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Reading aloud with your child:
the kick-start to learning
Contents
Contents
Page
Page
Introduction3
You can help develop your child’s literacy everyday 17
The miracle of how our brain adapts for reading
4
Turn everyday activities into literacy opportunities18
How do children learn to read?
5
Tips for reading choices
20
The act of reading
6
Tips for your reading child
22
It all begins with you
7
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
23
Benefits of reading aloud with your child
9
Research worth reading
28
30
Teaching your child to read
10
Author’s notes
Tips for reading aloud with your child
11
Resources33
What’s my commitment?
13
Celebrate reading in 2012
35
Where should I read to my child?
14
About the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG)
36
When should I start?
15
Disclaimer
The information contained in this guide is for general information purposes only. The Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) has sought expert opinion in relation to the
information and made every effort to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication. While ASG makes every effort to keep the information up to date and
correct, it makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or suitability of the information contained
for any individual or group. ASG is not a licensed provider of educational advice and encourages you to ensure that you seek professional advice before making any
changes to your own or your family’s circumstances.
Published by the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) in August, 2012
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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Introduction
Introduction
As a parent, you are your child’s first, and probably most
important, teacher.
Your child will mirror many of your behaviours and values as
they grow and learn providing you with one of the deepest
human connections you can experience. Many people
describe parenting as one of the most rewarding and joyful, yet
challenging roles they take on in life. It’s largely a ‘learn on the
job’ role that occasionally confronts even the best prepared and
committed among us.
Parents, like you, try to do everything in your power to give
your child every advantage in life, and one of the simplest,
low-cost, time-efficient, and most effective ways of giving
your child a kick-start in life and in learning is reading to
and with your child.
The Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) aims to provide you
with useful information and tips on how you – as your child’s
first teacher – can make a difference to your child’s life and
learning.
One of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child is the
opportunity for a quality education. Parents hoping to prepare
their children for future success in life recognise the importance
of learning and education. Education opens the doors to a
successful and fulfilling future, helping them to succeed in their
chosen pursuits. A love of learning will help your child develop
to his or her full potential.
The early years of a child's life are the most
significant learning period. Research has shown
that 75 per cent of brain development occurs in
the first three years of life.
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The miracle of how our brain adapts for reading
The miracle of how our brain adapts for reading
“After many years of research on how the
human brain learns to read, I came to an
unsettlingly simple conclusion: we humans
were never born to read.”
Maryanne Wolf is the John DiBiaggio Professor in the Eliot-Pearson
Department of Child Development at Tufts University, and the author of
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
Professor Wolf explains that we read using an extraordinary
ability to rearrange our ‘original parts’ of the brain - like language
and vision - both of which have a genetic program so that they
unfold in a ‘fairly orderly’ fashion in a nurturing environment.
“Reading isn’t like that,” she says.
Here’s how she says our brain works to read:
Each young reader learns afresh to fashion parts of the brain
so they can read. There’s no program or circuit sitting there
waiting to unfold. This means that each young reader’s circuit
can become developed – to a greater or lesser degree –
depending on the child’s instruction, culture, motivation, and
educational opportunity.
A brain view of the reading process:
1
The brain processes information from a visual, meaning, sound, and thinking
perspective and begins to comprehend a word.
300 milliseconds
2
Following this activity, the brain undertakes an even more sophisticated set of
comprehension processes so that we decode the word to our experience, reasoning,
analysis, and knowledge.
Add 100 to 200
milliseconds
3
Finally, the apex of our reading: where we go beyond the text to our own thoughts.
Timeless, depending
on the reader
So how do you get the miracle of reading started in your child?
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How do children learn to read?
How do children learn to read?
Over time, your child will learn to use three systems to
decode text:
1.Semantic cues
When we are reading, we bring all of our life experiences and
knowledge with us so that we can decode the text we are
reading. This means we might understand a book or academic
article easily, but not a textbook on a technical subject such
as electronics.
3.Syntactic cues (syntax)
This is an understanding of the structure and patterns of
language. Knowledge of syntax begins with your child
understanding books and the words and sentences
within them.
