Winter 2005
Volume 9, Issue 1

The Ones To Grow On Past Issues

Ready To Learn

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20 Reasons to Read Aloud to Your Children

Reading is one of several great alternatives to watching television. Here are 20 very good reasons for you to read out loud to your preschoolers:

1. Develops a child’s listening skills.

2. Activates the imagination.

3. Provides interesting topics for family conversation.

4. Provides important language modeling.

5. Develops their ability to think critically.

6. Enhances their ability to think symbolically.

7. Stimulates writing ability.

8. Is fun.

9. Is an inexpensive form of entertainment.

10. Increases their attention span.

11. Provides a peaceful family activity.

12. Develops their desire to read.

13. Models a rewarding lifelong habit.

14. Gives them a sense of language rhythm.

15. Helps to pattern neural pathways that are developing.

16. Expands their vocabulary.

17. Increases their ability to concentrate.

18. Gives them needed practice in predicting information.

19. Expands their world view.

20. Is the single most important thing a parent can do to help a child succeed in school.

From Screen Smarts: A Family Guide to Media Literacy by Gloria DeGaetano and Kathleen Bander (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996)