Read Aloud Tips
From the
organization Read Aloud America
Find a time
to read when you can both relax and enjoy it - try bedtime, nap time, snack
time, after dinner. Get comfortable. Find a cozy spot to read
and make sure the TV and other distractions are off. Read the book or story yourself before you
read it to your child. If your child doesn't like a book, switch
to another. If he or she isn't in the mood, stop reading and try again later. Go to the library with your children
regularly. Ask the librarian to recommend books and book lists. Get your
children their own library cards. Build a
home collection of books. Shop at garage and book sales. Trade books with
friends Encourage your children to look at books
on their own. Let them take books to bed and read themselves to sleep,but
don't ask questions. You don't have to be a great reader, just
read from the heart. Make it fun. It's not a lesson. Talk about the stories with your
child, but don't ask questions.
Getting the Most Out of Picture Books
From the
nonprofit organization: Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)
Picture books represent
a unique literary form that blends stories with art. In a picture
book, the illustrations are as important as the text, and both work together to
tell the story. When you share picture books with children, be sure to pay
attention to the illustrations—reading picture books means
exploring the art as well. This article can help you get more out of
picture books by showing you how to use the illustrations to engage
children and enhance their reading experience.
Hook Kids In With Illustrations
We are told,
"Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, children do it all the time.
A child’s first impression of a book is usually shaped by the pictures. So
involve children in choosing books with wonderful, eye-catching illustrations
that beg to be explored. Conduct "picture walks" through books by
leafing through the pages to look at the images and discussing what you see
before you read. That way, the illustrations will draw in even the most
reluctant reader.
Illustrations can do
even more than draw a child into a book; they can hook children into a lifelong
love of reading. For our youngest children, pictures are an introduction into
the world of books. Long before they can read, children respond to images in an
effort to place themselves and the others in their lives into the world around
them.
Bring Books to Life
Pictures enable
children to explore the world within their own imagination and make connections
to characters and events they see depicted in books. When you help children
connect with characters and events, you make the book more real to them. Here
are some ways that illustrations bring picture books to life:
Illustrators usually
tell stories with pictures.Authors use
illustrations to depict specific scenes of high emotion or action.Illustrators often use a
variety of techniques to convey mood and tone as well as character and
plot. When illustrations
reflect people, objects, and situations familiar to children, the images help
validate their emotions and experiences. The process of making an emotional
connection can help a child learn empathy and compassion for others.
See the World
Illustrations
convey meaning and carry information, especially in non-fiction books where
pages are often filled with commentary that is not in the text. Be sure to
“read” your way around the pages—read and discuss the captions, tables, charts,
and the information conveyed by the illustrations themselves. Storybooks,
although fictional, can also convey a great deal of information. A story about
a trip to a farm or to the moon may have illustrations that can teach kids a
lot about these places. Realize that it takes time to explore picture books
when you are using them to learn about the world.
Expose children to
pictures of the unfamiliar, or use images in books to confirm and expand upon
what they already know. Illustrations in children’s non-fiction books can
expose children to new ideas, different people, and places they’ve never seen.
Or careful exploration of the illustrations may uncover new facts about
familiar objects. Whether fiction or non-fiction, a picture book can help
children gain knowledge and move them to ask new questions about history,
inventions, nature, other cultures, and more!
Build Reading Skills
Picture books help young
children understand that words convey meaning, well before they are aware of
the text. Pictures can help increase vocabulary, an important building block
for reading. Books can help young children to identify:
Colors, shapes, numbers,
and letters.Names of people, places,
animals, and everyday objects.
Picture books can also
help build background knowledge that is essential to successful reading. A
child who has never been to the zoo, a farm, or a beach can still learn all
about these places by exploring picture books. Select books with simple or
realistic images so that kids can point to objects and learn names.
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