Importance of Reading

“Books were my personal pass to freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

Parents and teachers very much understand that reading is very important in the development of language in a child.

It is also a wonderful bonding experience between a child and a parent. Read aloud to your child from a very early age and continue it as long as possible. Make it a relaxing and fun time. Children love it and it is a lasting memory for both child and parent. It helps develop a love of books and is a foundation to build on, as they begin to learn to read.

The ten reasons for reading

1. Children who regularly read improve in their reading skills and their understanding of what they have read.
2. Our brains are exercised by reading.
3. It improves concentration.
4. Children learn about the world outside their own through reading.
5. It improves language development and vocabulary.
6. Children can use their imagination to engage with the story.
7. Reading helps children to be empathic through the characters and their stories.
8. Reading is essential for their learning at school.
9. Reading is fun and entertaining.
10. Reading can be relaxing for the mind and body.

Some tips when reading
(whether reading aloud or the child reading to you)

• Have a quiet space to read.
• Make it fun.
• Teach them the alphabet and to identify the letters and sounds (from an early age).
• Show them the front and back of the book and how to hold it correctly.
• Talk to them about how words are made up of sounds joined together.
• Talk about the book.
• Ask them questions about the title and cover. What do they think the story is about?
• Look at the pictures and ask them questions about them. The pictures give us clues about what the story is about.
• Talk about what is happening in the story and why.

Remember the 3 Ps when your child is reading to you.

• Pause – if your child comes to a word they don’t know, pause and allow them time to sound out (decode) the word themselves.
• Prompt – if they are unable to work out the word themselves you can prompt them by giving them some ideas to help them.
  • Sound it out.
  • Reread the sentence, then sound it out again and see if it makes sense in the sentence.
  • If they are unable to still work it out you can ask them if they need help.
  • PLEASE NOTE The child needs to be encouraged to sound out the word rather than using the pictures as clues or reading ahead to guess the word.
• Praise – Praise them for their effort and tell them why they did well.Let your child pick what they want you to read or read to you.

• Take turns reading if your child is reading independently
• Read different books and materials. E.g. non-fiction, fiction books, magazines, comics, lists, songs.
• Have fun reading other things around them such as signs, recipes, and instructions.
• Be a role model and read.
• Visit the library.
• Use audio books.

Tips on Reading, Spelling & Writing – pdf
Ideas to use at home. Helping your child with literacy

Sources

• Benefits of Reading
• Growing young readers: what matters in early literacy
• 10 Tips on Hearing Your Child Read