A Read-Aloud Journey
Some of the sweetest memories with my now-grown children are the times we spent cuddled up and reading together. As a young mom, I savored those moments, fresh out of a warm bath, curled up for bedtime, warm and cozy. As my kids grew, however, I knew I would have to make a conscious effort to keep them, if not on my lap, at least by my side for read-aloud time. As I pushed on, I began to see that reading aloud to my children produced much more fruit than family bonds. In fact, reading to my kids became a powerful tool in their academic success.
As we read to our preschoolers, we are boosting early literacy skills that will make learning to read easier. For example, children learn that letters on the page represent words and the words proceed from left to right. Reading books with rhymes help young ears to hear sound patterns that are foundational to the later phonics instruction that will set them up to be strong readers. When being read to, preschoolers can also learn to sit, listen and focus for increasing amounts of time.
Extensive research demonstrates a correlation between listening comprehension (understanding spoken words) and reading comprehension (understanding written words). When children listen to stories, they strengthen their mental imagery. As our children grow and we move to reading books with less illustrations, we encourage them to “make a movie in their heads” as they listen to the story. This practice will serve them well as they later read on their own. Additionally, when we talk about the story with our children, we give them opportunities to infer, predict, and understand characters’ motivations. In fact, stories are a great opportunity to help our children grow in empathy as they see how characters think, deal with big emotions, and problem-solve.
Reading aloud to our children also exposes them to a more extensive vocabulary than they would otherwise encounter in everyday spoken conversation. In quality literature, correct grammar is modeled; our children learn intuitively what simply doesn’t “sound right”. Their word bank expands and they learn how to use language effectively. They stretch their understanding of cultures and geography of the world and a trip to the library is much less expensive than a trip to Africa! I encourage parents to read a variety of stories to their children, giving them opportunities to learn the typical school “subjects” like history and science through stories.
As you embark on your family’s read aloud journey, remember to make it a pleasant time for your children. Do not give up if they don’t like the books you’ve chosen. Do not give up if you have a few bad experiences. Keep at it! Every day is a new opportunity to build foundational literacy skills and strengthen your relationship with your kids. You are their greatest role model and you have a unique opportunity to inspire a love of reading in your children that can last a lifetime.
