tag:theconversation.com,2011:/id/topics/shared-reading-27229/articlesShared reading – The Conversation2019-02-12T19:15:44Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1114272019-02-12T19:15:44Z2019-02-12T19:15:44ZRead aloud to your children to boost their vocabulary<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258402/original/file-20190212-174861-1gfvzy5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Children still benefit from being read to after they've learned to read by themselves.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Herald Post/flickr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Words are powerful, and a rich vocabulary can provide young people with significant advantages. Successful vocabulary development is associated with better <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/cdev.13128">vocational, academic and health outcomes</a>. </p>
<p>When parents read books aloud to their children from an early age, this offers notable advantages for children’s <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0142723711422626">vocabulary development</a>. This gives them a broader range of possible word choices. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756">Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read</a>
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<p>Research also suggests children who don’t have the opportunity for shared reading are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0142723713487617?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.1">comparatively disadvantaged</a>. If we want our children to be able to draw on a rich vocabulary to express themselves clearly, we need to read to them. Developing a child’s vocabulary is a valuable investment in their future. </p>
<h2>Benefits of reading aloud</h2>
<p>In the very early years, spoken vocabularies have been associated with higher achievement in reading and maths, and better ability to regulate <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdev.12398">behaviour</a>. Vocabulary is also <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/02c1/2cb09e8aab6736baad6cdac62751c6fb9615.pdf">linked to success</a> in reading comprehension and related word recognition skills. </p>
<p>Much of a child’s vocabulary is acquired through <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4567506/">daily conversations</a>. Shared reading aloud can provide a valuable additional source of new words children can use to power their expression. Research suggests the text of picture books offers access to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4567506/">more diverse vocabulary</a> than child-directed conversations. </p>
<p>At some point, most of us have experienced the frustration of searching for an elusive word that is essential to clearly communicate an idea or a need. When children speak or write, they draw on their vocabulary to make word selections that will optimise the clarity and accuracy of their expression.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258403/original/file-20190212-174857-1obz535.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Reading can make for valuable parent-child bonding time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>Beyond vocabulary, reading aloud offers numerous additional benefits for children. Reading aloud may support students to develop sustained attention, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000494411205600305">strong listening skills</a>, and enhanced <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775714000156">cognitive development</a>. </p>
<p>Recent research also suggests children who are read to from an early age may be less likely to experience <a href="http://childrenofbellevue.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/VIP_2018_Mendelsohn_et_al_Pediatrics_Reading_Aloud_Play_and_Socioemotional_Dev.pdf">hyperactivity</a>. Children who are at risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21521868">reading difficulties</a> may particularly benefit from being read to. Children who are learning <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ539344">English as an additional language</a> may experience better reading comprehension when they are read to in English.</p>
<p>Reading aloud with your child is also <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944117727749">valuable parent-child time</a>. It can strengthen the parent-child relationship and foster reading engagement, which is essential if we want our children to enjoy the benefits of being a life-long reader.</p>
<h2>How can I optimise vocabulary growth for my child?</h2>
<p>Vocabulary development can be improved through <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/747863.pdf">explicit teaching techniques</a> such as providing definitions for new words. For example, while reading to your child, when you encounter a new word you may pause and ask the child what they think it means. </p>
<p>If they’re unsure, you can then read a little further along so the word is encountered in a context that can give valuable clues about meaning. If the meaning is still unclear, you can provide a definition for your child so you can move on. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29595311">recent study</a> found approaches that involve pointing, providing definitions, and asking some questions as you read together can be good for vocabulary building.</p>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0142723717737452">Recent research</a> found nearly identical gains in vocabulary where children were read to either using explicit techniques (such as pointing and giving definitions) or a more engaging storytelling approach. In the storytelling approach, the adult reading to the child added contextual information, which made the child more interested and engaged in the story.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/enjoyment-of-reading-not-mechanics-of-reading-can-improve-literacy-for-boys-91321">Enjoyment of reading, not mechanics of reading, can improve literacy for boys</a>
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<p>Children will also benefit from hearing the same story <a href="http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.ecu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=1e288fce-2f8c-4206-9f6e-e80d85881f6a%40sessionmgr102">a number of times</a>. It’s also a good idea to use some of the new language in subsequent conversation if possible. This can increase exposure and strengthen retention of new words. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-reason-your-child-wants-to-read-the-same-book-over-and-over-again-105733">There's a reason your child wants to read the same book over and over again</a>
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<h2>What if I don’t have a book?</h2>
<p>We may not always have a book at hand. In these cases, you can draw on your creativity and tell a story, which can also benefit vocabulary. </p>
<p>While there is limited research in this area, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0142723713503144">one study</a> compared telling a child a story or reading them a story with a child reading silently to themselves. The study found all three groups of children learned new words. But telling a story and reading a story to a child offered superior gains in vocabulary. </p>