These cues combine to help us recognise the text, understand
what we’re reading, and then make sense of it within our world.
2.Phonic cues
Phonics is the mechanical part of the reading process. It is the
understanding of the conventions of print, including the way
words look and the relationships between the letters.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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The act of reading
The act of reading
Once you’re a reader it’s easy to forget all the processes that
need to come together in order to read. Authors, Dr John Irvine
and John Steward ask parents to recall learning to read in their
book, Thriving at School. Here’s how they describe the process:
1.You focus on the printed letters and words on the page
2.You control your eye movements so that you can trace the
line of words across the page from line to line
3.You’re aware of how letters and groups of letters sound
4.You check your knowledge of words and grammar (including
how words are put together to make meaning)
5.You see images and ideas in your mind’s eye
6.You link new ideas to your personal knowledge bank, and
7.You remember ideas so they can be recalled.
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It all begins with you
It all begins with you
“We must not teach our children to read. It just happens as result of love, attachment,
involvement, engagement.”
Mem Fox, author of Possum Magic, and Reading Magic (in a discussion with ASG’s KidsLife editor, Leigh Hay)
By reading aloud to your child, as you nurture him or her, you
will help build your connection to your child and contribute to
a deeper bond between the two of you – you’ll share the fun
of language and stories together, enjoy your shared time, and
show you value reading and books.
The most active period of brain growth and development is
from birth to three years and it is widely recognised that sharing
books with young children before they go to school greatly
improves their chances of developing good literacy skills.
Why is literacy important?
Literacy is vital to ensuring your child has the best chance to
succeed in their schooling and everyday life. Literacy allows
us to make sense of a range of written, visual, and spoken
materials, including books, newspapers, magazines, signs,
timetables, DVDs, television and radio programs, signs, maps,
conversations and instructions.
What is literacy?
Literacy is the ability to read, view, write, design, speak and listen
in a way that allows us to communicate effectively and to make
sense of the world.
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It all begins with you continued
Isn’t literacy the job of schools?
For your child to receive the best education outcomes, you,
your child, your child’s teachers and schools need to work
together. Your child’s literacy, in the form of talking and speech
development, will begin long before he or she starts school.
Exploring language and reading with you in your family
environment will boost your child’s development. Helping
your child learn within the warmth of your support and
affection produces stronger developmental outcomes and
helps your child develop positive associations to risk taking
and confidence, which are important elements in your child’s
literacy learning and development.
“Helping children to grow and learn occurs within families
in very many ways, from providing a safe and nurturing
home environment, through being involved in children’s
learning activities at school, home and elsewhere, and
giving children the input and direction they need to grow
up with the social and emotional capabilities to tackle
everyday life.”
Families make all the difference: Helping kids to grow and learn – Australian Institute of
Family Studies
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Benefits of reading aloud with your child
Benefits of reading aloud with your child
Research studies consistently report the benefits of reading
aloud to your child. Rather than bombard you with numbers,
here’s just a few of the many, many reasons to do so:
• Literacy is the cornerstone of the curriculum in early
childhood education and primary and secondary schools
• Helping your child’s development
• Encouraging a love of reading
• Establishing a reading practice
• Kick-starting your children’s literacy learning
• Giving your child a good start for school
• Demonstrating your value of reading and learning
• Being involved and engaged in your child’s education
• Helping your child’s social-emotional wellbeing
• Establishing a deep and warm connection with your child
• Developing reading as an enjoyable and inexpensive leisure
and entertainment pursuit
• Helping your child meet the demands of everyday living
and work
• Giving your child the means to acquire future knowledge and
self-development as the foundation for lifelong learning
• Reading has never been more important because new
technologies use reading – full participation requires
literacy skills,
• Bedtime reading is considered one of the best private
investments you can make in your child’s education
and it’s free!
