Tag: reading comprehension

Are You Reading Aloud With Your Child or Do They Read On Their Own?

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Why Reading Aloud is Important

Reading is an essential skill to have. It allows people to learn, it gives them access to information and ideas, it allows them to communicate with others and become an active and productive part of their living community. So how do you go about teaching your child to read at their full potential?

One of the best things you can do is read aloud with them.

Reading to children, or having them read aloud along with you, can yield a great many benefits when it comes to reading, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Reading to your child is often their first experience with reading itself. It is important that children develop relationships with books early on. This can be accomplished with books read to children as well as allowing children to play with baby books, typically of the plastic or thick cardboard variety that allows kids to chomp and play with them physically. While kids grow comfortable with books as objects from the standpoint of a plaything, reading to children will help familiarize them with the action.  It will also help boost vocabulary and communication skills as well.

As children get older, reading aloud to them remains important. Reading out loud can help boost their reading comprehension skills on several levels.  “Children learn when they make connections between what they hear and what they know. One method parents can use to help make these connections is called a think aloud, where you talk through your thoughts as you read (Gold, Gibson – Reading Rockets).” This method utilizes their imagination in order to visualize the story being told. If your child is reading along with you, they can begin to familiarize words by sight with their sound, making them much more effective readers. Books personalized for children can boost the read aloud, think aloud, method.  As you verbalize thoughts when reading, children can associate with the story as they become the stars of the storyline.  These types of customized books can be especially helpful with reluctant readers or struggling readers as well.

Your Child is the Star of Each Story!

Having your child read aloud to you can be helpful for them, too. You can hear where their strengths are and where they may be having trouble, but having your child read aloud to you on their own can help build their confidence, find their own voice, and learn how to build their own vocabulary, enunciation and other basic communication aspects as well.

Above all, as beneficial as reading aloud can be, it ultimately provides you and your child with ample quality time that you will cherish for years to come. Setting aside time for reading with your child will help build your relationship and can allow you to share interests, stories and imaginative ideas.

How Kids Can Get The Most Out Of Picture Books

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Reading With Picture Books

When people think of children’s books, they imagine illustrated pages and scenes dominating the story. These images can help engage children and keep them sitting still and attentive during story time, but these illustrations can be helpful beyond that as well. When it comes to illustrated books, the images are meant to accompany and enhance the story. They are meant to be looked at and explored, and they can help enrich the story as well as a child’s overall reading experience. There are plenty of benefits to exploring the images and illustrations that adorn children’s books, and using them to your advantage can help you boost your child’s reading skill, their relationship with books and can help them develop an understanding and appreciation for art.

Engage Kids with Illustrations
Many adults are familiar with the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” but children do it all the time. Before children enter language, their understanding of the world is defined by their other senses and babies are especially visual learners. Illustrations can be used to entice children into reading certain books, especially if they do not yet know how to read or are still getting a handle on the skill. A book’s illustrated cover can tell them a lot. It will tell them what the story may be about, where the setting might be, and what the overall tone of the book is. For kids, book subjects tend to be positive, but the front cover may divulge whether the book is about an adventure, a how-to book or a book that explores a relationship with others that kids are familiar with.

Enhance Their Reading Skills
Illustrations convey meaning and can help describe the story unfolding, which is helpful for kids. Kids engage with illustrations because they can be understood, which is especially important before kids actually learn how to read, but can be especially helpful as kids are learning to hone their skills. Illustrations can help inform what words are in the text and can guide kids who are just learning to read. This way, the images can be used as a helpful guide that will steer kids in the right direction. It can also be a great way to introduce kids to new things and new concepts. By showing them images that they can understand, kids will be able to better understand and become familiar with ideas and concepts. Kids are still learning how to use their imagination and illustrations can aid in this process when it comes to building this skill.

The illustrated images of books are also integral to kids’ first real interactions with books themselves. Whether they are flipping through the pages on their own or even if someone is reading to them, they are still visually engaged with the images inside. This is the first real personal connection that kids experience when it comes to book reading, and it can foster a life-long love of reading.

Exercise their Brain
While many infants and toddlers tend to be visual learners, many kids retain this aspect well into childhood and the rest of their lives. People who are visual learners tend to understand things better when they can imagine scenarios or see them physically unfold. For example, a visual learner will respond better and learn faster by watching someone tie their shoe than by reading a step-by-step set of instructions. Some reluctant readers are reluctant because they do not respond as well to words as they do to images, but using illustrated books to enhance reading can change that. The images in books accompany the story and they help in the telling. Some images display exact events as they were described and may even reveal other additional information that was not inherent in the text.

Using pictures in books can help enhance a child’s reading comprehension skills and will boost their imaginative abilities. Reading picture books can help visual learners visualize what’s written in text, and as they get older they may be able to harness this skill on their own when reading books that do not have images to assist them.

Even kids who are not heavy visual learners can benefit from picture books. Learning visually is a valuable skill no matter what.

Illustrations can help enhance reading for children in other ways, as well. Kids can see new things and explore the world in pictures and images while they learn about distance locales and other cultures. Kids can also develop an understanding and familiarity with art as well.

Visit our website at KDNovelties.com for a selection of personalized picture books that will keep children reading and learning for a lifetime!

Write Your Own Holiday Storybook

Posted on | by KD Novelties
When it comes to keeping kids alert and on top of their education and learning, it may be a bit of a hassle to get kids interested in anything other than the presents they received, holiday traditions, or other related activities. If parents are having a hard time keeping kids focused on their learning, there are ways to redirect their excitement by using their imagination as well as their creativity.
Kids’ imaginations run wild.  If parents are looking for a way to exercise their kids’ brains, they can ask them to write a book, story, comic book, or other medium depicting their perfect holiday or about what they experienced on Christmas or Hanukkah. This can be a great arts and crafts activity that kids can create on their own, with friends and siblings, or even with the help of their parents, grandparents and other family members. Have them draw, color, cut out shapes, craft collages, write short stories and descriptions and let their imaginations take them to exciting new places and possibilities. They can create a series of pictures, a holiday storybook or craft ornaments that collectively tell a story. Kids will be applying a variety of skills to create something fun and imaginative.
 

Not only will this help kids exercise their reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking and creative skills, but it can also serve as a memento for years and years to come for the whole family. Keep the trinket out all year round or make it a holiday tradition to read around the same time every year. This can serve as a great way for kids to apply their creative and critical thinking juices while also allowing them to create a wonderful family memory that will last for many holidays, and may one day be something that they can share with their future children.
Visit our website at KDNovelties.com for personalized books, music, and cartoon DVDs that will enhance your child’s reading abilities ten-fold, while having fun too!