<h2>Beating the barriers</h2>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944117727749">Research suggests</a> that children may be aware of the benefits of listening to books read aloud. This awareness can be a source of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944117727749">regret</a> for the child when reading aloud at home ends, but they still enjoy shared reading. Children may continue to enjoy and benefit from being read to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944117727749">beyond the early years</a>. You should keep reading with your children as long as they let you.</p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/258406/original/file-20190212-174851-1hhpl2f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Children get more benefit out of shared reading than reading alone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>By far, the biggest barrier raised by parents to reading aloud to their children was the formidable barrier of <a href="https://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=846320945088503;res=IELHSS">time</a>. If reading aloud becomes a routine part of family life, like dinner and bedtime, this barrier may be overcome as the practice becomes an everyday event. </p>
<p>Due to diverse issues faced in homes and families, not all parents will be able to read their child a book, or tell them a story. This is why it’s still so important for schools to provide opportunities for students to regularly listen to engaging and culturally <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-tips-to-make-school-bookshelves-more-diverse-and-five-books-to-get-you-started-110718">diverse</a> books. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-ways-teacher-librarians-improve-literacy-in-schools-110026">Ten ways teacher librarians improve literacy in schools</a>
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<p>But reading aloud is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/lit.12162">not a typical daily classroom practice</a>. We should increase the number of opportunities children have to hear stories both at home and in schools so children can experience the many benefits of a rich and varied vocabulary.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111427/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Kristin Merga receives funding from the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the Collier Foundation. She has also received funding from the Ian Potter Foundation.</span></em></p>Shared reading has many benefits. Among them, it can help your child develop a bigger vocabulary.Margaret Kristin Merga, Senior Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/996372018-08-19T19:51:32Z2018-08-19T19:51:32ZSix things you should do when reading with your kids<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227259/original/file-20180711-27036-1foaon8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Stories take children on imaginary adventures.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by Mazyar Hooshidar. </span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is magic in stories. We all remember hearing them as children, and we loved them. Imaginary adventures set in faraway places. Tales about how the dishwasher isn’t working. It doesn’t matter! Whether made up by parents or read from books, kids love to hear stories.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888438.2018.1482901">recent work</a> showed reading to children positively impacts long term academic achievement more than many other activity (including playing music with them, or doing craft). We found the more frequently parents read to their children, the better their children’s NAPLAN scores in different areas. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/if-you-can-only-do-one-thing-for-your-children-it-should-be-shared-reading-95146">If you can only do one thing for your children, it should be shared reading</a>
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<p>In our most recent study, we asked parents to read a wordless storybook to their three to five-year-old children titled The Wolf and Seven Little Goats. We also tested children in many areas of their important cognitive skills, such as language proficiency, memory, self-control, and friendship skills. </p>
<p>Through examining the different ways parents tell stories, we have pinpointed which elements of shared reading are most beneficial for children’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775714000156">cognitive development</a>. </p>
<h2>1. Tune in to your child</h2>
<p>Perhaps the most important aspect of reading to children is to tune in to your child. Listen to your child’s cues. Do they like the story? Do they know the vocabulary? Are they paying attention to the pictures more, or the text? </p>
<p>Try to coach your child, not to instruct them. Instead of saying: “look they are going to cook some food, maybe they are hungry”, you can ask “what are they doing?” or “why do you think they’re doing that?”. </p>
<p>Be sensitive about whether they are listening and engaged or uninterested and disengaged. If they are disengaged, are there questions you can ask to make them more interested? Do you think they’ll like a different type of story better? The best books for your child are the ones they <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181204/110118.pdf">enjoy</a> most. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756">Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read</a>
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<h2>2. Ask questions</h2>
<p>Parents who ask lots of questions engage in a more fun and informative way with their children. Ask them if they know the vocabulary, if they can guess what the characters are going to do next, and why they’ve done what they’ve done. </p>
<p>These questions are not only helpful because they help children gain new knowledge and ways of thinking, it also <a href="https://theconversation.com/reading-to-your-child-the-difference-it-makes-57473">helps strengthen</a> the emotional bond between parent and child. Children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4337405/">like to feel</a> they’re a part of the task, not that they’re being told how to do things. </p>
<h2>3. Go beyond describing images or reading text</h2>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=589&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=589&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=589&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=740&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=740&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232002/original/file-20180815-2924-grfzce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=740&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">How would you describe what’s happening in this scene?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>In our study, we gave parents a wordless picture book. An important difference we observed between parents was some only describe what they see. Some go beyond the picture. </p>
<p>For example, when the mother goat in the picture book comes home and sees the door to the house open, one parent said: </p>
