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Importance
of reading...
Reading
is a topic that most parents realize is critical in their child's
development. Much like vaccination it is a parent's duty to "Read
to your child" to help them develop the language skills that they
will need to be successful. It is important to work with your
child from toddler years through elementary school to constantly improve
reading skills.
How
reading benefits
to your child....
Reading to
your child is beneficial in more ways than you can imagine. The time
that you spend together with your child reading is quality time. you
will share a special bond with them by taking part in an activity that
they will totally enjoy. It is something that can be done almost
any time and any place. Reading aloud is something that you can do
with your child from toddler years through elementary school. At
an early age you will read picture books by fifth grade you can read
Harry Potter books together. Your relationship with your child will
flourish as you spend time one on one time together.
At an early age
by reading aloud,
your child will learn to follow a story from beginning to end. They will
realize that you read from left to right and will begin to develop
letter recognition. New vocabulary words will be introduced to
them and they will identify words with pictures.
Elementary age
children need to read aloud to improve their reading fluency. They will
learn to read with the appropriate expression, expand their vocabulary
and improve comprehension.
Most importantly your child
will develop a love for reading and will grow up to be a reader.
 Book Selection...
It is important that you select an age-appropriate book for your
child. Remember that the attention span of a young child is very
short. It is important to start out with picture books to keep
your child's attention and then progress to more difficult books and
then eventually chapter books.
Books and picture
books are inexpensive and can be purchased in book stores, supermarkets,
drugstores and dollar stores. To save money you can borrow books
from the local library. This can be an outing for your child to go
and select their books. In addition most local libraries and book
stores have "story days for toddlers" which again can become a great outing for your child. You
can suggest to family members to purchase books or subscribe to
magazines as a holiday present. The internet is also a great
source for children's stories.
Atmosphere for reading...
It
is important to find a nice quiet place, without too many distractions,
with good lighting where you can cuddle with your child to read.
Position the book so that both you and your child can easily follow the
text.
Set aside a special time every
day so that it becomes part of your routine. If your child is 6 or
under 10 to 15 minutes is about the extent of the session. Once
your child begins to read independently your child's teacher will
suggest a reading time.
Key
Ingredients For Successful Reading:
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Always select
something interesting to read.
-
Change your
tone of voice to impersonate characters.
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Involve your
child in the reading.
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Discuss the
story with your child. Talk about the people in the story
and what happened.
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Try and guess
the ending.
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At the end of
the story make up a new ending -- What do you think would happen if
...?
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Enjoy your
time with your child.
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Most
importantly make if FUN.
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