Ekaterina Abdelnasir
Consultation “Why read books to children?”
Parents want their children to have a lot read. But not all parents themselves read or can read together with children. Unfortunately, now in many ways the reading books replaced by cartoons. For a child to grow up mentally healthy, he needs full communication with his parents. And reading together provides such an opportunity. When a child sits on a parent's lap or next to them while reading books, he creates a feeling of closeness, security and safety. Such moments have a strong influence on the formation of a comfortable feeling of the world.
Book influences the moral education of the child, shaping his values. After all, heroes books perform different actions, experience different life situations. Using examples of situations in which the heroes find themselves books, the child learns to understand what good and evil, friendship and betrayal, sympathy, duty and honor are. And also the child, together with the hero, experiences his failures and victories, overcomes fears and difficulties on the way to his goal. Thus, freeing yourself from your own fears and negative experiences.
And the task of parents is to help see these values in the child’s life. As a rule, in families where parents often and a lot read to children, there is a harmonious, friendly atmosphere. Reading books Parents to their child can be considered an indicator of a prosperous family.
Publications on the topic:
Consultation “How to read books to preschool children” 1. Before listening to a work of art, it is necessary to remove all interesting toys and entertaining household toys from the child’s field of vision.
Consultation for parents “Why children need to play”“Without play there is not and cannot be full-fledged mental development. Game is a huge bright window through which a child flows into the spiritual world.
Rules for reading books to a child 1. Show your child that reading out loud gives you pleasure. 2. Show children respect for the book.
Consultation “What fairy tales should children read at night?” There is a separate direction in psychology - fairy tale therapy. Its main idea is that the child identifies himself with the main character.
Consultation for parents “What and how to read to children”“What and how to read to children” Topic: “What and how to read to children” Age: 5-6 years Purpose: To promote interest and love for reading, books;
Consultation for parents “What children should read” Recommended reading for middle school children Russian folklore Songs, nursery rhymes, chants. “Our goat.”; “Little cowardly bunny.”:.
Consultation for parents “What books to read for children 1–3 years old” Prepared by the teacher of MBDOU kindergarten No. 18 r. p. Mukhen Ivanchenko I.V. What is a book for a child of this age? Of course, one more.
Consultation for parents “Books for children” Books for children. At the age of two, a child learns words, concepts and ideas faster than at any other time in his future life.
True, no PISA studies were conducted in the Soviet Union at all. So we cannot compare the results of that time with today. We have never conducted serious research related to children's reading, so we cannot objectively judge its dynamics. And all our catastrophic moods usually have one argument behind them: we read with a flashlight under the blanket, but our children don’t read.
And our methods of “saving culture” are approximately the same. We punish the child for “not reading” (depriving him of the opportunity to play on the computer) and reward him for obedience: did you finish reading the book? Good girl! I’ll give you an extra hour for the same games. We are inventing crafty tricks with forbidden fruits: it’s too early for you to read this book, so I’ll put it here, higher up - see where? We bore the child with our grumbling that he is not worthy to be our son (daughter), unlike Vanya from the fifth entrance, who reads so much - just like we did in childhood! We are even ready to buy our child some kind of clever flashlight so that he can finally crawl under the covers with it.
And sometimes it seems to us that we are achieving some result...
At least that's what I thought for a long time.
During almost twenty years of my work at school, I came up with everything - democratic, tyrannical, bureaucratic - forcing my students to read.
And all the time it seemed to me that I had finally found - here it is, the golden key that will open the treasured door to the country of reading children.
But recently, at a book fair in Krasnoyarsk, I met my favorite student - one of those whom I considered a reading child. He came to the fair with the “Interactive Book” project and in a confidential conversation explained to me that there is a key to reading: you just need to give up the book in the classical sense of the word. The book should become something between a computer game and a guide to a social network. And if I do not want to admit this, then I am an “outdated model of a person” who denies the inevitability of technical progress. Why am I even fussing over this reading? There are also decent people among those who don’t read. And they are no more stupid than the readers. On the contrary, they are smarter, because among them there are a lot of computer scientists and programmers. And their life is very normal - not like mine. (This is, admittedly, a strong argument.)
In other words, questions arise.
And before looking for the key, we must, apparently, first answer the question: why do we need THEM to read?
The answer will be different for children of different ages.
Kids don't read on their own. Reading to kids. And this is one of the fundamental conditions for development: reading shapes children's speech. And speech is the basis of thinking.
