January 29, 2020
Storybooks bring a magical, curious and fun world to children's universe, moving them and developing their creativity. When we think of literary texts, it is worth remembering that they are also works of art. By interacting with art from a young age, children become able to appreciate it. In addition, they learn about other cultures and the one they live in. Not to mention the importance of stories for the acquisition and development of language.
Reading stories is more important than telling them
Reading stories is different from telling them to children. Although both situations can be fun and exciting for children, reading is crucial for language development. By listening to the reading, children become familiar with the language of the texts, chosen by the authors of the books – very different from the language we use to speak. This is also how they will gradually be able to identify that an object (specifically that book) always presents the same words, in the same order, composing a story.
Thus, reading to babies encourages contact with a language different from the one they are used to in their daily interactions with adults, which also contributes to learning to speak, expanding the repertoire of sounds and known words.
When we read to slightly older children, it gives them the opportunity to come closer and learn about two types of use of words (spoken and written) to communicate in different situations.
Poems can also be read to children and they can be invited to interact with the rhythm and musicality present in these texts, especially the rhymes.
Your example is essential for the child to become a reader
Immersing yourself in the world of books also provides learning opportunities regarding how to behave as a reader and listener of stories. By following the examples of their elders, children learn behaviors such as the care needed to preserve books, how to follow the sequence of pages, what intonation to use to read to differentiate the characters in the stories, and what to talk about and comment on at the end of the story. Valuing this contact with books also encourages reading habits that, like other forms of art, enrich children's lives in many ways.
Reading with children is a way to help them with their emotional development.
An emotional bond is created when we read to children – for example, when we allow them to cuddle and get closer as they share the emotions of the story. This type of bond fosters children’s emotional development and their social relationships with others.
Some stories, especially fairy tales, lead children to interact with difficult subjects, involving loss, fear, abandonment, and even overcoming obstacles that are part of growing up. In these reading situations, children are able to face situations and feelings awakened by the stories, strengthening themselves to also face the real world.
When we read to children, it is important to talk to them about the stories, encouraging them to talk about the parts they liked most and what happened to the characters, as well as to compare events in the story with real-life events. This way, we are giving them the opportunity to express their emotions and opinions.
In the face of so many contributions, read to the children you live with, talk about what you read, take them to libraries and bookstores, and give them books as gifts. Continue reading and telling stories, even if they are already able to do it on their own, as this allows them to get to know slightly more challenging narratives that they would not be able to read without your help. Enjoy every minute of this interaction between the child, the stories, and you.
Beyond the stories
Although reading stories to children plays an essential role, it is possible to introduce them to a wider universe of texts. Thus, when preparing a recipe, for example, it is a good idea to show it written in a manual, magazine or on a website. It is also a good idea to read the shopping list or product labels with children when going to the supermarket. Even a walk down the street allows them to read signs, bus routes, shop signs and the names of the streets themselves.
Likewise, it is worth exploring texts that provide information, such as news or encyclopedia texts. Searching for interesting facts about animals, life in other cultures and many other topics in these texts – in libraries or on the internet – allows children to not only learn about the subject itself, but also to expand their knowledge about the world in which they live.
Interactions with these and other texts encourage the discovery of the different uses that writing has in our daily lives. is part of a long and complex process that begins with everyday situations in childhood.
Listening to texts being read at different ages
Up to 2 years
Listening to short, repetitive stories being read to babies is very important in their relationship with the world around them, whether it’s through the sound of the words they hear or the emotional closeness that these situations can foster. As babies grow, they also seek to participate more in these moments, not only by listening, but also by babbling – as if they were reading like adults! They look at the pages of the book, run their hands over them, etc.
Up to 4 years
At this age, children already enjoy listening to longer stories, preferably with animals as characters. Rhyming poems are also popular. They start to want to read on their own, exploring familiar books and repeating passages they know by heart or creating stories based on the illustrations. Other texts also start to catch their attention, and it is worth inviting children to follow a recipe step by step or read the names of products at the supermarket to them, for example.
Up to 6 years
At this age, in addition to interacting more with storybooks on their own, children like to talk about what they hear: putting themselves in the shoes of characters, giving their opinion on the ending of a story, comparing different fictional stories or situations with real life. Fairy tales are usually well received at this stage, as are slightly longer adventure stories. Different texts can be read to children at this time, such as news excerpts, signs with the names of streets and establishments, posters and scientific curiosities – and they can also be the subject of conversations.
Let's look at some situations in which children listen to texts being read and adults contribute to this?
