| Being able to read is fundamental to sucess in | | | | experience that early reading should be - your |
| today's society and acquiring early reading skills | | | | child loves to have your attention and will actively |
| should, above all, be fun for your child. It's one | | | | look forward to these sessions together. |
| thing to be able to teach a child to read, but it's | | | | Be expressive - Remember - early reading should |
| quite another to teach a child to love reading. | | | | be fun - and nobody likes to listen to a boring |
| Early reading therefore doesn't just involve | | | | monotone. A toddler who is still developing |
| teaching your child to recognise letters, sound out | | | | language skills will find an expressive reading style |
| words and put them into sentences, but must | | | | not only more enjoyable, but also easier to |
| also be concerned with fostering a love of books, | | | | understand. |
| words and the written language. Here are some | | | | Be repetitive - Toddlers love to hear the same |
| ways to nurture such a love: | | | | story over and over. It can drive you to |
| Be selective - For very early reading choose | | | | distraction (believe me I know!!) but it's incredibly |
| books with large, clear, bright and cheerful | | | | satisfying to their young ears - and will encourage |
| illustrations and short, simple text. Many toddlers | | | | those early reading skills too. |
| prefer rhyming books as they love the rhythms | | | | Keep it short - Your toddler hasn't developed a |
| in poetry, but now is also a good time to start | | | | long attention span yet, so keep those early |
| introducing some very simple stories in prose. | | | | reading sessions brief. Go from page to page |
| Be persistent - Many toddlers do nothing but | | | | quickly to keep them from getting fidgety, and be |
| wriggle the first time they're read to, but | | | | ready to end story time after just a few minutes |
| persistence is usually rewarded. Introduce a | | | | if they're really not in the mood. |
| regular story time, bedtime is the traditional | | | | Be cuddly - Children who associate reading with |
| favorite, but if you have time in the morning a | | | | the comfort of curling up on a much-loved |
| cuddly reading session in bed can be nice too. | | | | parent's lap almost always enjoy reading books |
| Be creative - You know what interests and | | | | later on. |
| attracts your child better than the book's author. | | | | Set a good example - If your toddler sees you |
| So don't feel you have to read the words exactly | | | | reading, even occasionally, they're likely to think |
| as they're written. Allowing your imagination to | | | | it's a good, grown-up pastime and will probably |
| improvise along the way can greatly increase | | | | begin to initiate their early reading sessions |
| your child's enjoyment of the story and help | | | | themselves. |
| encourage early reading. | | | | Finally, cut down on the amount of TV that's |
| Be interactive - Long before your child is able to | | | | watched by your toddler and the rest of the |
| read, they can join in the reading process. Ask | | | | family. Research has shown that families who |
| them to point out the various characters in the | | | | watch less read more. |
| illustrations as you go along, or later get them to | | | | Check out Scruffy's Bookshop, to download some |
| fill in some blanks in sentences or rhymes in | | | | great illustrated books for both pre-schoolers and |
| books they're familiar with. As they get older try | | | | older children. Because you print them at home |
| asking them questions like, "What do you think will | | | | they're instantly available, and if they get |
| happen next?" Participation is part of the fun | | | | damaged - just print another copy! |