCRIMINATION Where is the mouse? Point to the mommy. What will she have for a snack? Which bear is littlest? Visual discrimination, shapes, letters, words, sentences… READING!

Good Toddler Books Lift the flap Rhymes Repitition

Reading to Preschoolers (Ages 3 and 4) Like stories about the real world The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Characters are important and so are “sequel” books Clifford, Curious George Notice the shift from repetition to sequence Still expect a preschooler to have a favorite book or two or three they want to have read regularly.

Concept books are ESSENTIAL at this time. Now, most preschoolers are expected to identify all 26 letters of the alphabet and be able to identify the sounds of some of the letters.

Tie in EXTENSION ACTIVITIES to books as you read: Trip to the zoo Make cookies after reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Paint after I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More Craft Projects…

Pre-Readers (Age 5) Read to your child Have your child “read” to you Don’t expect true reading… Most kids become fluent readers at about AGE 7.

Begin to have children do more than just answer questions about the story.. Now have them predict Why do you think she likes school? What will happen next? Do you think he will still have a messy room?

Practice/Teach these skills Print goes left to right Use your finger A story has a beginning, middle, and end Words have a space between each…

Let children choose their own books Some kids are ready to hear “chapter style” books with more complex plots. Junie B. Jones Magic Tree House Judy Moody Continue Extension activities

Emerging Readers (Ages 6 and 7) Reading and writing go hand in hand Have children draw pictures while you “write” their version of the story. Avoid correcting spelling/grammar MOST children are NOT fluent readers yet.

Children still like books they can identify with… Race Religion Gender Culture Hobbies Family Lifestyle