Reading Aloud: A Beginning to Literacy
July 29th, 2010 by
Laura Hooks
Research indicates that children need to have been read aloud 1,000 books before they are ready to begin to read for themselves.
There are many reasons to read aloud to children:
- It is pleasurable!
- Reading aloud builds a bond between adult and child.
- It supports the development of language.
- It is vital in a child’s quest to become a reader.
- It enhances knowledge.
One question many parents ask is “What do I read to my child?” Anything will do, but a mixture is best. The mixture should include
- Favorite books: you cannot read a book too many times!
- Familiar books, authors, or topics.
- New books: they can be selected by either the child or the adult.
Here are several helpful hints about how to read aloud:
- Most important, make it fun and enjoy the experience!
- Vary your voice to follow the story and make it interesting.
- Read fast, slow, loud, quiet, high, low and pause for emphasis!
- Take time to talk with the child about the book, the pictures, the words, and the story.
- You don’t have to read it straight through. If a child interrupts, that is a great time to talk about what is interesting to them and then return to the text or words in the book.
Additional information about reading aloud to and with children can be found at Mem Fox’s book Reading Magic book or her website <http://www.memfox.com>.
About the author:
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Dr. Laura M. Hooks is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of South Carolina Upstate. |