This eguide will help you help your child
discover his or her ‘reader within’
• Enabling your child to form connections with others
through reading
• Reading with your children is easy, rewarding and can be
life-changing
• Sharing precious time together
• Helping your child understand values and principles
through stories
• Encouraging your child’s learning through reading
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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Teaching your child to read
Teaching your child to read
While every child learns at a different rate, your child will
probably learn to read formally as part of his or her primary
school education. Irrespective of when your child begins to read,
we’d recommend that you discuss the approach your child will
learn at school.
Visit Mem Fox’s website at: www.memfox.net
Reading Magic summaries can be found here:
www.memfox.net/reading-magic-intro (note: this summary
needs your computer speakers ON!)
Schools approach reading in a variety of ways, and it will help
your child if you’re supporting his or her reading by knowing and
understanding the method the school is using.
Get some Reading Magic
The Possum Magic author, Mem Fox, is passionate about
encouraging parents to read aloud with their children. Mem has
generously provided summaries of her reading aloud sections
of the book, Reading Magic, on her website that can provide you
with lots more information about reading to your children.
It’s also worth exploring the rest of her website to learn about
some of the popular books she’s written for children, along with
her reading suggestions for children of all ages.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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Tips for reading aloud with your child
Tips for reading aloud with your child
• Do begin reading to your child as soon as possible.
• Use Mother Goose rhymes and songs to stimulate an infant’s
language, and other books that include repetitions.
• As your child grows, add books that contain storylines that
they can guess at, but continue reading rhyming and
song books.
• When you begin reading picture books, choose those that
have only a few words on the page, and then shift to picture
books that have a few sentences. Gradually, your child will be
ready for books with fewer pictures and more text, but don’t
rush this.
• When your child is old enough, get him or her to turn
the pages for you. This will get and keep your child
more involved.
• From time-to-time, stop at a word so that your child can
provide the word.
• Reading together is an acquired habit, just as listening is, so
give your child time to get used to it, just as you will need
time to get used to reading aloud.
• Choose books that you liked as a child when you begin
reading aloud. This will help you get used to reading aloud the more you do it, the better you get at it.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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Tips for reading aloud with your child continued
• Read slowly when you read aloud, and if you feel comfortable
doing so, try to vary the tone, volume, and kind of voices you
read in to your child. He or she will love it.
• As you get more experienced with reading aloud and with
the books you and your child select, you can vary your pace
at various parts of the book as you read the story.
• Create a wall chart or list of the books that you and your child
have read together, so your child can see his or her progress
and mark down favourite books. This idea works well if you
are using books that you’ve borrowed from
the library.
• Research has shown that it’s valuable for fathers to read
to their children too, not only mothers. A father’s early
involvement in his child’s reading, can show children positive
male role modelling.
• Let your child see you reading for learning and pleasure.
Have books and magazines around the house for all family
members. It doesn’t hurt to turn off the TV occasionally too.
• Everyone has used the television as a ‘babysitter’, but it’s really
valuable to involve your child in your activities and explain
what you’re doing. While this can slow you down,
it will help your young child’s language and literacy
skills immeasurably.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
• Allow children to settle down before you begin reading.
Asking them if they are ready is a good idea, don’t take on the
role of authoritarian teacher at home.
• Where possible, avoid long descriptive passages and large
sections of dialogue. This kind of reading challenges both the
listener and reader too much, and becomes tiring.
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What’s my commitment?
What’s my commitment?
As a busy parent, you probably feel that you have your hands full
just coping with all the demands on your time associated with
your newborn, let alone all the other commitments you may
have such as work, supporting your family and extended family,
community activities, and keeping your house running.
Your own reading habits provide an important guide for your
child. Children are like sponges observing everything that
goes on around them, so it’s beneficial that your child sees you
reading, if only for a few minutes each day.
Rest assured, reading aloud to your child doesn’t have to take up
huge chunks of your time. Around 10 minutes a day can make
a difference, and can be a great way to settle your newborn or
toddler before bed. Research shows that establishing a regular
commitment overall has long-term benefits to your child’s
overall development, social-emotional wellbeing and learning
and cognitive outcomes.