In particular - logical thinking. Any teacher will always, at first glance, distinguish a child who is being read to from a child who is not being read to, by how he knows how to concentrate, hold attention, listen and hear, and understand. When a child listens to a book, he hears not just speech, but book speech. Book speech differs significantly from oral speech. It is much more complex, since it is not related to a specific communication situation, i.e. is not complemented by the visual perception of the interlocutor, facial expressions and gestures. It operates with a much larger number of words than spoken language, and it is always distinguished by more complex grammatical structures. And grammar (ways of constructing statements, ways of connecting words, that is, the formal structures of language) reflects the ways of human thinking.
In relation to an elementary school child, it is also quite easy for us to explain why we should teach him to read and encourage him to read books. Reading has been and remains a basic learning skill. It is, first of all, a tool for extracting information.
It would seem that what else could be added? Train your child in technique - and you will get what you want.
But our fourth grader reads at a speed of 150 words per minute. And he doesn’t seem to have any problems understanding educational texts. But he hasn’t read fiction books and still doesn’t read them. And for some reason this greatly upsets us - despite his reading technique indicators.
I once discussed this problem with my third graders. (I discussed a lot of things with them.) I asked what they thought: why should a person read?
We quickly came to the conclusion that the old formula: “Read to know a lot” (which worked in the old days, when modern teachers sat with flashlights under blankets) was no longer needed. Today, you can get the information you need from other sources. In particular, from popular science films. “To get smarter” is a more compelling reason. We decided that reading is more difficult than watching, which means that reading makes us more tense - it trains our attention and perception. After all, while reading, we are engaged in “deciphering” signs, and at the same time we must imagine what images and concepts are behind the words and expressions.
But then we could limit ourselves to reading encyclopedias and scientific books. Why artistic? If only for entertainment, it seems strange. Why entertain yourself in such a complicated way when you can watch a movie?
I remember they thought a lot, my third graders. And someone said: while reading, I always imagine myself as one of the heroes. When I read, I can be both a princess and a crocodile. But in life I can’t do that.
I exclaimed: here it is! This is exactly what the great scientists thought. The great psychologist Lev Vygotsky, who lived in the last century, wrote that art allows a person to live different lives in his imagination and gives him experiences that he could never have in reality. Thanks to books, we can really be both a princess and a crocodile. And as a result, we understand how complex the world is and how complex humans are.
It is for this reason - for the sake of understanding human complexity - that we should read books. The more people understand this, the fewer terrible acts are committed around us.
What does reading aloud do to a child?
I want to say that I see no other serious reasons to fight for children's reading. But this reason seems quite compelling to me.
However, this does not mean that after the answer to the question “why read books?” The answer to the question “how to encourage reading?” will come naturally.
Worse, I think there is no universal answer to this question. There is no single, infallible method that would allow us to raise a reading child. A child (like an adult) becomes a reader as a result of many different internal reasons and external circumstances.
But we know exactly what can be done to ensure that the book enters a child’s life.
This is not God knows what discovery. We have all done and are doing this. But this had to be justified rationally. And the “damned” Americans did this in the 80s of the twentieth century. They experienced the advent of VCRs “in every family” and children’s own televisions earlier than we did, and recorded a decline in interest in reading. This was before the advent of personal computers. But their concerns were based not on subjective observations of the disappearance of flashlights in children's bedrooms, but on large-scale research. In the 80s, 1,200 research projects were launched annually in the United States, the topic of which was children's reading.
In 1983, the Americans created the Reading Commission, which spent two years studying the results of the research and by 1985 prepared a voluminous report called “Becoming a Nation of Readers.”
This report stated the most important message: “The single most important factor necessary for successful reading is reading aloud to children.” This report was followed by "experiments". For example, in one of the Boston schools, an invited enthusiast began to come to the sixth grade every Friday and read aloud to the children. A year later, the academic performance of this class improved noticeably, and two years later it skyrocketed. Another year later, the students in the class had the highest reading scores in Boston, and a huge line of people wanted to get into this school.
In the state of Connecticut, six freelance reading teachers were invited to work, who read to students in grades four through six for 20 minutes three times a week in different grade levels. As a result, students developed a need for independent reading. (The French educator and writer Daniel Pennac described something similar in his book “Like a Novel.”)
The power of the book and reading aloud as a mission
Of course, reading aloud to children cannot be considered a panacea for all ills. But this is what we can do. And for children of any age, what was said about reading to young children is true: even if the child himself does not read, what is read to him will become part of his cultural baggage.