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<p>When their mother came home and was looking forward to seeing her children and hugging them and telling them a story, she suddenly saw that the door is open. She was shocked!</p>
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<p>Another parent said: </p>
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<p>The mother came home and saw the door is open; she went inside and looked for the children. </p>
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<p>This parent is only describing the picture. </p>
<p>The first parent is imagining what is beyond the picture and text. This is a richer way to tell a story to children, and ultimately leads to better cognitive developmental outcomes for children. This is because it teaches abstract thinking, which is the basis for many of the <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351236898/chapters/10.4324%2F9781351236904-7">higher order cognitive abilities</a> such as problem solving and critical analysis. </p>
<h2>4. Make logical links between different parts of the story</h2>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232004/original/file-20180815-2918-1ugi4c4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">This wolf is a cunning creature.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Another element that has a strong link to the development of children’s cognitive skills is the way parents build logical links between different parts of the story. </p>
<p>Often the events in books unfold very quickly. One minute, the wolf eats the little goats, and the next minute he is found by the mother. Some parents try to make the sequence of events more logical than others. </p>
<p>For example, in this picture, when the wolf is coming to knock on the door, one parent said: </p>
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<p>The wolf, who realised the mother is not home, came and knocked on the door. </p>
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<p>This sentence is lacking logical links. How did the wolf know the mother is not home? Why should he come and knock on the door? What did he want? </p>
<p>Another parent said: </p>
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<p>The wolf, who was sunbathing in the bush, saw that the mother is going to get some food. He thought, oh, the little goats are alone at home, and it’s a good time for me to go and trick them and maybe get a good lunch! </p>
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<p>The parent here is clearly providing logical links between these different parts of the story.</p>
<h2>5. Add relevant details</h2>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/232003/original/file-20180815-2921-1jx1umy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Keep added details relevant.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>We also found most parents add many details to the story to make it more interesting or comprehensive. But <em>relevant</em> details are the most useful in terms of improving children’s learning. Relevant details are the kind of details that help make the story easier to understand. </p>
<p>For example, one parent said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The little goat, who was wearing the yellow shirt and was the smallest said: ‘we shouldn’t open the door! How do we know this is our mother? She has just left.’</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here, wearing a yellow shirt is a descriptive detail, but it doesn’t add much to the story. </p>
<p>Another mother said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The smallest one, who was also the cleverest and very careful, said… </p>
</blockquote>
<p>This second parent is clearly adding a detail (that the smaller one is also the cleverest and careful) that makes the story more meaningful and easier to follow.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/enjoyment-of-reading-not-mechanics-of-reading-can-improve-literacy-for-boys-91321">Enjoyment of reading, not mechanics of reading, can improve literacy for boys</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>6. Talk about mental and emotional concepts</h2>
<p>We found parents who not only describe the events of a story but also discuss <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00506/full">abstract concepts</a> related to emotions, desires and thoughts tend to have children who are better cognitively skilled. These children develop a better understanding of others’ emotions, better friendship skills, and even improved memory and higher order cognitive skills that are useful in later life. These lead to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=cvLWDQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=abstract+concepts+children+better+cognitive+ability&ots=DtILotRFSV&sig=FftCKFka4vA-j2mpu3iY8UxDopY#v=onepage&q=abstract%20concepts%20children%20better%20cognitive%20ability&f=false">academic success</a> as well as better skills to build friendships and perform well in social relationships.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99637/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Amelia Shay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Reading styles vary in effectiveness. Here are six things you can do, based on research, to help your child get the most out of shared reading.Dr Amelia Shay, Research Fellow in Developmental and Educational Psychology, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/951462018-07-01T20:07:14Z2018-07-01T20:07:14ZIf you can only do one thing for your children, it should be shared reading<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225428/original/file-20180629-117389-nelnv8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C295%2C3989%2C2589&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Whenever you get a chance, even if it's only ten minutes, engage in shared reading activities.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Reading to children is beneficial in many ways. Books offer a unique opportunity for children to become familiar <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/3878407?casa_token=1kPcg5b_ZCwAAAAA:RDG-7NlHztTr8i_F64OkVWl7rGY3HpjeLIS78cwuWOpmGZXj6wU2AUNMuw9bJ4Ud3IPxUUJJbDEalEVfdMYw0EeW8qW9GlXXZ5HY-Cs6r5FjdgA984qV&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">with new vocabularies</a>; the type of words not often used in day-to-day conversation. <a href="http://www.scriptil.org/upload/SenechalSSR.pdf">Books</a> also provide a context for developing knowledge of abstract ideas for children. When an adult reads a book to a child, they often label pictures, talk about activities in the book, solve problems together and teach them new words and concepts. </p>
<p>Reading to very young children can have long-lasting benefits for their later school success, not only in literacy but also in <a href="http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jel/article/view/54213">mathematics</a>. Adding to this, early shared reading particularly helps children from disadvantaged families defy limitations associated with their <a href="https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rrq.160">socio-economic status</a>. So, if there is only one thing you have time to do with your children, it should be reading to and with them.</p>
<h2>Read your way to the top</h2>
