Monday, July 10, 2017

Reading with a Purpose by Erica Graham

Special thanks to Erica Graham for a great article!

Reading with a Purpose

Reading is an essential aspect of a child’s development. It not only prepares a child for important literacy skills but can also play a vital role in speech and language development. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of reading time.

1.       Limit distractions
When possible, try to limit distractions when reading to your child. Distractions can be anything that your child can see or hear. Some children could even be distracted from a book if they are not allowed to conclude their previous activity. A child will get more out of reading if they are fully attending.

2.       Keep the book within reach
Sit down next to your child and hold the book so both of you can reach it. Reading is a physical experience as much as it is visual and auditory. If you are like me, you may cringe at the thought of those crisp pages becoming crinkled; but allowing your child to touch the book and turn pages will help them develop fundamental building blocks for reading as well as fine motor skills.

3.       Let your child take the lead
While reading, it is common for children to want to spend a little more time on a certain page or go back to a previous page, especially with younger ones. This is great! It means they are attending to the book. Allow them to take the lead and chime in with questions and comments.

4.       Make reading interactive
Help your child interact with the story by asking questions such as “what is happening in this picture?” or “what do you think will happen next?” This will build a narrative, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.

5.       Read routinely
Pick a time to read every day. Reading around the same time will make it part of your routine. As your child grows, they are developing new cognitive abilities and skills meaning every time they read, they are learning something new.

All of these strategies are great ways to improve reading time. However, out of all of these suggestions, the most important tip is to simply read. Pull any book from the shelf, sit down and enable your child to grow through the words and pictures before them.

-- Erica Graham

Please make sure to visit Erica Graham's site!

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/EricaGrahamAuthor/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Erica-Graham/e/B01LZHMCCM/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Erica Graham Website: https://www.talkingtalesbooks.com/

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