READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD

Bill Gates once quipped, “I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the fact that I had a chance to read a lot.” Many of us grow up with the assumption that we only read aloud to children who have not yet learned how to read. So not true! Think about it. Do you enjoy someone reading to you? Do you listen to audiobooks? I have purchased many more books than songs from iTunes.  It makes me love reading even more! Reading aloud with your child encourages them to read. And practice really does make perfect.       

To use a somewhat gruesome colloquialism, reading aloud with your child can kill many birds with just one stone. It builds the bond between you and your child. It provides a strong, positive influence and it promotes the love of literature and the promise of a life-long reader. Through books children learn empathy for others, see conflicts and possible solutions, and see other sides to a story. They also get the opportunity to view persons not in their immediate environment, for example, the elderly, or people from different ethnic backgrounds or social status. Reading aloud also increases listening skills, vocabulary, memory, and language skills.

It’s a no-brainer really. You can read anything together. It can be recipes, the newspaper or even a teen magazine (first rule of war – get to know the enemy!) You can memorize a poem together, read the bible or a book for school. It can also be in any language. The benefits are universal.           

Still not convinced? Let me throw some data your way. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, children whose parents read to them tend to become better readers and perform better in school. Need more? Many doctors believe reading to a child makes them healthier! In fact, the American Medical Association has suggested that all doctors prescribe “reading to children.”

A good rule of thumb to maximize comprehensions is to read aloud a piece of literature that is slightly above your child’s reading level. If the piece is below your child’s reading level, they can read it independently. If it is at their reading level, you can read it together - take turns reading aloud or read side by side and discuss. Not sure of your child’s’ reading level? Ask their teacher. For a quick check of a particular piece of literature, have your child read about 25 words of the passage out loud. If they miss more than a few words, it’s too difficult for them to read by themselves.     

Consider role modeling the importance of reading. Make it a priority over cleaning the house, texting or even making dinner. It only takes 20 minutes, but I bet you’ll enjoy this time together so much that you’ll soon be prolonging it. Every day you accomplish this loving task, you are telling your children that reading is important, and so are they.

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.