<p>Parents have long been encouraged to read more to their children. There have been many initiatives, challenges, and programs aiming to increase individual reading time and shared reading time between parents and children. These include the <a href="https://www.alia.org.au/events/14787/2017-reading-hour">Australian Reading Hour Campaign</a>, the <a href="http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/events/prc/Pages/booklist.aspx">Premier’s Reading Challenge</a>, <a href="https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/programs/literacy/lets-read">Let’s Read</a>, and others. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-tips-to-help-you-make-the-most-of-reading-to-your-children-93659">Five tips to help you make the most of reading to your children</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>What’s still not clear is which specific skills improve while parents read to their children, and whether the benefit of shared reading is due to other things parents do that help their children thrive at school and beyond. </p>
<p>That is: is it really book reading that’s beneficial or is it because parents who read more to their children also provide a lot of other resources, and engage in a range of other activities with their children? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224372/original/file-20180622-26558-xxr2hw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Books provide children with the opportunity for discussion and concept development.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jeremy Tarling/flickr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This was what we looked at in our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/yaFQcdUM9h9jWfqFbAD3/full">study</a>. We used data from a large scale nationwide study called the <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/media-centre/longitudinal-study-australias-children">Longitudinal Study of Australian Children</a> (LSAC). It has followed the development of 10,000 children and their families since 2004. </p>
<p>The sample we studied consists of 4,768 children from the cohort that was zero to one year old when the study commenced. During face-to-face interviews with trained LSAC interviewers, parents reported the frequency of them reading to their children at the age of two every week. </p>
<p>The LSAC then followed these children until they were four and eight years old. The good news is the majority of parents reported reading to their children at least three days a week. Specifically, 61.6% of the parents reported reading to their children every day and 21.1% of the parents read to their children between three to five days a week. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/enjoyment-of-reading-not-mechanics-of-reading-can-improve-literacy-for-boys-91321">Enjoyment of reading, not mechanics of reading, can improve literacy for boys</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Our study showed the benefits of shared reading with children during early childhood at two to three years old is long-lasting. The more frequently parents read to their children when they were two years old, the more likely their children had better knowledge of spoken words and early academic skills such as recognising and copying geometric shapes, and writing letters, words and numbers, two years later when children were four to five years old. </p>
<p>What’s more, frequent early shared reading was linked to better performance in NAPLAN reading, writing, spelling and grammar. More surprisingly it was also linked to mathematics even six years later when children were eight to nine years old in year three. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/224371/original/file-20180622-26555-fngob3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Even if you only have ten minutes to read to your children, it will benefit them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The most encouraging finding is that children from disadvantaged families benefited more from shared book reading. This suggests increasing the frequency of book reading is a viable way for disadvantaged families to support their children’s vocabulary knowledge and general academic achievement. </p>
<p>To address whether the benefits of shared reading are a product of other factors associated with parents and families, we controlled for the effect of a range of potential confounding factors. These include indicators of children’s intelligence, the number of children’s books at home, and home activities that parents engage with children other than reading. These would include drawing pictures or doing art activities with children, playing music together, playing with toys or games, and exercising together. </p>
<p>Even though we controlled for these other factors, the long-term importance of early shared reading still holds.</p>
<h2>Suggestions for parents</h2>
<p>Read more to your children and with your children. Whenever you get a chance, even if it’s only ten minutes, engage in shared reading activities. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-the-importance-of-parents-reading-with-children-even-after-children-can-read-82756">Research shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We also suggest parents make a reading session interactive. For example, parents are encouraged to ask children questions, such as if they know the vocabulary and ask them to guess the story and what the story characters will do. Try to make the reading a learning session.</p>
<p>Finally, <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-babys-brain-to-benefit-read-the-right-books-at-the-right-time-83076">not all books are created equal</a>. Parents are encouraged to choose the most suitable books for their child’s age to reap the most benefits of early shared reading.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95146/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Early shared reading is linked to a number of benefits for children, including better performance in NAPLAN, reading, writing, spelling, grammar and mathematics.Dr Amelia Shay, Research Fellow in Developmental and Educational Psychology, Australian Catholic UniversityCen Wang, Research Fellow in Educational and Developmental Psychology, Charles Sturt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/830762017-12-09T21:44:10Z2017-12-09T21:44:10ZFor baby’s brain to benefit, read the right books at the right time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198399/original/file-20171209-27683-qnf9a7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=935%2C40%2C5774%2C4215&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">How can you maximize reading's rewards for baby?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/baby-book-read-aloud-579664624">aijiro/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Parents often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1384">receive books at pediatric checkups</a> via <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-1207">programs like Reach Out and Read</a> and hear from a variety of health professionals and educators that reading to their kids is critical for supporting development. </p>
