By: Sydney Spangler
Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. It builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about.
According to the latest Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, more than 80% of both kids and parents say they love read-aloud time so much because it is a special time with each other. During read-aloud time, children choose books, kids and parents ask questions of each other, turn pages and punctuate the experience with sound effects. This interactivity fuels the child-parent bond that children express when asked to describe why they love(d) read-aloud time.
It is a beloved and important family event that allows children to connect with their peers, families, and communities. That connection can lay the groundwork to becoming a lifelong reader.
According to Richard Robinson, CEO, President, and Chairman of Scholastic Inc., literacy is both a gateway to academic success and discovery and a means of preparing for the future. Studies show that without the ability to read, a child faces significant challenges navigating education and the workforce. Beyond that, reading can be a fun way of exploring oneself and the world around them.
So how can you encourage your child to read aloud?
Ask them to pick a book
Encourage them to interact by turning the page or pointing at pictures
Read things aloud just for fun: shopping lists, permission slips, signs, etc.
Set up a screen-free night: everyone reads instead
Share your reading life with your kids by talking about what you are reading
