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