Reading to a child can and should begin as soon after birth as possible, as it will help with brain development and speech skills, as well as simply bonding with the child, which will help in other developmental areas as well.
By reading aloud with your children, you are helping them become better readers, better listeners and better students. You are also helping them build vocabulary and language skills and helping them gain knowledge about the world around them.
A child that is an excellent reader is more confident, has a high level of self-esteem and is able to easily make the transition from learning to read to reading to learn.
By reading with your children, you help them become accustomed to seeing and hearing correct grammar and spelling. They will then be more likely to use written words properly. Being exposed to well-crafted sentences also aids children in translating their own thoughts onto paper.
Television is never a substitute for reading with your child. When children watch television, it visually presents every image to them. But when hearing a story, they must mentally create many of the scenes. This is developmentally stimulating and nurtures a child’s natural sense of creativity.
In March, the Mayor of London highlighted the fact that one in four 11-year-olds are effectively illiterate and that children are leaving primary school unable to read or write or do basic mathematics.
It’s never too soon to start your child on the path to reading. Start today!
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