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Question: I know that it is important to read out loud to young children. During the pandemic, I have been reading a lot to my younger children. Should I also have been reading to my older children in middle school and high school? At what age should you stop reading to children? – Wondering
Answer: Your question is a concern of many parents. While many parents stop reading to their children when they are able to read on their own, it is very beneficial to continue reading to children even in their early teen years. Research shows that reading aloud to school children of all ages will definitely improve not only reading skills but also listening skills and academic performance.
Unfortunately, the percentage of parents who read aloud to older children drops drastically for children over the age of 5. This is way too early to stop reading to your children. When surveyed, older children say that they enjoy read-aloud time. In fact, children of all ages enjoy listening to a good story. Did you know that reading aloud to children helps to:
• Build vocabulary
• Increase comprehension
• Hear good modeling of how to read
• Improve listening skills
• Discover longer books like the classics
• Improve discussion skills
• Broaden knowledge of different genres
• Promote reading beyond schoolwork
• Lessen time spent on electronic devices
• Get an understanding of more sophisticated concepts
• Cement ties between parents and children
Good readers succeed in school. Poor readers have far more problems with subjects that require considerable reading. Help your children regardless of their age to become active readers who are engaged with the printed page. This is very important for your children’s ability to comprehend what they are reading. The following questions will help you and your children talk about the stories that you are reading to them:
• Do you think this story could really happen? Why? Why not?
• Did you think a certain event in the book was funny or sad?
• Would you like to be friends with a character in the book?
• If you were the major character in the book, what would you have done differently?
• Would you like to be able to do something the hero of the book did?
Besides reading fiction to your children, be sure to include interesting nonfiction works that will add to their knowledge of the world.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com and to learn more about helping their children succeed in school visit the dearteacher website.
©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2021