A Bonding Experience With Your Child

Reading is the major skill upon which all other learning is based. If you can help your children develop strong reading skills, they will likely succeed in most other areas of learning. And you can help them! How? It can be as simple as reading aloud. Just minutes a day will make a difference in abilities. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. You will think of more as you go along.
1.The earlier you start, the better. There are saying that an infant is reading at that magical moment when it first responds to a parent's smile. Important meaning is found in that smile, and that's what reading is all about- discovering meaning. It's never too early or too late to begin. As you read to young children, point to the pictures or move your finger under the words. They will soon learn that pictures tell story, that words tell about pictures, that sentences ( in many languages ) are read from left to right,and that pages are read from top to bottom.
2. Time means love. Set aside a regular block of time to read aloud. Avoid times when your child has obligations such as homework or wants to watch a favorite TV program. Make a commitment and atay with it. If necessary, turn down other appointments. Think about the positive message that will send to your child!
3. Listening shows commitment. There will be times when your child wants to share or talk about a book he or she has read. You can always drop everything, but when you can, do. When you must postpone the request, explain why, commit to a time later in the day, and keep your commitment. The younger the child, the sooner that time should be.
4. Selecting books teaches values. Listen to your children and discover their interests. As children grow older, involve them in selecting books. Introduce them to the library and make regular visits together. Not all books will appeal to your children, and not all are books you will want them to read. But you can intrduce them to a better quality of literature as you determine criteria together, and they will be better prepared to make their own selections in the future.
5.Discover your child's ability to understand. If your child wants to learn more about space exploration, use materials he or she can comprehend. Younger children will learn more from books with pictures. Knowing that a man traveled to the moon may be enough to satisfy a beginner. How he got there will interest older readers.
6. A good environment sets the stage. Have plenty of eye-appealing books and magazines in your home- some for you, some for your children. Choose a place where you will read together: a favorite chair, propped up on your child's bed, the porch swing, wherever. Provide a bookcase that will be the child's own and encourage him or her to store favorites there. It's also a good place to keep those library books so you can find them easily when it's time to return them.
When you're ready to read aloud, eliminate distractions. Turn off the TV or radio, and avoid times when friends or family members are likely to make demands of your time.
8. Practice your own laughter. When you read aloud, use voice inflection and tone that will make the story come to life. Share the humor, the pathos, the anxiety. Put some drama into your voice.
9. Keep them dangling. Start a book, arouse the child's interest, then stop while interest is high. This lets a child ask for more. Older children may ask for the book so they can finish reading it for themselves.
10. Make room for laughter. Share jokes, nonsense rhymes, funny stories, puns, words with silly sounds. Read aloud stories or examples of humor that appeal to children.
11. Accept your child's pace. Don't overdo it. Five or 10 minutes is enough at first. The younger the child, the shorter the attention span. You want the child to ask for more, not beg you to stop.
12. Teach your child how to find information. When kids ask tough questions about a topic in the book, be truthful. "I do'nt know, but I can help you find out" lets you lead them to the other books to find answers.
13. Expand the imagination.Begin reading a story, but stop before the end. Ask the child to imagine what might happen. After you have speculated together, read the rest of the story aloud- or better yet, let the child read the rest of the story, if able to do so, and share the ending with you.
14. Share the fun with others. Kids love to hear themselves talk. Taperecord them reading story, and send the tape to a grandparents or friends.
15. Seek a response and enlarge a child's horizon. Get a response from your child. Educators call it a comprehension check. Have the child act out part of the story. On other days draw a picture, summarize ideas, or review information. Encourage children to read favorite books and stories to a younger sibling or to share their new knowledge with older person.
16. Nurture a budding reporter. After a trip to the zoo, a visit to the park, encourage your child to talk and write about it. Younger children can dictate their story to you- a sentence or two is sufficient. Invite them to illustrate it with a picture, then read it to someone- a grandparent, a neighbor, an elderly friend, a cousin,etc. The refrigerator door is still a good place to display your child's craft.
17. Give the gift of approval. When your child shares a reading ( or any other ) experience, listen carefully and respond positively. Your child wants to please you. Your approval is a major source of encouragement.