It is clear that it is too late to start reading aloud to teenagers (although it is not useful, as the experience of Pennac and Steven Lewenberg from a Boston school shows). It is better to start reading to your child when he is still very young. And start with the understanding that this is the most important type of communication with a child.
The child does not yet know how to read on his own. An adult who has this skill acts as a medium, an intermediary between the book and the child, replacing the invisible interlocutor (the author). A parent at the moment of reading can be likened to Moses, who descended from Mount Sinai with the Book, illuminated by the highest light. Here our cultural role is unconditional, our impact is visible, our means have proven power.
Take, for example, the form of a book that is familiar to us. This is a brilliant invention of mankind, akin to a wheel. A book in the form of a codex - quadrangular parchment pages inserted between wooden tablets - appeared in the 2nd century BC and gradually replaced clay tablets and scrolls. Since then, the material for making pages and the method of decorating books have changed, printing has been invented, but the shape of the book has remained unchanged.
The code book has the ability to structure communication in space and time. For example, she dictates to you which side to sit your child on. You will sit your baby on your right - so that it is convenient for him to follow the opening pages with pictures. (If you are reading not to one, but to several children, then on the right you will probably sit the one who needs the most comfortable conditions and physical contact with you - most likely, the youngest.)
When you open a book, you know approximately how much time you will spend reading: a chapter, a part, a short story or a poem.
You are guaranteed high-quality communication content. Not to mention that at the moment of reading, you and your child find yourself in a field of common experiences.
When you read, your voice is more than just a voice. As mentioned, you let the author speak in your voice. But, in addition, you also “turn” the author’s voice towards the child. Thanks to you, the author addresses himself not to the collective image of a “grateful descendant,” not to readers “in general,” but to a specific person, your child.
And personal appeal is the most important factor in development.
Psychologists made an interesting observation: in early childhood groups attended by children under three years old, it is impossible to say: “Children! Come to me quickly!” The children won't react. You must definitely call everyone by name: “Vanya, come to me quickly! Mashenka, come here!”
The situation of direct personal interaction between a child and an adult is primary in relation to verbal communication itself and predetermines the very possibility of speech development. Therefore, for example, “technical” speech (recorded on a tape recorder, heard from a TV, etc.) does not in any way affect the speech development of a young child. If you install a tape recorder in the Baby House and it sings lullabies or says something for 10 hours in a row, this will not affect the mental development of unfortunate babies in any way.
Of course, an older child will enjoy listening to both children's programs on the radio and audio books. But listening to technically reproduced speech is possible and advisable only in an already “developed” speech space. And it, of course, cannot completely replace living, personally addressed reading.
Personality in the transmission of information retains its significance throughout a person’s life. This is why, for example, individual lessons with a teacher in any subject (and especially language lessons) are more effective than group ones. This is why it is so important that teenagers have human contact with a teacher, etc.
Therefore, apparently, reading aloud to children at any age turns out to be an effective development mechanism.
Therefore, READ OUT LOUD TO CHILDREN.
This does not mean that reading aloud is simple and easy. Especially in the situation of communicating with teenagers (here you can also remember Moses).
But I think it’s important to get used to the idea first.
Marina Aromstam
Information about research projects on children's reading in the United States and the report “Becoming a Nation of Readers” is taken from the article by the famous American educator Jim Trilese “The New Guide to Reading Aloud” (translated from English by N. Goncharuk), a collection of materials “Reading from the Screen and “by ear”: the experience of Russia and other countries” - M.: “Russian Library Association”, 2009)
Children who don't read are a global problem. Clip thinking has yielded terrible results, influencing the perception of the world around us, the ability to analyze information, and the system of moral and ethical values. Gadgets have taken over a child’s life, leaving him no room for imagination, empathy, or reflection,” says Svetlana Astapchik, a consulting psychologist and head of the children’s library’s media library.
Reading develops intelligence
If a child reads, he can formulate his thoughts, he communicates at a higher level. His speech is understandable, arouses interest, and you want to listen to him. Children who read have better developed motor skills. It is clear that such a child will integrate into society faster than others. In other words, reading is fundamental to success.
The specialist recommends in preschool and primary school age, do not allow your child to read from electronic devices. In this case, the child’s imagination turns out to be monochrome, “black and white,” since the e-book does not contain illustrations and is poor in design. As for the perception of teenagers, they can already read from e-readers. For them, the fact that they can download a work that has not yet been published in paper form, before others of their age, has a higher status. Actually, for the development of intelligence, it does not matter whether to read from a page or from a screen, the psychologist summarizes, and yet, she argues, a traditional book gives more emotions due to its design, tactile sensations from the pages, and this is important for a child of any age.