Developmental outcomes by amount of time child is read to
If you have a particularly busy week, reading for an hour on the
weekend when you can have some quiet time together can still
be beneficial.
While setting aside reading time with your child is important,
you can add to or occasionally supplement reading time by
integrating everyday ways to incorporate reading and literacy
into your child’s life (see page 18). Even if you’re not a confident
reader yourself or English isn’t your first language, you can help
your child’s literacy and learning. Importantly, show your child
you value reading and literacy, connect and engage with them,
and where possible, establish a routine.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
Research from AMP-NATSEM’s report, Little Australians shows:
Number of
days adults
read to child
Proportion of children in top of domain
Overall
development
Physical
health
outcome
Social
emotional
outcome
Learning &
cognitive
outcome
Not in the
past week
6%
12%
10%
6%
1 or 2 days
8%
13%
11%
9%
3-5 days
13%
15%
15%
13%
6-7 days
20%
16%
17%
20%
Note: Top of domain indicates the top 15% of children within the domain.
Those parents who are reading to their children each night before
they go to bed can be rest assured that this may be likely to be
positively associated with their child’s development. Children who
are read to frequently – each day or almost each day of the week are more likely to be falling into the top of the overall development,
social-emotional functioning and learning and cognitive domains.
However, frequency of reading is not strongly correlated
with the physical health domain (above).
page | 13
Where should I read to my child?
Where should I read to my child?
You can read aloud to your child anywhere.
Your 10-minute reading time
During this time, you’ll want to ensure your child will get the
greatest benefits of your special reading time together. This is
more likely to occur if you turn off any possible distractions, such
as the TV or radio, ensure there’s enough light to read by and
cuddle up together and enjoy your reading. Make sure your child
can see the book clearly, so that you can point to any pictures
and describe the pictures so you support the story as you read.
Additional reading
In addition to your regular reading, you can grab any
opportunity to further develop your child’s literacy by reading
aloud or talking with him or her. Even describing everyday
activities will help benefit your child.
Try to describe the objects you pick up and use around the
house, in the car, and in the supermarket. Read together
when you’re waiting for appointments. Try reading in different
locations so your child begins to understand reading happens
everywhere – anywhere, anytime for any number of reasons.
Take books on family outings to the beach, picnics, and social
events. Even if you can’t share a book with your child while
you’re out, chances are someone else can.
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When should I start?
When should I start?
It’s never too soon or too late to begin
There is no specific age to begin but the earlier the better.
Some say that reading to young children should begin soon
after birth, while others say it should start around four to six
months when babies have a degree of head control and can be
propped in your lap. Your baby will love being held in your arms,
listening to your voice, and sharing the pictures in the book, so
start as early as possible.
Other research states that reading to a child in the womb or “in
utero” from as early as 16 weeks gestation benefits your child.
It is widely accepted that from the moment of birth, your infant
begins rapidly absorbing information, piecing together the
framework of his or her future self, but some research seems to
prove that prenatal learning is possible, as hearing is one of the
first senses to develop.
In a well-known study by Anthony DeCasper at the University
of South Carolina, USA, researchers instructed mothers to read
Dr Seuss aloud while they were pregnant. When the babies
were born, the research tested to see if the babies recognised
Dr Seuss against other stories, and their mother’s voice against
other readers. In both cases, the infants were able to pick-up
on the vocal patterns they’d become familiar with in utero.
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When should I start? continued
So what can we learn from this research?
• Your unborn baby is picking up information from the outside
world while in the womb and is receptive to its mother’s
voice and sounds from its mother’s body
• Sound is filtered in the womb because sounds are being
filtered by the embryonic fluid and tissue causing your
child to hear low frequencies that are muffled, and a lot of
information is filtered and muted
• Keep in mind that while in utero learning does exist, the type
of learning your unborn child does is quite simple
• Researchers point out that there’s very little evidence of
any specific things that you can do to affect your child’s
intelligence or temperament before birth, such as playing
certain types of music, and reading literature, etc.
