Following on from last week’s post about reading to your child prenatally, this week I look at how important it is to continue reading to your baby once he or she is born.
“The earliest months and years are the most important in a child’s development. The sooner children hear language, the sooner they begin to understand and use words.”
Language and Play Programme, The Basic Skills Agency
1. It’s just important!
According to The National Literacy Trust, a parent’s involvement in the reading development of their child is the most important thing they can do to help the child succeed in life.
2. Sounds and patterns
Reading to your baby will help it learn new sounds and understand the composition of language. Recent research has shown just how well our brains are able to spot patterns from the data that we collect and how important this skill is in our day to day lives. As researchers at Indiana University put it:
“toddlers’ brains can effortlessly do what the most powerful computers with the most sophisticated software cannot, learn language simply by hearing it used.”
3. Learning through example
The US department of education has a whole section of its website dedicated to how parents can instill ‘responsible citizenship’ in their children through setting a good example. It’s well recognised that a young child will imitate its role models, and therefore reading aloud will encourage them to do the same.
4. Lifelong love affair with reading
Early enjoyment of stories will lead to a lifelong love of books. Westdale Junior School undertook a fabulous project to find the Favourite books of famous people. The majority of the replies mention books from childhood. Gordon Brown said he loved Thomas the Tank Engine stories, William Hague was more of a Wind in the Willows fan and the Blue Peter presenters loved anything by Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton or C.S. Lewis! Seriously though, studies have shown that starting children on books from a very early age helps them enjoy the actual learning to read stage of their education.
5. Strengthen the bond
Reading together will strengthen the bond between you and your child. Reading requires a parent’s full attention and also allows for and maintains a physical intimacy that will naturally lessen as your baby grows older. Have a look at this excellent article on babytalk.com which discusses this idea further.
6. Pretend reading
After a few months of reading to your child, he or she will probably start to ‘play read’. This involves turning the pages of a book and making noises. It’s a really important step in learning to read because the child is positioning themselves as the reader, rather than just the listener.
7. How books work
Another important step for a child as it picks up the learning pace, is the understanding that the content of a book, the words and pictures, stay the same. At first, this will be more about being able to consistently find safety and comfort than anything else, but it eventually signifies an understanding of how books work. (Source: BBC)
8. Filling in the gaps
An important early skill in reading is guessing or predicting what the print might say based on what the story is about and patterns in the writing. This article gives the example of Red Riding Hood when the writing sets up certain responses: “My what big eyes/ears/arms/teeth you have!”, “All the better to…. see/hear/hug/eat(!) you with”.
9. Importance of pictures
As well as learning about words, children need to learn to interpret pictures. Reading a children’s book with great illustrations and a descriptive story will help your child understand how pictures can represent situations.
10. Improving attention span
Concentration and attention span are often difficult obstacles to reading later in life; reading from an early age will help combat this because, alongside instilling a love of books, a well told story will capture your child’s attention, therefore building the skills necessary to enjoy learning to read when the time comes!
11. Developing listening skills
As well as improving attention span, being read to is also wonderful for developing and improving listening skills, something that will be vital to your child’s success once they enter formal education.
12. Nurturing the imagination
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, reading nurtures the imagination. Mystical creatures and fantasy worlds will feed your child’s imagination when it’s at its most hungry so make sure you’re providing plenty of sustenance!
(Thanks to gadgetgirl, Ben McCleod and alex ragone for the great pictures).
