As if we were in the theater waiting for the show to begin, my grandmother would start narrating her story as if she were the maestro whom we listened to and watched with utter fascination. Her voice, which she skillfully modulated and changed according to the shift in events and characters, remains vivid in the recesses of my memory to this day.
My grandmother built a strong bridge of love and trust between us; in every tale, she hid a lesson for us and encouraged us to be better people. I was privileged to have an experience that left a lasting pleasant impact, still drawing a smile on my face whenever I recall those moments. This is why I am keen on providing my children with such memorable moments.
Since reading, in general, is the primary means for learning and human development from an early age through all stages of life, today we focus on a significant type of reading and its methods—reading aloud, highlighting its importance particularly for children.
What is Reading Aloud?
Reading aloud is a style of reading where the reader vocalizes the text—loudly and clearly—with consistent speed. The reader may change the tone of voice occasionally to draw attention and convey information clearly and understandably to the listener.
Goals of Reading Aloud
The method of reading aloud achieves several important goals, including:
- Teaching children and training them on proper pronunciation.
- Mastering the appropriate speed of reading according to the type of text.
- Representing the emotional state of linguistic styles by training children on expressing feelings of wonder and inquiry through voice tone and facial expressions.
- Developing public speaking skills.
The Importance of Reading Aloud to Children
Reading is generally considered a right of the child as a means of learning and intellectual growth. Specifically, the method of reading aloud has many benefits, among which are:
1. Building a Strong Relationship Between the Child and Family
Reading aloud acts as a connector between the child and their environment, serving as a fundamental and effective way to build smooth and effective communication between parents and children from the first months of a child’s life. In the first three years, reading aloud helps children bond more with their parents, establishing a dialogue-based relationship, which contributes to creating unique family memories that reflect positively on the children’s personalities and psychological state later on.
2. Enriching the Child’s Vocabulary
Parents and teachers can expose children to new vocabulary through reading aloud, hearing it in context, stimulating their curiosity, associating it with images, and enhancing their listening skills. The number of words a child knows in preschool is an important indicator of brain development.
3. Improving Pronunciation Skills
Reading aloud aids in enhancing children’s pronunciation skills, as hearing and repeatedly pronouncing letters and words solidify the correct way to pronounce them.
4. Developing Interactive Thinking and Attention in the Child
Reading aloud helps children interact with others and focus on important points in the text, thinking about them from various angles, and drawing attention to different letter sounds and distinguishing between them.
5. Building Self-confidence and Developing Communication Skills By adopting
the method of reading aloud with children from an early age and later involving them in the reading, it builds a child’s self-confidence through repeated practice of speaking loudly and clearly in front of others, and provides them with the opportunity to express their feelings and needs clearly and understandably.
The Role of Family and Society in Promoting Reading Aloud to Children
The family and then the school play the main role in shaping a child’s personality in the early years, and they are the primary entities responsible for disseminating and enhancing the method of reading aloud due to its importance. Here are some key contributions that families and schools can make:
- Allocate regular time for reading aloud with children and choose content appropriate for the child’s age.
- Provide a supportive environment rich in various books.
- Allow children the chance to experience and practice reading aloud themselves.
- Organize frequent reading aloud events in schools.
Embracing the saying of our noble Prophet, “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock,” let us always remember that knowledge is power, books are a source of that knowledge, and it is crucial to establish and cement a relationship between our children and reading in all its forms by practicing reading aloud with them and giving them the opportunity to enjoy and reflect on the words and their meanings.
At “Kitabyana,” we believe in corporate social responsibility, and we provide you the opportunity to gift your children personalized stories that suit their personalities and circumstances, to be a motivation for reading and a starting point into the world of books and knowledge.
Do not hesitate to give your children a gift that will not be erased from their memories and souls, but will flourish in all their paths, and to support them and the resilience of the people of Gaza; when you buy a personalized story for your child or send a story to a family member from “Kitabyana,” you are contributing a portion of the profits to send a cash amount to an orphaned child in Gaza through “Islamic Relief Canada.”
You can check out our various releases such as “Dad and I are a, Great Team,” “My Magical Wardrobe,” and other stories designed for future leaders here [https://www.kitabyana.com/shop].
This article was written by Sirine Awad and edited by Rasha Al-Tuhtamouni from the “Kulna Ommahat” team, an Arab platform for supporting Arab mothers in career and psychological development.