Reading ABCs : The Tips of the Trade

- Hold and cuddle your child while you read : This will create a loving and affectionate atmosphere that will build positive association. What your child wants most is your time and attention from you. Let books be the catalyst.

- Give the book a proper introduction : Spend a little time with it before starting to read. Talk about who wrote it, what the book might be about, even what made you pick this book.

- Give positive feedback and encouragement.

- Invite participation : Let her touch the book, hold it, turn the pages, point to things, chew the pages of board books and ask questions.

- Create some mama drama : Get expressive when reading. Use full range of your voice but make sure you are not over expressive.

- Don't require strict attention : A child who does not appear to be paying attention is often taking more than you think. It's OK to let your child do other things like nursing, sucking on a teether, playing with a toy while you read if he cannot sit still. Whatever keeps her in the room and make the experience pleasurable for her.

- Create a reading team : Let other people who are close to your child (eg : grandmother, grandfather, uncles, aunties etc.) support the reading experience.

- Keep in mind that repetition supports memory and helps assimilate emotional experience : Try to bear if your child asks you to read the same book for the tenth time!

- Always point to the words as you read to them : This tool allows you to map the spoken language for your child. 

- Create reading rituals and goals : Eg : Aim for a minimum of six books daily. Make sure that you create daily reading rituals; eg : during bedtime.

- Constantly make correlations between the written and spoken language : Make sure your child is exposed to letters and words often and early. You can do this by naturally incorporating them into play.

- Use the tricks of the read-aloud trade : Try these three :

• reading with explanation : reader gives brief explanations of unknown words by either using synonyms for the new word or pointing to s picture on the page.
• dialogic reading is an interactive reading technique : this method is ideal for children who have at least fifty words in their vocabulary. but it can also be used with preverbal children as well. Methods : (1) Asking "what questions and then restating tour child's response. (2) Expanding on what your child has stated. Keep your expansions short. (3) Asking open-ended question once your child is advanced enough to get passed the "what" question. eg : 'what else do you see?', 'what would happen if...?', 'what do you think about...?'
• active engagemement : (1) pause periodically and ask open-ended questions. (2) Expand on the child's answer. (3) Suggest alternative possibilities. (4) Pose progressively more challenging questions.

Above all, reading aloud to your child is not teaching her how to read but it is to instill the love of reading that can last for a life time and to make it a pleasurable activity.

ringkasan dan olahan daripada buku SuperBaby by Dr. Jenn Berman.