• Your unborn infant won’t be able to understand words, but
will be adept at learning vocal rhythms and patterns, so
choose books you like that have strong rhyming patterns
• When choosing reading material, go for rhyming books
– there’s no evidence to suggest that literary books will
stimulate brain function
• This muted hearing will allow your unborn child to
differentiate between languages from birth – studies have
shown that even a two-day old infant has a preference to
its mother’s native language, even when spoken by
unfamiliar voices
• While unborn children do respond to music and music does
have a beneficial effect, choose music with a strong rhythm
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You can help develop your child’s literacy everyday
You can help develop your child’s
literacy everyday
Your everyday interactions and involvement with your child can
make an invaluable contribution to your child’s development.
A child’s everyday routine offers a great many opportunities to:
• learn and practise new words
• decide things
• tell you how he or she is feeling
• attempt to problem solve
• recognise colours
• predict what might happen next
• listen to sounds
• describe a scene
• play creatively, and
• learn by copying an adult.
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Turn everyday activities into literacy opportunities for your child
Turn everyday activities into literacy
opportunities for your child
Around the home
• Talk about water temperature: hot/cold/warm/warmer. Use
this time to explain about taps, water levels, and safety.
At meal time
• Make up silly rhymes about swimming, floating, washing,
and drying.
• Describe the food you’re eating together: the colour, shape,
taste, and texture.
• Read recipes together and cook the food: quantity, volume,
adding ingredients in order.
• Describe the ingredients that go into what you’re cooking.
Ask your child to get the ingredients for you from the pantry
and fridge.
• Encourage your child to read out the ingredients while you
mix or vice versa.
Anytime
• Play guessing games, rhyming games, ball games, board
games, and charades.
• Have fun with a dictionary or thesaurus. Read out a word, try
to guess what it might mean.
• Read quietly or read aloud – individually, together, as a family.
• Describe the tools you use in the kitchen and why.
• Experiment with drawing up a menu, recipe cards, orders for
kitchen take-away.
At bath time
• Move water using hands or feet and describing words: splash,
wave, flow, gurgle, bubble, or drops.
• Guess which letter by drawing soapy letters on your
child’s back.
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Turn everyday activities into literacy opportunities for your child continued
In the car
In the supermarket
Toddlers and preschoolers:
Toddlers and preschoolers:
• Use describing words for speed and direction, fast, slow,
rapid, turning, slowing down. Use your voice to reflect speed,
and try new words such as accelerating and reversing.
• Use size words such as many, few, bigger, less, heavier.
• Look for street signs that begin with a particular letter.
• Listen to story and song CDs.
• Ask children to spot familiar landmarks and tell you
something about them.
• Sing aloud in the car, encourage your child to make hand
movements, clap, and beat in time to the song’s rhythm.
• Recognise symbols, and traffic signs.
• Use describing words such as ripe, tinned, packet, frozen, or
words such as delicious, fresh, healthy, junk, filling, sweet, sour
or spicy.
• Encourage children to help you carefully place items on the
checkout counter and name each item as they do so.
Early primary:
• Involve your child in making a list and show your child the
word as you write it.
Early primary:
• Let your child carry the list as you shop and read out as many
product names as possible, ignoring pronunciation.
• Challenge your child to spell their name by spotting a
number plate or street sign that has the first letter, then the
second and so on, until they have all the letters required for
their name.
• Involve your child in unpacking groceries
and checking off items on the docket.
• Hand items to children before they are put in the trolley, and
ask them to tell you what they are.
• Keep familiar picture books for long travel and ask children to
read or tell you about the story.
• Spot something beginning with a letter of the alphabet. After
five successful spots, change the letter.
• Catch public transport so that you can discuss timetables and
routes, and estimate times to reach your destination.
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Tips for reading choices
Tips for reading choices
By far the cheapest way to explore your child’s and your own
reading preferences is to join your local library. Your local
library has a wide variety of materials that you and your child
can borrow for free. Plus, your library can get items from other
libraries through a system of inter-library loans. There’s really
no better way to get your hands on this variety of information
that includes books, magazines, newspapers, CDs and DVDs,
free access to computers, and events that can include storytime
sessions for children.
