Life for young children is full of wonder, curiosity and adventure. Parents can take advantage of their child’s natural desire to explore and teach them critical skills like language and literacy. Reading is perhaps one of the most important tools to encourage a child’s growth and development. “Study after study shows that early reading with children helps them learn to speak, interact, bond with parents and read early themselves…” (Washington Post). It can help children develop a passion for learning and help them better understand the world around them at an early age.
Learning coaches, or parents and guardians, are an important part of helping children build literacy and language. It’s essential that parents consistently take time to read out loud with their children starting from infancy, when they can’t talk at all, until years after they are able to read on their own. Reading out loud with children can help spark their creativity, grow their imagination and encourage their self expression.
Reading out loud with infants and toddlers can help them develop confidence and learn how to make sounds. Young children learn to develop their own voice by listening to their parents read out loud. It can help stimulate their sense of curiosity, creativity, and imagination. Reading can also serve as a great initial introduction to bright colors, letters, shapes, popular characters and much more.
When parents read out loud with their children, they introduce them to words or vocabulary that they can’t yet read or understand on their own but the exposure provides context for growing their vocabulary . Reading out loud teaches young scholars voice inflection, pronunciation, expression, cadence of reading and many other essential literacy skills. Parents can use reading as a tool to grow their children’s vocabulary along with spelling and grammar skills. For example, they can ask their children to point out all of the letter “b’s” that they see on the page. Reading out loud together can help children develop mature reading skills above what is considered to be their grade level.
As children continue to grow, parents can create more challenging reading lessons or experiences. For example, they can stop while reading out loud to ask their children questions about the content. Perhaps, “What do you think will happen next?” or “What do you think that word means?” This type of reading strategy can help children learn how to use context clues, develop good critical thinking skills and challenge them to use their imaginations.
Reading can also be used as a tool to teach children important morals and values. Parents can choose to read books out loud with their children that teach important lessons like sharing, caring, patience, respect, manners and several other key values. Reading can encourage children to develop these essential values at an early age and help them achieve success later on in their lives.
Of course, one of the most important reasons why parents should read out loud with their children is because it’s fun! Reading is a special way to spend quality family time together. It can help create memories, encourage laughter, strengthen bonds and teach valuable lessons.
Compass Charter Schools (CCS) offers a reading club to introduce scholars to a variety of genres, to help grow their vocabulary and develop their passion for reading. All of CCS’ staff understand the importance of reading and strongly encourage their scholars and parents to consistently read together.
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Compass Charter Schools (CCS) is a WASC-accredited virtual charter school that serves scholars throughout California. Interested in learning more about CCS’ flexible academic programs and engagement activities? Visit our website, or contact our enrollment team at enrollment@compasscharters.org or (877) 506-8631.