Children Reading with Song

By Jem | Published: April 29, 2012

 

Image by AN HONORABLE GERMAN via Flickr

First lady Michelle Obama[/Michell Obama talks to children about pictures in a book]

Image by Neeta Lind via Flickr

IMG_3644[Chiildren captivated by their Mother's reading ]

MUSIC HELPS WITH READING

It seems obvious but involving a child in early reading with the introduction of music, ie singing in some format with them, may be the secret of strong engagement.  A fixed period of time eg 30 minutes appears to be about right timewise, and this singing really engages children.  They like the songs in Mother Goose which lends itself well to sing-alongs. They may learn new words, associate words with images, concepts with song, all up its about having a child enjoy learning and using different modes.

 

 

It seems that at two years of age children are assessible for school readiness. My, it gets younger every year doesn’t it?  Literacy is becoming almost like a “health risk”, in that you have to be on your guard to check for difficulties and “fill in the gaps” where you find deficiencies in your child. Otherwise, according to Jean Gross, a child as young as two can have a future marred by his early inabilities in that area. Staggering but it makes good sense to view this aspect of a child’s development as crucial as his health.

Jean Gross, a former teacher, who was appointed Communications Champion, argued in her Bercow Report, that checks on the language of toddlers needs to become as routine as health assessments of weight and growth.

“Language development falls between the cracks of the NHS and education,” she said. “Recent research showed children’s language at two predicted how ready they would be for school. By that age, children are on the path to success or failure at school.”

Mrs Gross said testing children in school is too late as those who are inarticulate at five have little chance of catching up with their peers. They are twice as likely to be unemployed in their thirties, and at greater risk of ending up in prison.

MOTHER GOOSE READING

If someone had told me when I first started conducting lapsit programs many years ago that it was possible to present a storytime to such a large group, a program that was instructive and inspirational for the adults and joyful for the babies–or simply that such a program wouldn’t be outright chaos–I wouldn’t have believed it.  But it does work, and I believe the magic ingredient is music.

We sing everything in Mother Goose & More: every nursery rhyme, lap jog and book.  Even with such a big group and so many active toddlers, everyone stays focused on the material during the 30-minute program because the music keeps them engaged.  We pay attention to music–that’s why ad jingles work and why some of us still occasionally sing the ABC song in our heads when alphabetizing!…More at Mother Goose Programs Families Flock To!

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Reading to children

By Jem | Published: April 22, 2012

 

Certainly this is the truth. Nuture learning by satisfying curiosity, treasure those questions; it the begining of confidence in children.  Confidence enables better learning results in children.

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Illustrating children’s Books and the Part They Play in Learning

By Jem | Published: April 15, 2012

ILLUSTRATIONS – PLAY A BIG PART IN BOOKS

Pictures Show a Child another Dimension to his Understanding

Children can’t always guess what’s going on in a book by what is said and the text, can they?   They need more support to understand.  For them they are exploring  a new world. The pictures in the book along with the words, the voice and the extra materials you use can make all the difference.  Particularly so the pictures as they will be or should be appealing and endearing to a child, as with the main characters.  The actions and the ‘voice’ of the players in the books mean a lot to a childish mind.  It’s there to see and enjoy.  The repetition, the sound of the words (the extended vowels) make it come alive and the story can be followed ever more closely with each reading of it.

Illustrations Relate a Child to Things at Their Level

Yes we forget and often bring adult culture into a child’s life far too soon.  Television and computer games need to be scaled down but often a child sees far more than he can take in.  Fortunately book authors have this under control. Their minds are firmly placed on children and what children like and should see and hear.  The child’s level of development is fully embedded in their constructive efforts.   They want to bring the world to a child fairly and squarely aimed at her level.  Authors know what children want.  That’s their job and they know the role of humor, color, pace, variety, fun, texture, character, timing  and so on need to be brought into it.   The graphics needs to play its part for children.

Children expand on different themes

A child's drawing

Good Pictures are Friendly and Inviting

Being friendly and sending out an invitation to come in, get close, listen and learn with you is a very strong and irresistible action.  A child needs to have this conveyed to them.  That way they will engage and learn in the comfort and safety of your home.  From that point it’s your responsibility and joy to make the most of these sessions with a child.  The cooking and cleaning can wait.  A special time for you and your child will make all the difference to the child’s development and pictures have a part to play here.   Books for children need pictures or graphic content in order to move the story and reach out to the child.

Pictures Reach Out and Are Ready to take the Child by the Hand

A child can relate to an animated bunny or mouse figure so well.  It’s small – it’s cuddly and it doesn’t look like it would be harmful or bite them.  That’s a big issue with many wild animals and monsters.  Children love baby pictures as they aren’t at all threatening or scary.  Monkeys in the zoo are usually pretty popular.  You never want to offer a young child strong monster pictures, Halloween etc, as it is often too difficult for them to accept them in the spirit they are given.  The sense of humor needs to be well tabulated to the level of a child or else you can get the tears flowing.