If a family reads aloud to children from childhood, then later they pick up the habit of reading. They literally absorb this type of pastime with their mother's milk.
When should you start teaching your child to read books?
In response to this question, Svetlana Astapchik reasonably notes that such a formulation of the question will not bring much fruit. If a family reads aloud to children from childhood, then later they pick up the habit of reading. They literally absorb this type of pastime with their mother's milk. Accordingly, if you don’t read, then children don’t read subsequently, unless they meet a literature teacher at school who instills in them a love of words (the most common situation).
Bibliographer Marina Larionova adds that one of the misconceptions of primary school parents is that they stop reading aloud, mistakenly believing that the child can occupy himself independently. You need to keep reading to your child. As a result, reading as a leisure activity becomes a part of life, only in this case the child will continue to read at an older age. It is important to offer your child a variety of literature: fairy tales, adventures, poetry, stories and short stories, reference books and encyclopedias. That is It is not the choice of genre that should prevail, but the choice of literature.
Many children are perplexed when they see a tattered book from the library. The psychologist recommends not to be embarrassed. It is necessary to explain to a novice book reader that the wear and tear of a copy is a sign that the book is interesting, because 100 people have already read it before him.
There are different reading techniques, which are used by both teachers and parents:
- Continued reading is when a child, together with an adult, comes up with the ending of a story and then compares it with the author’s version.
- Show the cover of the book, and then start reading aloud, without showing any illustrations. After finishing reading, use pencils to depict what you heard, and then compare it with the artist’s picture.
- It is also good to compare illustrations by different artists for the same work. This way, in addition to the writer, children learn about the illustrator.
- Another technique for developing imagination is reading in the dark. Twilight is a magical time when the imagination seems to run wild.
The traditions of family reading as a leisure activity are now being lost
It happens that parents complain during consultations that they cannot find contact with the child, he does not communicate, does not share his impressions and experiences. In the conversation, it turns out that the mother and father make no effort to close the distance. Meanwhile, the book can play the role of creating a trusting and open relationship between parents and children. While the child is small, the cheek-to-cheek reading method is good. If the child is older, there is the opportunity to discuss and exchange opinions about what they read.
A book can be a medicine
A fairy tale told to a child in a timely manner is related to psychological consultation. Child psychologists have classified fairy tales according to children's issues. For example, there are magic stories for children who are afraid of the dark or the doctor's office. There are instructive stories for hyperactive and aggressive children, for children with an eating disorder or enuresis.
Finally, a book, and literature in general, creates a sense of belonging to a particular nation.. Starting his journey into the world of books with folk tales and step by step approaching classical national literature, a person gradually acquires what is called national identity. And this is what all of us, Russians, urgently need today.
Every parent in the distant future undoubtedly wants to see their child as a successful and prosperous person. This largely depends on the “seed” that we “plant” in early childhood. One such seed is reading books aloud to your little one. Reading books for a child is a powerful impetus for the development of his speech, memory, and perception of the world around him. What else it contributes to, and what you need to remember, we’ll talk about in this article.
The importance of reading books from early childhood is undeniable. Already in the first months, although the child does not understand the content, he perfectly perceives the rhythm of your language and intonation. It is very useful. At this age, it doesn’t matter at all whether you read a bedtime story or a women’s magazine to your baby, it’s important that it be done out loud and with the right intonation.
From the age of two months, the child sees pictures and more clearly perceives the expression and intonation of your voice. Of course, the child needs to show the objects in question in pictures and talk about them - here you can’t do without children’s books. Don’t be ashamed to parody the neighing of a horse or the mooing of a cow - all this will be playful and fun in your child’s memory. The same must be done in relation to objects in the external world. The baby, associating spoken words with illustrations in books and objects of the outside world, intuitively begins to understand the importance of language.
What does reading aloud do:
Teaches the child communication skills.
Introduces basic concepts such as numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a fun way.
Helps improve word perception skills, memory and vocabulary.
Gives information about the surrounding world.
Things to remember when reading books:
Don't take it personally when your child rejects reading. Does your child seem relaxed and ready to “read”, but literally after reading a couple of pages he begins to squeak and does not want to continue? Just put the book aside and continue reading later.
