Why is Reading Aloud So Important?

Posted on September 2, 2008
Filed Under Language Development |

The single most important things you can do for your child to positively influence literacy and language acquisition is read aloud to your child on a daily basis.  This simple activity prepares your child for reading and other curricula areas by helping them gain an appreciation for (and later practice with) the following:

• sequencing
• lanugage
• rhythm
• connection between print and the spoken word
• word syllables
• patterns
• variety in pitch

SEQUENCING

Sequencing is an important skill needed in english, reading, math and science.  It is the ability to know and understand the sequence of events IN ORDER.  A young child may be able to relay events to you, but will often jumble up the order.  Sequencing is developed through story reading by presenting events as a beginning, middle and end - making up a complete story when put together in the correct order.  Being able to retell the story in the correct order in their own words is important (some children will even elaborate on the events, expandig on the ideas by putting their own interpretation on it).  These same sequencing skills are also used in math and science. 

LANGUAGE

By reading aloud, your child gets to hear language, its natural rhythms and the natural rise and fall of your voice.  This brings a whole host of benefits in both reading and acquiring language.  A child’s first step to speaking is imitation.  After they can imitate, they then play with language as they become better at speaking and start looking for rhyming words, patterns and rhythm in language.  This play with language builds a strong foundation for reading themselves.  The more they are exposed to someone reading aloud, the more easily they will learn to relate to the rhythm of language itself.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SPOKEN WORD AND PRINT

While the majority of this happens in the 3 - 5 year old child, we can still see evidence of this with very young children who are able to point out the famous “golden arches” of MacDonalds or the K of the KMart every time you drive by.  That is a direct connection between the written word and language.  As you read aloud to your child, if they are able to talk, ask questions about the story and illustrations. The older the child, the more elaborate the responses will be.  What is happening in the pictures?  Why do you think the character went to this place?  This word starts with “S” - can you find other words that start with the same letter?  By drawing this direct correlation betwen print and the spoken word, you are preparing your child well for reading when they get older.

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