Pictures can be Fun and Stimulate the Child’s Imagination

A child runs with a good solid character – she faces the same obstacles, joys, successes. It’s all driven by watching the pictures and listening to the language. When Mum stops talking the world disappears.  But in a book the pictures are still there for the child to see.  So the pictures remain and take over.  They can be changed and recycled into a child’s play book – complete with crayon and pencil drawings for all to see.  A healthy interpretation of the content of the drawings will often be offered to the parent or teacher.  The child has taken the pictures and made her own view of the story.

When the reading stops, a  book can be appreciated further by focussing more on the pictures.  The actions and the characterisation are all there to see in the book.  Things happen in the pictures; the words bring the book clarity, but pictures embelish. Pictures become understood and associated with the words and the vocabulary of the child moves forward in response.

A Child Can Create New Stories and Draw Characters in New Situations

A child needs the support of pictures and graphics to motivate her to want to draw and develop her own stories.  The drawings are a guide – an optional view – a landmark in a sea of impressions.  It helps if a parent has used the right approach when undertaking the reading.  She needs to allow the child to ask questions, discuss things and comment.  Some parents are a natural at this and others find it more challenging drawing their children out.  ’Silly’ fits well with kids. They like to laugh and drawings and light hearted pics will lift a child’s emotions.

 

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Book Reading to a Child

By Jem | Published: March 8, 2012

BOOK BENEFITS TO A CHILD

A child needs to see books in the home and parents need to gain an appreciation of how books can contribute to a child’s learning.  Learning starts with holding and reading from books and turning the pages.

Books are the lifeblood of learning

Let the little ones see the mechanics of book handling. See her watch you turn the pages, see her watch you point to the pictures, see her watch and listen to you pronounce the magic rhyming words or the vibrant prose. Then let them have a go.   Let them turn pages, point to pictures, interpret pictures, extend the content of pictures and text.

The little ones need a grounded, imagination-stimulating, reflective, “with Mum or Dad fireside” experience.  Computers can’t deliver this to them. A Mother and child can really bond with books.  Children accept learning from you like a baby bird takes the worm from its parent. Books bring convey information, learning and knowledge because they engage the child in new worlds.

So give your child the necessary conditions to just sit and read a book on his own or with you or your partner. Let your child learn freely. His mind will grow more quickly, his language skills and his pronunciation will develop better. His understanding of his world will become so much more enriched; just through simple book reading! Isn’t it remarkable?

Oh yes, you can drift off into other interesting places. It’s probably good to do that on a second of third reading. Really many children have wonderful imaginations so why not let them discuss other ways a book might proceed.

For example:

Take a story book about a dog (Doggie do) who wants to fly to the moon. Why would a dog want to go on a voyage to the moon? Have any other animals travelled to the moon? Isn’t this dog being a little too adventurous? Or is Doggie do better off sitting at home and dreaming about the moon on a mat? Do you think that Doggie do is preparing to live on the moon,  or is he being a bit silly? Why? Do you think Doggie do needs help? What ways would help Doggie do? Can you engage your child in the average game he’s playing this easily on computer?

You can read this book about Doggie do on Amazon. It should appeal to a child’s sense of fun and adventure. But really books don’t need to be so expansive.  Subjects  like getting a hair cut or going to the zoo are equally valid.

Books For Countering Stress

Books reading can serve different purposes.  They can alleviate stress as well as stimulate and extend children’s thinking.
The feeling of first going to visit a dentist is well known and harrowing. It’s a topic you can find books about. They will help prepare a child for the dentist and experience it through the prose, first.

Preparing a child before you take him to a place like a dentist makes good sense. Certainly reading a book about a dentist’s chair, how it tilts and how the child will be looking up into an adult’s face will lessen their fear.

Children need to be prepared for the examination and the probing of their teeth. Books and reading do this preliminary task well. Books explain how dentists can keep their teeth healthy. If a child understands that most of the sound and movement isn’t going to hurt them, they will feel more relaxed about the experience. Books can help to convey that reassurance.

They can serve so many purposes related to learning and enjoyment. And isn’t fun and learning what childhoods are all about?  A parent’s caring role is to assist and share these moments.

Really, children have wonderful imaginations so why not let them explore other ways a book can go. You may just have to dig a little deeper with some of them.

So when I say that books are the lifeblood of childhood learning. I hope you are beginning to see their value; not only to your child’s love of learning but also to reinforcing your own parental effectiveness and enriching trust and sharing.

Books take over from parents when they run low on information and stimulation. Reading has the power to reach out to a child. The parent/child/reading experience gives a whole lot more than we even realize. It’s primarily reassuring and satisfying to a child to be read a book.

It is welcoming and delivers the culture of your family to your little one in bite sized chunks they can absorb.  Don’t let the opportunity slip by. It won’t come again; we all know that children grow up so quickly. Children really need books in order to understand their place in the world.

start reading to children at an early age

Read to Babies Early

 

Posted in Book Learning Benefits, Child Behaviors, Children's Picture Books, Purpose Reading | 1 Comment
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