By joining your local library, you’ll have access to plenty of books
and can explore the books your child might like before you
commit to purchasing them. Your librarian will help you explore
a range of books suitable to your child. Also check out books you
recall reading as a child – they’re probably classics now!
• Owners of an iPhone or iPad can download the National
Year of Reading application for free to help them find their
local library from iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com /hk/app/
love2read/id501231680?mt=8 This application helps you find
your local library (GPS enabled), view events and programs
and libraries near you and learn about special programs.
• Find book reviews and recommendations on the following
websites:
• ASG’s KidsLife –
www.kidslife.com.au/SubSection.aspx?ID=787
• The Children’s Book Council of Australia – Book of the
Year Awards – shortlists and notables –
http://cbca.org.au/awards.htm
• Contact your local council for information about where your
local library is and join up.
• Visit the National Year of Reading website at:
www.love2read.org.au
• Visit the National Library of Australia website to find your local
library: www.nla.gov.au/libraries
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Tips for reading choices continued
Here’s a guide for suitable types of books for your child:
In utero, newborns and
infants
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Primary school children
Secondary school
children
Nursery rhymes and
books with strong
rhythms and patterns.
Songs and poetry.
Picture books with or
without words and
illustrated storybooks.
Illustrated storybooks
that you can read in one
sitting.
Storybooks and short
novels, anthologies.
Novels, non-fiction
books, reference books,
newspapers and
magazines.
Your child is largely
responding to the sound
of your voice and others,
so books with strong
rhythms help that positive
association and boost
early language and
literacy skills.
Your child will respond
positively to spending
special time to read
together.
Encourage your child’s
selection of reading
materials to keep them
engaged and enjoy the
opportunity to bond over
reading.
Your child is learning
to read. Check with
the school as to how
you can support your
child’s learning. During
these years, your child is
beginning his or her path
to independent reading,
but will value your help
and assistance in reading.
While your child will be
an independent reader
at this point, discussing
reading choices and
books is a great way to
show your interest in their
reading.
As their language skills
grow, they will start to
associate pictures with
the sounds of words to
describe them.
Check out the “Resources” section in this eguide for more places to get reading reviews and tips for you and your child.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
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Tips for your reading child
Tips for your reading child
As your child grows and begins reading for him or herself:
• Let your child choose easier books rather than harder ones.
This way your child will develop confidence and feel safe in
taking risks with words and reading.
• If you have children of various ages, encourage your older
child to read to your younger children. This is a great way
to supplement your children’s reading. Wherever possible,
continue to read to each child yourself, as you’re the ultimate
role model.
• While children love to reread books, try to choose books that
are new to you and your child when you can, so the book is
exciting and fresh.
• Enjoy your child asking questions about the book, this proves
he or she is interested and stimulated by the story and is really
taking in the meaning.
• Try to talk to your child about the books you read. While you
don’t need to analyse it like a child would in the classroom,
talking about reading and books is a great way to learn more
about your child’s interests and feelings.
• Occasionally choose a book above your child’s reading level
to stretch his or her learning, and choose a book outside his or
her interests. On the whole though, choose ‘age-appropriate’
books for your child. If you’re not sure what they are, check
out recommendations online or get help from a librarian
or teacher.
• Keep reading time positive – your approach to it matters, so
try to think of it as special time and not as another thing to
do. Avoid threatening “no reading time” to your child or asking
your child “TV or a book”. If you keep reading as a positive
and enjoyable experience, your child is more likely to read for
pleasure into his or her future.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 22
Frequently Asked
Questions
(FAQs)
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not a great reader myself—how can I help
my child?
You probably read more than you realise. Even if you don’t read
books and newspapers, you read any number of documents in
your everyday life. Signs, tickets, documents, websites, they all
amount to reading. When reading to your child, especially a very
young child, you’ll be reading mostly rhyming books and picture
books so you can learn together.