<p>The pro-reading message is getting through to parents, who recognize that it’s an important habit. A summary report by Child Trends, for instance, suggests <a href="https://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/05_Reading_to_Young_Children.pdf">55 percent of three- to five-year-old children</a> were read to every day in 2007. According to the U.S. Department of Education, <a href="https://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/edu1.asp">83 percent of three- to five-year-old children</a> were read to three or more times per week by a family member in 2012.</p>
<p>What this ever-present advice to read with infants doesn’t necessarily make clear, though, is that what’s on the pages may be just as important as the book-reading experience itself. Are all books created equal when it comes to early shared-book reading? Does it matter what you pick to read? And are the best books for babies different than the best books for toddlers? </p>
<p>In order to guide parents on how to create a high-quality book-reading experience for their infants, <a href="http://www.psych.ufl.edu/bcdlab/">my psychology research lab</a> has conducted a series of baby learning studies. One of our goals is to better understand the extent to which shared book reading is important for brain and behavioral development.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198357/original/file-20171208-27674-v4iqff.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Even the littlest listeners can enjoy having a book read to them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Maggie Villiger</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What’s on baby’s bookshelf</h2>
<p>Researchers see clear <a href="http://www.reachoutandread.org/FileRepository/ReadingAloudtoChildren_ADC_July2008.pdf">benefits of shared book reading</a> for child development. Shared book reading with young children is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00911.x">good for language and cognitive development</a>, increasing vocabulary and pre-reading skills and honing conceptual development. </p>
<p>Shared book reading also likely enhances the <a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/42878/1/924159134X.pdf">quality of the parent-infant relationship</a> by encouraging reciprocal interactions – the back-and-forth dance between parents and infants. Certainly not least of all, it gives infants and parents a consistent daily time to cuddle.</p>
<p>Recent research has found that <a href="http://www.aappublications.org/news/2017/05/04/PASLiteracy050417">both the quality and quantity</a> of shared book reading in infancy predicted later childhood vocabulary, reading skills and name writing ability. In other words, the more books parents read, and the more time they’d spent reading, the greater the developmental benefits in their 4-year-old children.</p>
<p>This important finding is one of the first to measure the benefit of shared book reading starting early in infancy. But there’s still more to figure out about whether some books might naturally lead to higher-quality interactions and increased learning.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198355/original/file-20171208-27674-1yr2mjn.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">EEG caps let researchers record infant volunteers’ brain activity.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Matthew Lester</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Babies and books in the lab</h2>
<p>In our investigations, my colleagues and I followed infants across the second six months of life. We’ve found that when parents showed babies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02348.x">books with faces</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_00019">objects</a> that were individually named, they learn more, generalize what they learn to new situations and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.02.008">show more specialized brain responses</a>. This is in contrast to books with no labels or books with the same generic label under each image in the book. Early learning in infancy was also associated with benefits <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/desc.12259/full">four years later in childhood</a>.</p>
<p>Our most recent addition to this series of studies was <a href="https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1560810&HistoricalAwards=false">funded by the National Science Foundation</a> and just <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13004">published in the journal Child Development</a>. Here’s what we did.</p>
<p>First, we brought six-month-old infants into our lab, where we could see how much attention they paid to story characters they’d never seen before. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure their brain responses. Infants wear a cap-like net of 128 sensors that let us record the electricity naturally emitted from the scalp as the brain works. We measured these neural responses while infants looked at and paid attention to pictures on a computer screen. These brain measurements can tell us about what infants know and whether they can tell the difference between the characters we show them.</p>
<p>We also tracked the infants’ gaze using eye-tracking technology to see what parts of the characters they focused on and how long they paid attention.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198356/original/file-20171208-27689-1khpwyr.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eye-tracking setups let researchers monitor what infants are paying attention to.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Matthew Lester</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The data we collected at this first visit to our lab served as a baseline. We wanted to compare their initial measurements with future measurements we’d take, after we sent them home with storybooks featuring these same characters.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=761&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=761&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=761&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=956&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=956&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198381/original/file-20171209-27674-1rb2s10.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=956&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Example of pages from a named character book researchers showed to baby volunteers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lisa Scott</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We divided up our volunteers into three groups. One group of parents read their infants storybooks that contained six individually named characters that they’d never seen before. Another group were given the same storybooks but instead of individually naming the characters, a generic and made-up label was used to refer to all the characters (such as “Hitchel”). Finally, we had a third comparison group of infants whose parents didn’t read them anything special for the study.</p>
<p>After three months passed, the families returned to our lab so we could again measure the infants’ attention to our storybook characters. It turned out that only those who received books with individually labeled characters showed enhanced attention compared to their earlier visit. And the brain activity of babies who learned individual labels also showed that they could distinguish between different individual characters. We didn’t see these effects for infants in the comparison group or for infants who received books with generic labels. </p>
