The following are good articles to read about the importance of reading to children at an early age.
- Why Read to Babies -Skills Your Baby Learns from Story Time… Thirty-five percent of American children start kindergarten without sufficient language skills, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But reading aloud to your baby helps. Through story time interactions now, your baby will develop abilities — including language and social skills — to later advance her school learning. Plus, story time fosters a close emotional relationship between you and your baby. Ruth Anan, Director of the Early Childhood Program at Beaumont Hospital near Detroit, says babies learn to associate books with the pleasure of being with parents, and this pleasure will translate to a love of reading. Click here to read more Source: Parent Magazine 7/10
- Raising A Reader Gets Children Started Early ….The child-care room buzzes wit
h activity at the end of the school year. Children laugh and parents chat about their summer plans. When the librarian from Seattle Public Library comes in, the children gather around for story time. As she closes the book at the end of the story, the excitement mounts. Everyone knows this is a special day. Every week, all year long, the children have borrowed bright red bags full of books from their classroom. Every week, all year long, they have dutifully returned the bags. But today is different. Today, all the children will get their very own blue bag to keep and use every time they visit the library. Click here to read more Source: American Libraries Magazine 8/10
- An Interview with Dr. Gabrielle Miller: Raising a Reader ….Why is reading aloud to children so important? (Dr. Miller responds…)We know that there is a tremendous amount of growth in a young child’s brain. Over 700 neural connections are made in a young child’s brain per second- which is simply staggering to think about. Those essential connections represent the cognitive, language, and social-emotional framework through which a child develops. Positive, supportive relationships with young children in which caring adults take the time to communicate are critical to build all three areas. While talking, singing, playing, spending time together are very powerful, reading to children is perhaps the most powerful way to support cognitive and language development. Click here to read more Source: Early Education, Michael F. Shaughnessy, 6/29/10
