The ABC’s of Reading With Your Child

By Karen Sibal

As I was driving through my neighbourhood yesterday, my 2 year old daughter kept quipping “Stop” every couple of minutes. Lost in my own thoughts with the news on the radio filling the monotonous mood in the car, I probably caught on to what my child was really saying when she finally yelled “STOP” at the top of her lungs to get my attention.

“Why do you want me to Stop, honey?” I asked, as my car screeched to a halt. “Mommy, look, “Stop” on the red thing.” And then, the funny, amazing reality set in for me as I marvelled at my little genius in the making. We haven’t even introduced her to the ABC’s – at least not formally through flash cards or instructions on the alphabet, yet she seems to have obviously mastered some degree of reading and letter recognition, or at least she’s becoming increasingly familiar with the everyday objects like traffic signs – things we all take for granted.  

I never would have guessed that children as young as two would have some primitive reading skills. As a parent, you probably know it’s important to stimulate your child’s brain and emotional development, but you may not know why. There’s a lot of scientific evidence suggesting that it’s critical to stimulate your child’s brain in the early years of life (ages 0 – 6). During these formative years, your child’s brain will develop at rapid speed and will set the stage for growth and development well into adulthood. When a baby or child experiences new things, new brain cell connections grow. Every time you read a nursery rhyme or sing a lullaby, multiple connections in the brain are developed and are thereby building a foundation for strong intellectual development. Although we continue to learn new things throughout our lifetimes, after age 10 our brains begin eliminating the connections that haven't been used, making it harder for us to develop strong social, emotional and intellectual skills. This is why it’s so critical to harness our children’s learning potential with books and other stimulating activity through the early stages of their lives. 

There are many developmental benefits from sharing books with your child. When done regularly, reading helps young children develop the obvious – good listening and language skills and it prepares them for recognizing written words. And then, of course, there are many emotionally satisfying benefits from spending quality time with your child and her favourite book – the feelings she’ll have of being loved, comforted, nurtured, and valued.  

Try to make reading a part of your daily routine – bedtime is the easiest and most popular time. From the youngest infant to the oldest child in your family, reading at bedtime provides comfort and security. It’s also a wonderful way to end the day to share a story with Mom or Dad. Here are some more tips for families, as well as age-appropriate reading techniques and activities you can try with your children.

General Tips for Families

The U.S. Department of Education, America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Families offers these simple tips to get busy reading in your home:

• Read with your children at a regular time every day and when they ask you.
• Take toddlers and preschoolers to the library so that they can choose books to read at home.
• Find out about your library's special books and services.
• Create a special place in your home for your children to read and write.
• Keep books and other reading materials where children can reach them. Add new books often.
• Keep writing materials such as washable, non-toxic crayons and markers, paints and brushes, and different kinds of paper where your children can reach them.
• Take books and writing materials for your children with you whenever you leave home, so that they can read or write at the doctor's office, on the bus, and in the car.
• Show your children how you read and write every day to have fun and to get things done.
• Point out to your kids the printed words in your home and in the community.

Babies

When selecting books for babies, the pictures should be large, bold, colorful, and uncluttered. Stories should be short and simple and should increase in difficulty as your baby’s attention span increases. As your baby grows and develops, you will be the best judge of determining the type and length of books to read to her.

Types of books to be shared with infants include:

• Books with rhyme, rhythm, and repetition
• Books with simple, clear and bright pictures
• Books with pictures of other babies
• Informational books
• Poetry books
• Books with textures or touch and feel books
• Mother Goose and nursery rhyme books
• Concept books
• Folktales
• Books that feature familiar items or events in baby's world
• Books that feature sounds
• Books babies can manipulate, such as lift the flap books or books with holes (12 - 18 months)
• Books of different sizes and shapes (18-30 months)
• Board books with heavy, sturdy pages and perfect for little hands to grasp without causing too much damage
• Cloth books or soft plastic books are also durable and can also go in the bathtub

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Toddlers and preschool kids love when they are read aloud to, which enables them to expand their listening skills, build their vocabularies with words they understand and can use. They begin to master repetitive rhymes and phrases and their imagination kicks in as they begin creating pictures in their minds while listening to stories. Not only do they link pictures and stories in books to the real world, but they also start to comprehend print concepts and that we read words to describe real things.  

If you are reading to a toddler or a preschooler, read slowly so she can easily comprehend the story. She may ask for it to be read many times over, which is part of her making sense of the story. You may want to vary your voice to fit the characters and plot, and may even want to use puppets to bring the story to life. Involve your child in the story telling process: while reading, stop frequently to talk about the pictures, answer questions and discuss how it applies to her real life experiences.

When selecting books for this age group, consider the following:

• Toddlers are learning to cope with feelings. Look for books with characters handling typical emotions and experiences.
• Toddlers feel competent when they can participate. Read books with rhymes and predictable words they can remember.
• Toddlers can pay attention -- for a while -- if they are interested. Read picture storybooks with brief, simple plots and only a few words per page.
• Toddlers are curious. Read books about special interests and books about new people, places, and events.
• Toddlers are increasing their vocabularies and listening skills. Read books slightly above their current vocabulary which introduce new words and ideas. Also look for books with lots of pictures of things to name.
• Toddlers are beginning to make sense of concepts such as size, color, shape, and time. Read simple picture-concept books that reinforce their learning.
• Toddlers are learning self-help skills. Read books about daily routines such as using the toilet, washing hands, and taking a bath.
• Toddlers are doers. Read books with flaps to lift and textures to feel.

School-Age Readers (ages 5-12)

Reading is Fundamental (www.rif.org), the nation’s oldest and largest children’s non-profit literacy organization, offers some practical reading tips for parents. Here are a few of their tips for elementary school children:

·         Read aloud with your child every day. The experts recommend 30 minutes a day. Pick books that your child likes and those that are too long or difficult for your child to read on her own.

·         Include lots of books, writing materials, newspapers, and child versions of popular magazines (e.g. National Geographic for Kids) at home. Create a special reading area in your home.

·         Set a good example. Make use of the family reading area. Let your child see you reading for work or to learn something, or simply for pleasure.

·         Write with your child and encourage her to draw and write on her own. She can do simple things, like write thank you notes to grandparents and make “to do” lists.

·         Communicate regularly with your child’s teacher about her literacy development.

·          Visit the library often and encourage your child to get her own library card.

You are your child’s best teacher. Literacy is not just another skill, but your child’s key to the whole world and their future. Here are some final words worth reflecting on: “A house without books is like a room without windows. No man has the right to bring up his children without surrounding them with books, if he has the means to buy them.” Horace Mann

References: 

1.                  Reading Rockets, Launching Young Readers, Arlington, VA. www.readingrockets.org. 

2.                  A Parent’s Guide to the Early Years, Government of Ontario, Canada, www.early-years.ca. 

3.                  Books and Babies: Read to Me, Idaho State Library, www.lili.org. 

4.                  Reading is Fundamental, Washington D.C., www.rif.org.