<p>These findings suggest that very young infants are able to use labels to learn about the world around them and that shared book reading is an effective tool for supporting development in the first year of life.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/198359/original/file-20171208-27680-1re78pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Best book choices vary as kids grow.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/33070370920">Penn State</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Tailoring book picks for maximum effect</h2>
<p>So what do our results from the lab mean for parents who want to maximize the benefits of storytime?</p>
<p>Not all books are created equal. The books that parents should read to six- and nine-month-olds will likely be different than those they read to two-year-olds, which will likely be different than those appropriate for four-year-olds who are getting ready to read on their own. In other words, to reap the benefits of shared book reading during infancy, we need to be reading our little ones the right books at the right time.</p>
<p>For infants, finding books that name different characters may lead to higher-quality shared book reading experiences and result in the learning and brain development benefits we find in our studies. All infants are unique, so parents should try to find books that interest their baby.</p>
<p>My own daughter loved the “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/241481/pat-the-bunny-first-books-for-baby-pat-the-bunny-by-dorothy-kunhardt-and-edith-kunhardt/">Pat the Bunny</a>” books, as well as stories about animals, like “<a href="https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/rod-campbell/dear-zoo">Dear Zoo</a>.” If names weren’t in the book, we simply made them up.</p>
<p>It’s possible that books that include named characters simply increase the amount of parent talking. We know that <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/babies-learn-what-words-mean-before-they-can-use-them/">talking to babies</a> is important for their development. So parents of infants: Add shared book reading to your daily routines and name the characters in the books you read. Talk to your babies early and often to guide them through their amazing new world – and let storytime help.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83076/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lisa Scott has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Army Research Institute. </span></em></p>Psychology researchers bring infants into the lab to learn more about how shared book reading influences brain and behavioral development.Lisa S. Scott, Associate Professor in Psychology, University of FloridaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/827562017-08-27T20:08:13Z2017-08-27T20:08:13ZResearch shows the importance of parents reading with children – even after children can read<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/183227/original/file-20170823-6579-1raouj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Research has typically found that shared reading experiences are highly beneficial for young people.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock/Alfira</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us will be able to recall the enjoyment of shared reading: being read to and sharing reading with our parents. However, <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/Wm6JKfkqU9FfTNhgRQ7z/full">my research</a> has found that of the 997 Year 4 and Year 6 respondents at 24 schools who took part in the 2016 Western Australian Study in Children’s Book Reading, nearly three-fifths reported that they were not being read to at home. </p>
<p>A sample of these children also participated in interviews, where I asked them how they felt about shared reading. While a few children did not mind no longer being read to, others were disappointed when it stopped. For example, when I asked Jason about his experience of being read to by his parents, he explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… they kind of stopped when I knew how to read. I knew how to read, but I just still liked my mum reading it to me. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>His experience is common, with other recent research suggesting that more than one-third of Australian respondents <a href="http://www.scholastic.com.au/readingreport">aged six to 11</a> whose parents had stopped reading to them wanted it to continue.</p>
<p>But why is it so important for us to keep reading with our children for as long as possible? </p>
<p>Research has typically found that shared reading experiences are highly beneficial for young people. Benefits of shared reading include facilitating enriched language exposure, fostering the development of <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8624.00417/full">listening skills</a>, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Suzanne_Mol/publication/49740676_To_Read_or_Not_to_Read_A_Meta-Analysis_of_Print_Exposure_From_Infancy_to_Early_Adulthood/links/574eb19208aefc38ba1119bc.pdf">spelling</a>, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Suzanne_Mol/publication/49740676_To_Read_or_Not_to_Read_A_Meta-Analysis_of_Print_Exposure_From_Infancy_to_Early_Adulthood/links/574eb19208aefc38ba1119bc.pdf">reading comprehension</a> and <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0142723711422626">vocabulary</a>, and establishing <a href="http://adc.bmj.com/content/93/7/554.short">essential foundational literacy skills</a>. They are also valued as a shared social opportunity between parents and their children to foster <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19388071003731554">positive attitudes</a> toward reading. </p>
<p>When we read aloud to children it is also beneficial for their <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775714000156">cognitive development</a>, with parent-child reading activating brain areas related to <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/08/05/peds.2015-0359">narrative comprehension and mental imagery</a>. While most of the research in this area focuses on young children, this does not mean that these benefits somehow disappear as children age.</p>
<p>As young people’s attitudes towards reading reflect their experiences of reading at home and at school in <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/s15326985ep3202_2">childhood</a> and <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eie.12043/full">beyond</a>, providing an enjoyable shared reading experience at home can help to turn our children into life-long readers.</p>
<p>However, not all shared reading experiences are enjoyable. Some children described having poor quality experiences of being read to, and children did not typically enjoy reading to distracted or overly critical parents. In some cases, parents attempted to outsource this responsibility to older siblings, with mixed results. </p>
