By Rebecca Newman
Bedtime reading is a classic tradition, and nothing evokes
the image of a cozy home more than a picture of a mother reading “Winnie the
Pooh” to her freshly scrubbed and pajama-clad child. But while reading to a
child is simple and lovely, teaching a child to read on his or her own is a
different, often enigmatic, enterprise. What age is the right age for her to
begin reading? What is the best teaching method? What books should one choose? —
Luckily, teaching a child to read is not as stringent or as
complicated as parents often fear. Experts describe reading as an organic
learning exercise, one that children learn at their own pace and in their own
ways. Parents, however, play a large role in both introducing reading to a
child and building that child’s emotional response to the activity. By
providing a child with positive experiences related to books and reading, a
parent can help that child have a lasting relationship with the pursuit.
Infants: Read Early
and Often
According to author and literacy expert Betty Bardige, there is no ideal time to start reading to a
child, because each child develops at a different pace. However, research shows
that reading to a child is the single most important thing a parent can do to
increase that child’s literacy, so it is never too early to break out the
books. Infants in particular like being read to because it allows them to bond
with a parent or caregiver and listen to the cadences in the reader’s voice. In
addition, reading to a baby helps “wire” the child’s brain for language and can
be the beginning of a dialogue between a parent and child, according to Francie
Alexander, chief academic officer at Scholastic. Sharing a book with a baby has
emotional benefits, too: infants are constantly looking for security and
comfort, and reading to their child is one way parents can fulfill this huge
need.
Luckily, infants younger than 6 months are not picky about
reading material, so even if you’re in a pinch and don’t have any books handy,
reading a receipt or shopping list to your child will help her literacy
development in some way. But, at 6 months, babies will start looking for
bright, clear illustrations and anything they can recognize and point out.
Babies especially love looking at pictures of other babies, and seeing others
who look like them helps them develop empathy, Alexander says.
No matter what the emotional or intellectual benefits, reading
to an infant is primarily about fun and enjoyment. “Do what you enjoy and what
the child enjoys. You want the child to associate reading and storytelling,
anything with words, with fun and a special opportunity to bond,” says Bardige.
Toddlers: Doing It
for Themselves
Reading with
your toddler is a great opportunity for language development and exploration –
as your child learns how to speak, content in books can build vocabulary and
knowledge of speech patterns.
Toddlers love participating in the world around them by any
means possible, so share pop-up books, sing-a-long books and any other
interactive book you can find. During this stage, children are craving
independence and will take every chance they can get to express it. Toddlers
will want to turn the page and choose what books to read and when to read them.
As Alexander explains, “Now kids want to explore beyond themselves and explore
the why and the how.”
As a toddler develops a relationship with reading, so does
she with certain characters in books. Children at this age love reading books
about one particular character they can recognize and become familiar with
through a series of books, and the more a toddler can recognize a character,
the more she will want to hear the character’s stories.
If naturally curious toddlers can answer their questions and
satisfy their curiosity through books, they’re on their way to developing a
positive and long-lasting relationship with reading. “Books can set the
foundation for reading as a way to find out something interesting, to learn
things that you can share with others,” Bardige says.
Preschool:
Independent Study
Preschool is an extremely important time for kids to start
independent reading. But before kids learn how to read on their own, they need
to learn key concepts, such as holding a book right side up and reading the
words from left to right on each page. Knowledge of such concepts will
“increase reading confidence and makes young child want to learn how to read,
now that she understands how a book works,” Alexander says.
Children at this age are also developing language patterns
and recognition. Choose some alphabet books or stories that repeat the same
sentence: these books are particularly good for preschoolers, because they
engage these new language skills.
Preschool is also a great time to start building a library
at home with your child. Children’s memories start to become activated during
this period, so kids love seeing old favorites or books that come out only on
special occasions. Susan J. Schwartz, clinical director of the Institute for
Learning and Academic Achievement at the NYU
Child Study Center,
explains, “Kids love predictability and regularity. Also, the cognitive process
involved with reading the same book repeatedly allows them to review and master
the content of the story. This makes kids feel successful.”
Grades K-2: Keep the
Rhythm
As your child learns to read in school, you may be concerned about his or her progress compared with other children. But whether the school uses “whole language” curriculum or a phonics-based approach, your child will learn to read under the guidance of good teachers. However, if your child is falling way behind his or her peer group, he or she may need to be evaluated for a potential learning disability–and chances are the teacher will address that with you.
However, parents should still focus on making
reading enjoyable through activities such as art projects or games. Making
reading at home fun will help ensure that a child will bring that same joy and
enthusiasm to the classroom, where he will actually learn how to read.
Parent-child storytime should not end just because a child
can read on his own. Experts say it is extremely important to remember to keep
reading to your child, since he may be craving stories or nonfiction books
beyond his reading level and may still want to share the bonding experience and
routine of daily reading time. Experts say a good way to merge the two levels
of reading skills is to read a high-level book with your child. Take turns reading
pages and try to get through the book together. Also, it helps to shift the
focus of reading from traditional children’s stories to other types of books, particularly
nonfiction material that can be taken out from the library. Kids now want to
really develop their own interests and become experts on something – from
collecting stamps or learning about animals – so take the time now to share
your child’s curiosity and explore with her.
Grades 3-5: Running
Hot and Cold
At this stage, do not worry if your child goes through
reading phases where she either can’t put a book down or has no desire to pick
a book up – children at this age are probably getting more involved in school,
activities and friendships. “If there is a book you think your child would
like, encourage her to read it by reading the first chapter with her,” advises
Bardige.
Despite all this new social independence, kids still like hearing
a parent read aloud. According to
Schwartz, reading at bedtime helps youngsters wind down and sense that it is
time to sleep and relax. Alexander recommends making a reading list of books
your family is interesting in and finding time to read together. Since this is
the age at which children start delving into the land
of Playstation and television,
parents may need to make an extra effort to keep their child interested in the
written word.
Tweens: Keeping Up the
Habit
Like reading with your infant and toddler, reading with your
tween can be a deeply close, personal experience. Now is the time to bring back
books you loved growing up and share them with your own child.
Experts also recommend discussing important issues and
topics directly from the book as a way to bond with your tween and make him
feel comfortable and open about entering a new age group. Tweens dealing with all
the new experiences of adolescence may not feel comfortable talking to parents,
and books are a great segue to more private conversations. Plus, books about
other tweens provide a source of comfort for tween readers, who may be able to
“self-soothe” by reading about others in the same circumstances.
While limiting electronics use is advised, don’t be alarmed
if it seems like your tween is spending what seems like too much time on the Internet
and telephone – kids at this age are starting to become even more social than
they were just a year or two before. In response, Alexander recommends that
parents make reading a social activity by encouraging their children to form or
join a book club.
What to do about the dreaded assigned reading at school?
Experts recommend reading the books alongside your kids. Talk about the book,
even if your tween doesn’t like it too much. Specifically, Schwartz advises,
“Set a time limit for assigned reading each day. Do fun activities after the
reading.”
