Monday, April 21, 2014

On the importance of reading aloud to children

Have you read Jim Trelease's "The Read Aloud Handbook"? 
Or Mem Fox's "Reading Magic"?
 
If your answer is no-- go get one and read it as soon as possible.  My small town library has a copy of both so there's a good chance that your library would have them as well.

These are both fabulous books that go in-depth about the value of reading aloud to children...of ALL ages.  

Reading aloud:
  • is a bonding time
  • is screen-free
  • builds vocabulary
  • enhances listening skill
  • develops background knowledge for future learning
  • breeds familiarity with written structure
  • fosters imagination 
  • gives parents and children a common interest, something to talk about
  • lets kids hear what reading fluency sounds like (using character voices, pauses, etc)
Here are some of my favorite picture book read alouds:
  
   
    

  
   The Three Billy Goats Gruff 
  

And finally, a Pinnable image so you don't have to try to remember all of the titles!







7 comments:

  1. :-) We love reading at our house!! Right now we are working through the little house series. The three year old is learning to sit and hold still and he still gets a story that he likes. We try to read before nap time and bedtime, I really want to makeit part of our everyday schedule.
    I do like that you point out that listening to books teaches ennunciation and fluency, my husband really struggles with pauses and phrasing while reading and every time I listen to his mom I know why.

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    1. Your 3 year old will listen to Little House books?! That's fantastic! My little guy has a pretty decent listening stamina but we've not tried chapter books yet. Maybe over the summer we'll give one a whirl!

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  2. I read to my 4yo almost daily. (Sometimes he is too stinky and I have to get him to bed without stories) I should read more throughout the day though. We love it--and those are some great books!

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    1. 4 is such a fun age for reading aloud--there are lots of funny, cute books to be read! :)

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  3. My kids love to read and be read to. Monster at the end of the street is one of our favorites to read together.

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    1. I love the Monster book too! It's one that I don't mind reading repeatedly!

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  4. You got some great titles there! Pinning this to my group board!

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Happy to have you here at the Zucchini Summer Blog! :)