Raising a Reader:
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It is a very rare child who becomes a reader who wasn't read to by somebody special in early life. On a basic level, reading is a fundamental part of existing. Think about your typical day. How often are you reading something . . . street signs, reports, emails, grocery labels, medication, newspapers, websites, stories to our kids . . .
It is a fact that reading is a fundamental part of our world. But raising a reader goes much deeper than this basic need to function. Reading is not only a fundamental part of our world, it is a fundamental part of education, and a fundamental factor in language development in children, leading to the good, solid skills and habits necessary for lifelong achievement and success.
Let's look at how raising a reader impacts the early years:
The language development in children who are routinely read to in the years prior to entering kindergarten better prepares them academically to learn than are children who aren't read to. The countless stories these children heard exposed them to a diverse vocabulary, contextual understanding, and a working background knowledge that is critical to language development in children, and enables them to enter kindergarten prepared to learn from the very first day.
Children who are routinely read to learn to read more easily and quicker than children who are not read to. Reading to children encourages language development in children , listening skills, a richer vocabulary, the ability to express oneself, and a longer attention span prior to being able to read themselves.
And most importantly, a child who is routinely read to is much more likely to become a reader than a child who isn't read to.
But why is raising a reader so important? Besides promoting language development in children, readers also develop the skills and habits necessary to succeed in school and succeeding in school most often impacts the ability to succeed throughout life. It isn't surprising to hear that top ranked high school and college students were not only read to as children, but became readers themselves.
A reader develops the ability to write in correct grammatical form and understands the power of the written word. A reader develops strong reading comprehension and strong vocabulary skills. A reader develops the ability to express oneself in a much more confident, creative, and easy manner. Reading enhances self-esteem and builds confidence. A reader develops an imagination, a curiosity, and the ability to think "outside the box."
Reading promotes knowledge and education. Knowledge and education, in turn, promote values and a higher level of thinking. So in essence, readers, through their continual pursuit of knowledge and love of the written word, develop the skills, habits, and traits most commonly associated with success and successful people.
Certainly more goes into success and becoming successful than just raising a reader. Individual success is truly left up to the individual. However, shouldn't we start our little ones on the right path today? Don't we want foster language development in children to help develop the skills, habits, and traits most commonly associated with success?
Open a book and start reading today. Lay that foundation. Show them how to take magical journeys to the farthest reaches of our universe -- all with a simple object called a book. Raising a reader is truly one of the most precious gifts we can bestow on our children.
"Few children learn to love books by themselves.
Someone has to lure them into the wonderful
world of the written word. Someone has
to show them the way."
-- Orville Prescott from "A Father Reads to His Children"
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