Federal Government programs such as WELL (Workplace English
Language and Literacy Program) provide funding for job-related
workplace training. State and Territory governments also fund
literacy programs. Some people fear others finding out they’re
not great readers and writers and experience a great sense of
shame about their literacy skills, but those people who take
action to improve their skills report consistently that they wish
they’d done it sooner.
• If you know someone who struggles with their reading, you
can suggest they contact the Reading Writing Hotline for
more information, by phone: 1300 6555 06 or visit the website
at: www.literacyline.edu.au
I didn’t read to my unborn child or when my child was
born—will my child be disadvantaged?
It’s never too late to start reading aloud to your young child.
While research shows there are many benefits to reading to a
young child from birth, everyone is different. We all develop in
different ways that is unique to each of us. Research indicates
that showing your child that you value reading and education,
and being involved and engaged in your child’s learning can
have similar benefits. So, start now.
Visit these websites to learn about the resources available to
improve your literacy skills at:
• www.adultliteracyresource.edu.au/Literacyportals
• www.acal.edu.au/link.htm
• www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/languageliteracy-and-numeracy-program
• You might also be interested in participating in the Adult
Learners Week, which happens in September each year. For
details of the program, visit: http://adultlearnersweek.org
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 24
Frequently Asked Questions continued
I don’t have much money for books
Is there a right and wrong way to read aloud to my child?
In Australia books can be expensive, but nearly every Australian
can use their local library to borrow a wide range of books,
magazines, and DVDs, and have access to computers, special
programs and events. You and your child can join your local
library for free. Alternatively, look for books to buy secondhand
at opportunity shops, garage sales, and secondhand shops.
This is another way of building your child’s very own library
inexpensively. Ask your extended family and friends to give your
child books for his or her birthday too.
There’s no hard and fast rules about reading to your child.
The important thing is to read. Reading together will be most
beneficial if you enjoy this special time together and show you
value reading. Try to keep your reading time fun and positive,
and don’t push your child’s development. Check out our “Tips”
for some suggestions to making the most of reading together.
English is not my first language
Reading aloud to your child in your native language can help
stimulate his or her literacy. If you don’t have access to books
in your native language, use books with pictures and describe
what you see. This will have many of the same benefits for your
child because you will be stimulating his or her preliteracy skills
and development. There are programs available to help you
learn English so that you can learn English together.
I have two (or more) children of different ages.
How do I juggle their reading interests?
If you have a bedtime reading pattern, begin by reading for 10
minutes to your youngest child. Settle that child, and then read
for 10 minutes to your older child, especially if that child has very
different interests or reading needs. Although this
takes extra effort and time, it reinforces
the importance you place on each
child and on reading with him or her.
The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) provides free
English language courses to eligible migrants and
humanitarian entrants. Visit the website to learn more:
www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/amep
(information is available in a range of languages)
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 25
Frequently Asked Questions continued
Do DVDs, children’s television programs, and
audiobooks substitute for reading?
All these things are great to supplement your child’s reading.
But nothing can replace you spending some time reading
aloud with your young child. Yes, you’re that important to
your child’s reading!
My son doesn’t like reading, what can I do?
Some boys don’t take to reading as fast as girls. While the
generalisation that boys don’t like reading is not true, it’s not
unusual that boys sometimes require a bit more coaxing. The
first thing to determine is whether your son doesn’t like reading
full stop or is just not interested in the reading choices you’re
making for him. Some children can develop a negative attitude
to reading, so it’s important to explore these options. Be sure to
ask your son’s teachers about their observations in regard to your
child’s reading.
• Author, James Moloney’s article, Ideas for getting boys to read
is worth a look – you can find it here:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1480
James is the author of more than 20 books for children and
young adults, so he knows books.
• Author, Angela Rossmanith’s article, Why boys don’t like
reading explores some of the reasons boys don’t read as
quickly or much as girls. Here’s the link to her article:
http://www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1465
Angela is the author of several books, including When will
the children play? and Finding time for childhood.
