Read Read Read!!!

I am a huge advocate of reading to infants and children many times a day, every day. Reading is the foundation for comprehension, fluency, a rich vocabulary, and success in school. Almost everything in school requires reading. If a child struggles with reading, he or she will struggle with school. I am reading a book right now that I recommend for new parents and teachers. It's called 'The Read-Aloud Handbook' by Jim Trelease. Although there are some parts that are a bit on the boring side, it is a good book that should be read by every parent and teacher out there. The book is formatted in a question and answer way. The most common questions about reading aloud to children and infants are posed and Mr. Trelease answers the questions effectively an honestly. In addition, at the end of the book there is a whole section of books that he recommends to read aloud to infants and children. Each book he recommends has a short summary of the book and the estimated grade level of the book.

One particular question and answer in this book really hit home because I have said it over and over again to many parents. The question is about when to start reading aloud to a child. A child should be read to from day one. In the beginning, it doesn't matter what you read because a newborn does not comprehend the information yet. It is more about conditioning at this stage and should be done so that when the child gets a little older, he or she will know how to treat books and will know what they are for. In addition, reading will become a positive experience for the child and he or she will have a healthy attitude about books and reading.

So I will step down from my soap box now, but remember...READ READ READ!~!~!