<p>While many children really enjoyed the social aspects of reading and being read to as valuable time with their parents, they also felt that they learned from these experiences. For example, listening was felt to provide an opportunity to extend vocabulary, and improve pronunciation. Gina recalled the advantage she lost when her parents stopped reading to her, as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… when they did read to me when I was younger, I learnt the words; I would like to learn more words in the bigger books and know what they are so I could talk more about them. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Similarly, Craig explained how being read to enabled his academic advantage in literacy, as “they were teaching me how to say more words”, and “that’s why I’m ahead of everyone in spelling and reading and English”. When this stopped “just because my mum thought I was smart enough to read on my own and started to read chapter books”, Craig was disappointed.</p>
<p>In addition, children were sometimes terrified of reading aloud in the classroom, and this fear could potentially be alleviated through greater opportunities to practice at home. </p>
<p>Hayden’s anxiety around reading aloud at school related to his lack of confidence, and his tendency to compare his skills with those of his peers. He described himself as “always standing up there shivering, my hands are shivering, I just don’t want to read, so I just start reading. And I sound pretty weird”. No-one read with him at home, so he had limited opportunity to build his confidence and skills.</p>
<p>This research suggests that we should not stop reading with our children just because they have learned to read independently. </p>
<p>We should continue reading with our children until they no longer wish to share reading with us, ensuring that these experiences are enjoyable, as they can influence children’s future attitudes toward reading, as well as building their confidence and competence as readers. It is worth the effort to find time to share this experience with our children in the early years and beyond.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82756/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Kristin Merga receives funding from the Ian Potter Foundation and the Collier Charitable Foundation.</span></em></p>There are benefits to shared reading long after children can read to themselves, so how long should you read to your children?Margaret Kristin Merga, Senior Lecturer in Education, Murdoch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/574732016-05-05T10:09:23Z2016-05-05T10:09:23ZReading to your child: the difference it makes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/121218/original/image-20160504-9426-dglee4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">California elementary school teacher doing shared reading.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kathleen Tomscha</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you are a parent or a teacher, you most probably read stories to young children. Together, you laugh and point at the pictures. You engage them with a few simple questions. And they respond. </p>
<p>So what happens to children when they participate in shared reading? Does it make a difference to their learning? If so, what aspects of their learning are affected?</p>
<h2>Shared reading for language development</h2>
<p>British researcher <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ275418">Don Holdaway</a> was the first to point out the benefits of shared reading. He noted that children found these moments to be some of their happiest. He also found that children <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED351662">developed positive and strong associations</a> with spoken language and the physical book itself, during these moments.</p>
<p>Since then a <a href="https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/1484/168_150.pdf;jsessionid=90CB938B420BA1F09D404FA992E2631C?sequence=1">number of studies</a> <a href="http://products.brookespublishing.com/Beginning-Literacy-with-Language-P20.aspx">have been conducted</a> showing the value of shared reading in children’s language development, especially in vocabulary and concept development.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.naeyc.org/content/conversation-vivian-gussin-paley">Early childhood researcher Vivian Paley</a>, for example, during her work in the <a href="http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu">University of Chicago Laboratory Schools</a>, found that <a href="http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo3617303.html">kindergarten children</a> learned when a story was dramatized in shared reading. Not only did children develop oral language, they imaginatively learned the conventions of a story, such as character, plot and themes. In shared storytelling, children also learned how to use language in multiple ways. </p>
<p>Other research found that shared reading was related to the <a href="http://www.ttrb3.org.uk/parental-involvement-in-the-development-of-childrens-reading-skill-a-five-year-longitudinal-study/">development of expressive vocabulary.</a> That is, children developed listening skills and <a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/10409280701838710">built an understanding</a> of grammar as well as vocabulary in the context of the story.</p>
<h2>Connecting words to emotions</h2>
<p>As a language and literacy researcher, I <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/JAAL.149">work with teachers</a> to develop reading strategies that develop children’s interest in reading and help them think critically. <a href="http://www.utc.edu/school-education/profiles/hbp563.php">Kay Cowan</a>, an early childhood researcher who studies the role of the arts in language learning, and I conducted two studies to understand children’s language development in grades one to five. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=458&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121226/original/image-20160504-5832-g93t0t.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=576&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Grade 5 child generates vocabulary through shared reading.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kay Cowan</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We worked with approximately 75 children across grade levels. We began our language study by talking with the students about the power of words, and the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.60.2.3">role they play</a> in and outside of school. Following this, we discussed the <a href="http://literacyworks.wikispaces.com/file/view/MediatingtheMatthewEffect.pdf">pleasures associated with words</a>. We then read “Shadow,” an award-winning picture book by children’s author Marcia Brown, and poems by <a href="https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/shel-silverstein">Shel Silverstein</a>, another children’s author. </p>
<p>Children were then asked to think of an “absolutely wonderful” event that they had experienced, and associate an emotion with it. Children chose a personal event that elicited emotions. They then drew contrasting images of the word that showed opposite emotions, and studied synonyms and antonyms to understand the “shades of meaning.” They then wrote descriptive poetry to convey this emotion. </p>
<p>All children – even those who were at the risk of failing – used vivid language. Children described words like “ebullient” and “melancholy” in ways that related to their own emotion. </p>
