Jj is for Jottings 61.  Raising a Reader Part 1: The Baby.

There are various things parents can do to maximise their child’s chances of becoming a reader (i.e. someone who is proficient at reading, reads for pleasure and has no difficulty in using reading for information-seeking and the school curriculum.)  We can divide this topic into 4 stages: Baby, Toddler, Emergent Readers and Early Readers.  Question: What stage comes before the Baby stage?  Answer: You need to be a reader yourself and be seen to be a reader.  Children unconsciously model themselves on their parents’ behaviour (or, in some instances, make a conscious decision NOT to do what their parents did!)

Even newborns can benefit from the experience of hearing stories (and there’s no backchat about your choice of book).  Here are four things you can do at this stage:

1. Read Any Book, Out Loud, Every Day.  It could be a cook book, a parenting manual, whatever you are reading at the time – anything.  What matters is the sound of your voice, the intonation patterns, and the words themselves.  Research has shown very clearly that the number of words an infant is exposed to has a direct impact on language development and literacy.  BUT – the language has to be live, in person and directed at the child.  Turning on the television or an audiobook doesn’t count.  (Audiobooks are wonderful at an older age – preschool onwards, because they teach listening skills and language at a time when the child already has the basics in place.  This is quite different from the infant stage.)  Of course you might  want to read children’s books to your infant –anything is fine, as long as you enjoy yourself.
2. Using Senses. Incorporating the feel of the pages (or a textured book), the sound of your voice, the sight of the illustrations, the smell of the book – all these help to create a positive and fun experience of reading for your child.
3. Be Aware of Your Audience. Make eye contact, but don’t look for a particular reaction.  It may seem that the baby is not listening, but they are absorbing the experience.  The patterns, routines and attentive habits that are set now will last a lifetime.
4. Get Your Baby Talking. That may sound a bit advanced, but if your baby starts making sounds in response to your reading – respond.  It might be nonsense, but it is the first step in communication.  This is why so many early books have animal sounds and nonsense words in them.

 

Stay tuned for the next stage –  The Toddler.