Next, make sure your child can see the book the right way up as you read.
For babies and toddlers up to 2 years
- point at pictures and say or ask names of things (depending on age)
- use a slow sing-song voice
- use different voices for different characters - be entertaining
- spend time talking about the pictures before turning the page
- say a name and ask your older baby or toddler to point to the item
- give huge praise each time your child points at and names an object
For 2-4 year-olds
- give your child time to look at the pictures before you read
- ask, 'Where's the...?' 'What's that called?' 'What's she doing?'
- always follow text with your finger as you read
- with familiar stories, see if your child can join in or finish phrases
- ask questions like: 'Why did he do that?' 'What happens next?'
- discuss things you both liked/didn't like and why
For 4 year-olds and over (and possibly some 3 year-olds)
- as for 2-4 year olds
- ask your child if he can remember the order of events in the story
- try paired reading (sometimes called shared reading)
Special activity
If you think your child may be ready for a real reading activity, try this: choose a word which appears several times (such as a name) show it to your child and tell him what it says: can your child find the same word again?
This is a first 'Look and Say' or 'Whole word' activity. For information about Look and Say and the other methods of teaching reading, click here.
FINAL TIP:
Let your child see that reading is part of your life. Do you have books and newspapers in the house?
for More information, do visit - http://childliteracy.com/babies.html
