Read to your child now and they will want to read to you later!

One of my fondest memories as a child was reading books with my mother; without even realising it, our reading adventures had a positive impact on my language and literacy development. It is not an unknown fact that reading to your children from an early age can influence their literacy and language development, but what exact skills do children develop during this time? And what can parents do to further encourage the development of these skills?

Reading with your young child can lead to print motivation, vocabulary development, phonological awareness, print awareness, and narrative skills.

Print motivation

Print motivation refers to a child’s interest in books, their ability to attend to books and the child themselves taking the initiative to try to read. Research has shown that the more you as parents are interested in reading to your child, the more your child with request to be read to.

Vocabulary development

Parent-child book reading interaction provides opportunities to develop your child’s vocabulary by using their current word knowledge to learn the meanings of new words. While reading with your child you as a parent use strategies to develop their vocabulary without even realising it! Strategies used include repetition and elaboration of words ,defining words or providing synonym, initiating role-play, pointing to a picture related to the new word or using the word in another sentence.

Phonological awareness

Phonological awareness involves understanding that language is made up of different sound units, syllables, and rhymes, and the ability to manipulate these units; for example, you need phonological awareness skills to sound out and blend words together. Having adequate phonological awareness skills can lead to the effective development of reading and spelling skills. You can promote phonological skills by engaging in listening games, nursery rhymes and reading of books containing nursery rhyme, alliteration, clapping or tapping out word syllables.

Print awareness

Print awareness is the awareness of print and the knowledge of its function. It refers to skills such as alphabet knowledge, the understanding that print carries meaning, the awareness of print in books and the environment, and the ability to use books accurately and understand its format.

You can encourage print awareness by asking questions about print, commenting on the print as well as using your finger or your child’s finger to tracking along print lines. Print awareness is not only encouraged through books, it can also be taught via the child’s environment. You should point out print that can be seen in traffic and store signs.

Narrative skills

Narrative skills involve understanding the nature of stories and the way in which they are constructed. Knowledge of the structure of stories is important, because most of the materials used to teach reading to young children are structured in narrative form. Reading and re-reading storybooks aloud to your child is one of the best ways to build a sense of story and to develop an understanding of story structure. By taking on the role of active listener, asking questions, adding information and prompting your child to elaborate more on the description of the material in the book, you are encouraging the development if their narrative skills.

I hope this article has made you excited about reading with your child! Always remember the more excited you are, the more likely your child will love books and who doesn’t want their child to love reading!