<p>One child described her word “ebullient” as “bright,” and “merry,” and “never asking for anything.” “Ebullient” was also “warm,” and “gypsy-like,” and so on. Another described loneliness as “…making me feel cold/Like an icicle/wanting to melt away.” </p>
<p>Following this exercise, children noticed that their writing was much better. It showed us how wide and varied reading, repetition and varied encounters with words were extremely important for children to have a depth of understanding as well as verbal flexibility – being able to express the meaning of word in different ways. </p>
<h2>Why home matters</h2>
<p>The quality of exchanges between children and adults during shared reading is found to be critical to their language development. So, the role of home in shared reading is crucial.</p>
<p>Long-term studies by linguistic anthropologist <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/US/academic/subjects/languages-linguistics/sociolinguistics/ways-words-language-life-and-work-communities-and-classrooms">Shirley Brice Heath</a> <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674645110">and other</a> <a href="http://www.heinemann.com/products/08211.aspx">literacy scholars</a> have documented children’s ability to read as related to their families’ beliefs about reading, the quality of conversation at home and access to print materials prior to their entry into school.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/121228/original/image-20160504-9426-1wowdym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mother reads with children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Diana Ramsey</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For 10 years, Heath studied two communities a few miles a part, one black working-class and one white working-class. She documented how family practices (e.g., oral storytelling, reading books, talk) influenced children’s language development at home and in school. For example, children read and talked about stories, were asked questions about the stories or told stories about their lives, events and situations in which they were involved. Parents engaged their children in these experiences to prepare them to do well in school. </p>
<p>Similarly, researcher <a href="http://faculty.educ.ubc.ca/vpurcell-gates/">Victoria Purcell-Gates</a> <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674645110">worked with an Appalachian family</a>, specifically mother Jenny and son Donny, to help them learn to read. With Jenny, they read and talked about picture books, listened to and read along with books on tape and wrote in a journal. With Donny, they shared reading, labeled pictures and wrote stories. Jenny was able to read picture books to her sons, while Donny learned to write letters to his dad in prison. </p>
<p>Other researchers have found that when parents, specifically mothers, knew how to interact with their children during shared reading using positive reinforcement and asking questions about the story, both children and mothers <a href="http://www.hfrp.org/family-involvement/publications-resources/the-effects-of-a-responsive-parenting-intervention-on-parent-child-interactions-during-shared-book-reading">benefited</a>.</p>
<p>Mothers learned how to ask open-ended questions, and prompted their children to respond to stories. Children were more engaged and enthusiastic about the shared reading experience. They also were able to talk more about the story’s content, and were able to talk about the relationship between pictures and story. </p>
<p>What’s more, shared story experiences have also been shown to have an influence on children’s <a href="http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ747871.pdf">understanding of math concepts</a> and <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ788400">geometry in kindergarten</a>. </p>
<p>Children more readily learn math concepts like numbers, size (bigger, smaller) and estimation/approximation (lots, many) when parents <a href="http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ747871.pdf">engaged in “math talk”</a> while reading picture books. </p>
<h2>Shared reading in a digital world</h2>
<p>While shared reading is often associated with print books, <a href="http://store.tcpress.com/0807752606.shtml">shared reading can be extended to digital texts</a> such as blogs, podcasts, text messages, video and other complex combinations of print, image, sound, animation and so on.</p>
<p>Good video games, for example, incorporate many <a href="http://www.academiccolab.org/resources/documents/Good_Learning.pdf">learning principles</a>, such as interaction, problem-solving and risk-taking, among others. As in shared reading, children interact with their parents, teachers or peers as they engage in stories. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
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<span class="caption">South African children share reading on computer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Amy Seely Flint</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<p><a href="http://www.pdx.edu/directory/name/jason_ranker">Literacy researcher Jason Ranker’s</a> case study of eight-year-old Adrian shows that young children can <a href="https://www.learntechlib.org/p/65370/">actually “redesign”</a> how stories are read, discussed and told when they engage actively with video game narratives. </p>
<p>Adrian, who played a video game, Gauntlet Legends, created a story in Ranker’s class, to which he added many drawings to show the movement of characters. </p>
<p>In this case study, Ranker found that children like Adrian who play video games learn how to produce stories that do not follow the linear pattern found in print stories (exposition, climax, resolution). Rather, children experience stories at “levels” that allow characters and plots to move in many directions, eventually coming to resolution.</p>
<p>Similarly, children with access to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/puppet-pals-hd/id342076546?mt=8">certain apps</a> are coordinating their storytelling on a touchscreen. They choose characters for their stories. They move them around with their fingers, and drag-and-drop them in and out of the story. If they want to create more complex stories, they work with others to coordinate characters’ movements. Sharing stories, then, becomes collaborative, imaginative and dynamic through these digital mediums.</p>
<p>Children, in essence, have redesigned how stories are told and experienced, demonstrating imagination, vision and problem-solving. </p>
<p>One thing that is clear across research is that rich complex language development does not happen merely by pointing at letters or pronouncing words out of context. It is engagement, and guided attention to language conventions, that matter in shared reading.</p>
<p>Ultimately, what is important is that shared reading must be a joyful experience for the child. Sharing stories must allow for a personal connection and allow for interaction and a shared learning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/57473/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peggy Albers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>When you read to children, they develop abilities to express emotions through language.Peggy Albers, Professor of Language and Literacy Education, Georgia State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.