“It is the talk that surrounds the story book reading that gives it power.”
NationalAssociation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) & International Reading Association
Reading aloud to young children is important, and HOW you share books can make a big difference. Research shows that following these read-aloud practices significantly improves the language skills of children who participate:
1. Have a conversation about a book
- Frequent conversations—back and forth exchanges
- Ask questions that require more than one word answers
- Wait long enough for responses
- Be responsive to what the child says
2. Model advanced language
- Repeat what your child says and add more to it:
- Provide new information
- Recast what they say with more advanced vocabulary
- Repeat what they say with correct grammar/word use, or a longer sentence
3. Prompt critical thinking skills
- Ask how and why questions
- Ask children to explain their answers
- Give clues to get them to the right answer if possible
4. Intentionally build vocabulary
- Reread the same book often
- Stop and explain the meaning of one or two words
- Define words using words they already know
- Ask children to repeat the words to improve their memory of the sounds in the word
5. Teach and provide practice of social and emotional skills
- Everyone has something valuable to say and listen to (self–regulation)
- Listen to peers with eyes and ears (self-awareness)
- Building community (relationship skills) “So you and Jamari both take a bus to the grocery with their mommies.”