The ability to read aloud well is a skill necessary for success in today’s society. Success in today’s society means a better-paying job/career, higher social status, a higher standard of living, and the probability of greater personal satisfaction.
How does reading aloud help you succeed?
One factor of success is the ability to communicate. Communication takes the forms of visual (video, reading, observation), auditory (hearing), and motor skills (writing).
Learning takes place in three ways: written, spoken, and sight. Information presented by all three methods has a higher probability of being retained in your memory. To succeed with communication, you must be able to read, speak, and write; with practice, you can do so fluently and effectively. You become a better reader, writer, or speaker only by reading, speaking, and writing.
Reading aloud helps you develop a fluent, well-modulated speaking voice. You also practice pronouncing words correctly and speaking clearly.
Why you should Read aloud To Your Children
Children who have books read aloud to them develop language skills at an earlier age. They learn to speak better earlier and develop good vocabulary faster. These children learn to read earlier, develop thinking skills, and have good memories. They develop poise and self-confidence, the same as any adult who reads aloud.
Whether you are a parent, sibling, other relatives, or friend – you can develop a good and lasting relationship by reading aloud to that child. It’s only a piece of a good relationship, but it is a start.
The two of you can learn new words together, too. When you come across an unfamiliar word, look it up. Find out what it means, as well as how to pronounce it correctly. A thesaurus will help you find words that are similar (synonyms) or opposite (antonyms) in meaning.
Expansion of your word knowledge increases your ability to communicate. If you and your child learn to communicate you will have a better chance of success in your relationship with that child, with relationships in general, and improve your employment prospects.
Is there a good age to start reading aloud with children?
The answer: any age is a good age to start. Today is a good day to read aloud with a child. Start at birth.
What should you read to a child?
Your public library probably has a list of age-appropriate books to recommend. If the child is very young, read the newspaper or a novel to him or her. Start adding in touchy-feelie books, then very simple ones for toddlers. As the child also learns to read, keep right on going with the child reading aloud to you.
When the two of you read aloud, listen to your voices. Do you use your middle range? Do you drone the words on and on, or stop and struggle? Practice, practice, practice. You can become an expressive reader, changing emphasis and pitch according to the needs of the sentence, as indicated by its punctuation. Your child will learn by your example.
Learning new words and reading will open new horizons for you and your child. Reading aloud helps develop speech and self-confidence.
Reading aloud together helps forge a life-long bond between you both.
