Reading

Not everyone stops reading to children after they have learned to read for themselves. We know several secondary school teachers who regularly read aloud to students. One of them, Jimmy Leong, not only reads to his own classes, he has also read aloud to the whole school at assemblies and after the morning flag raising ceremony.   Jimmy Leong teaches English and … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Reading to Older Kids in School, Part 1

Many adults, including teachers, stop reading to children after lower elementary school, sometimes even earlier. A common belief seems to be that reading aloud is the predecessor to silent reading and that once children begin to read silently, we should stop reading aloud to them. This is most unfortunate.   Everyone – we adults included – enjoys being read to. However, … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Reading Aloud to Older Kids

  This is some advice from Jim Trelease, author of the landmark Read Aloud Handbook, and others on how to read aloud to babies. Hold babies in our arms in a way that shows support and affection but not imprisonment. Very young children enjoy touching books. We should encourage this, but babies are often not very gentle with books. They may be more interesting in … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Reading Aloud to Babies, Part 2

Dads can begin reading to children as soon as they are born. Reading aloud to babies teaches them the sounds of the language, forms a pleasant association with books, stretches their attention span and offers us something fun to do with these cute little creatures.   Amazingly, research led by Anthony DeCasper shows that babies respond to being read to even before they … [Read more...] about Guide for Dads: Reading Aloud to Babies, Part 1

Teaching reading to people who hate books is like teaching swimming to people who hate water. - David Eskey Perhaps the biggest benefit of dads reading aloud is that it inspires children to love reading. Children imitate people who they look up to. When they see dads reading, aloud or silently, they want to read too. Our excitement for books is contagious. Children will become … [Read more...] about Dads Reading Aloud to Build Their Children’s Love of Reading