Reasons to read to children

While visiting a preschool classroom a child approached me to read a book.  As I was reading the book I began to think how many parents know about this technique (Dialogic Reading).  I am using to engage this child and others who approached to hear me read and discuss the story.

First, some reasons to read to your child.

1.        Get them interested in all types of books and other reading materials.

2.       Increase your child’s vocabulary.  When you come to a word unfamiliar stop – go get the dictionary and explain the process to look the word up and make it the “Word-of-the-Day” (use the word throughout the day in sentences).

3.       Hold the child’s attention to the storyline.  Remember you can change your voice tones for different characters.

4.       The pleasure of learning where you are expanding their knowledge and critical thinking (problem-solving) skills.

Second, the Dialogic Reading technique designed by Grover J. Whitehurst a professor at State University of New York at Stony Brook.  This style of reading shift the adult reading in a passive (read only) to active (interact with child).  In this role the adult becomes the listener, the questioner and audience for the child.  Children learn the most from books when they are actively involved.  Remember, the child will not learn to put a puzzle together by just listening to you give directions and putting it together.  One techniques of Dialogic Reading uses is the acronym CROWD. 

1. C stands for completion.  As you read leave a blank at the end of the sentence, then the child will fill in the blank.  This works best with rhyming or repetitive phrase books.
2. R stands for recall.  Ask questions about what happened in the book.
3. O stands for open-ended.  Ask questions where there is no right or wrong answers.  You are increases the child’s expressive fluency and attention to details.
4. Wh stand for who, what, where, when, how.  Ask questions that start with one of these words that teach the child new vocabulary.
5. D stands for distancing.  The child will relate information to real world experiences and will help with verbal fluency, conversational abilities and narrative skills.

Your child will enjoy the dialogic reading techniques listed by keeping him/her interested in the story.  Happy ReadingJ!