Don't be surprised if your baby crawls away while reading a book. Children are fidgety by nature; they want to move more than sit still. However, this does not mean at all that the baby does not hear you, continue reading and perhaps he will come back. If not, then read with him at another time.
Don't get mad if your little one tears up a page. You need to understand that babies are stronger than most books and it will not be difficult for them to tear a page. Don't want to buy books again and again? Then buy e-readers with pages made of thick glued cardboard. If your child nevertheless tears the pages of his favorite book, do not rush to throw it away, you will still need it. A little later, when the baby grows up, you can “reanimate” her using tape. Believe me, this will be a very interesting joint activity.
It is always worth remembering that children to whom their parents regularly read books know many more words by the age of two than their peers who are deprived of reading.
"Charm Lady" reminds: Reading books aloud will teach your child to love the sound of his native language before he knows about the existence of the printed word, in addition, it stimulates the development of his imagination and naturally expands his understanding of the world around him. When the rhythm and melody of language becomes a constant part of a child's life, learning to read books will become as natural a process as walking or talking. Read with pleasure!
Reading is the best exercise for the brain, and experts recommend reading to children even when they are in their mother’s belly. A book not only helps develop a child’s vocabulary, literacy and thinking, it always brings with it discoveries, impressions and a new world. Therefore, parents try to read as much as possible to their young children and are happy to buy them books and magazines.
But once a child learns to read on his own, the practice of reading together usually fades into the background. There is an interesting study on this subject that shows that parental reading aloud is beneficial for all children, regardless of age.
All parents know that reading aloud to young children is very beneficial. This helps kids develop spoken language, recognize letters and words, and prepare for kindergarten. But it is equally important to read to children when they have already learned to read themselves. Research shows that continuing to read to children over 5 years of age (and even beyond) improves reading and listening skills and academic outcomes (and it's just great fun!).
The 2016 Children and Family Reading Study, a national study of children ages 6 to 17 and their parents on attitudes toward reading, found the following. 59% of parents read to children from birth to 5 years old, but only 38% read from 5 to 8 years old, and only 17% of parents continue to read to children aged 9 to 11. However, the majority of children aged 6 to 11 years (and Most parents) say they love reading aloud. Everyone loves a good story, whether it's on paper or electronically.
Here are 10 top reasons for reading aloud to older children.
- Vocabulary increases. Children who are read aloud encounter more words than in normal spoken language - and learn how to recognize and pronounce them. Research shows that having a large vocabulary has a significant impact on school success.
- Understanding improves. When children are actively involved in a story, they gain a deeper understanding of what is happening. By following the development of the plot, you can check whether your child understands what is happening. Ask him what will happen next, what he thinks about the heroes and their actions.
- The bonds between parents and children are greatly strengthened. Moments together and fond memories of beloved parents reading interesting stories can inspire a lifelong love of reading.
- This is how the best role models are created. Children learn through observation and imitation. Reading aloud helps them hear what language sounds like. You can be an example of how to analyze a story and how to determine the meaning of words using context clues.
- This improves your listening skills. Reading aloud fosters an understanding of the richness of language and helps develop children's hearing: it will be easier for the child to understand the directions and instructions of school teachers. It is known that a child's reading level does not match their listening skills until about the eighth grade.
- It's a way to discover the classics. At school, children may be put off by Shakespeare's difficult language or Jane Austen's old-fashioned expressions, but in the comfort of your own home, you can bring the text to life by reading characters' lines in different voices and talking about the historical context of the work.
- Reading can help you discuss difficult issues with your children. Children may ignore your instructions about what is good and what is bad. But when you read a story in which the characters face serious problems and are held accountable for their actions, that's the time to talk about difficult, topical situations.
- You will introduce children to different genres. Reading aloud gives parents the opportunity to show their children different types of books and stories and help them figure out which literary trends are closer to them. Read poetry, satire, autobiographies and manga!
- You will open the door to a world of interests for your children. By reading about what children love, or choosing genres that schoolchildren like (science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thrillers, graphic novels, Minecraft, whatever!), you get a wonderful opportunity to share the interests of your children, discuss them, and you find yourself on the same playing field with them, temporarily relinquishing your role as a teacher who knows more than they do.
- Reading aloud sparks curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Non-fiction books make great read-alouds! For older children and teens, you can choose books or articles about current or recent events and world issues. In this area you can find many popular stories that are as breathtaking as the most exciting fiction.
Translation: Alexandra Matrusova