In general, boys prefer action to emotions, so choose books with
lots of action and movement for reading with him. Some boys
really take to comics at a young age, and these can be a great
way of getting boys interested in reading. Two articles on ASG’s
KidsLife website – www.kidslife.com.au – explore the issues
about boys and reading in detail.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 26
Frequently Asked Questions continued
I can’t get my child to settle while I read?
Particularly active children can be hard to settle from timeto-time. This can be especially the case when your child is
beginning to explore his or her physical environment or going
through a growth stage. Make sure you give your child time to
settle before beginning to read. If this doesn’t work, try changing
your reading time or reading to your child as they explore their
environment, calling your child’s attention to a picture in the
book or a passage of words. Keep it fun and try letting your child
choose the books he or she would like you to read. It takes time
for children’s attention spans to develop, but if you still have
concerns, approach your child’s teacher.
Check out ASG’s special report on ebooks, To ebook or not to
ebook and explore all the issues that can help you choose at:
www.asg.com.au/ebooks
What about using ebooks for reading?
Ebooks or digital electronic books are becoming increasingly
popular, but most parents prefer traditional printed books to
read aloud with their child during their reading time. While there
are benefits for using both digital ebooks and traditional printed
book formats, the research is still out as to how children’s brains
are influenced by digital media. The portability of ebooks and
their ability to engage your child are two strong cases for their
use -- it’s hard to argue against their high level of convenience.
But if you have a number of traditional printed books in your
child’s room and around the house, you give your child the
advantage of always having access to them and demonstrating
clearly that you value reading and books. Reading of all kinds
is valuable.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 27
Research worth reading
Research worth reading
Why we read
Babies and preschoolers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research has shown that 75 per cent of brain development
occurs in the first three years of life. Early learning is central to
ensuring all children achieve their potential. Reading to babies
and young children has a significant effect on their literacy
development. It helps in the development of pre-literacy skills
that are needed to learn to read.
26% Learning – to gain knowledge and discover information
15% Escape reality – to be immersed in a different world
12% Entertainment – the suspense of watching a plot unfold
12% Relaxation – enjoying quiet time while relaxing
6% Variety – finding new interests
4% Spirituality – expanding one’s worldview
2% The Book – the physical feel and smell of a book
Improving and measuring reading
The importance of reading for pleasure, the development of
competent reading skills and the need to improve literacy rates
is widely recognised in Australia.
Recent Australian Government initiatives to improve reading
and literacy include:
•
•
•
•
•
Children
State, Territory and Commonwealth Ministers of Education
meeting as the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment,
Training and Youth Affairs, released the Melbourne Declaration
on Education Goals for Young Australians in December 2008.
It acknowledged the importance of literacy and numeracy as a
cornerstone of the curriculum in early childhood education
and primary and secondary schools,
and set the direction for Australian
schooling for the next 10 years.
the NAPLAN and PISA testing programs
the MySchool website – www.myschool.edu.au
the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program
the Get Reading campaign; and
the annual National Literacy and Numeracy Week.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 28
Research worth reading continued
Young people
The ability to read and understand instructions is a basic
requirement for success in all school subjects.
A major international student assessment, the Program for
International Assessment (PISA) was undertaken by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) in 2000 and has been replicated every three years since
then. The aim of PISA is to monitor the capacity of 15 year old
students to apply their skills and knowledge in literacy, maths
and science to meet real life challenges. It was of grave concern
that 12 per cent of Australian students in 2000 failed to reach
Level 2 and were deemed not to have the necessary literacy
skills to enable them to be successful in life beyond school.
Attitudes to reading have been shown to be an important
variable in relation to literacy achievement. Students who
have positive experiences with reading are more likely to
demonstrate higher levels of achievement in reading. PISA
found that a high proportion of our students (33 per cent)
never read for enjoyment.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
Long-term effects of reading – Australia’s literacy and
life skills
• Great reasons to read aloud to your child were found in the
most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey,
which revealed:
• Just over half (54 per cent of Australians 15 to 74 years)
have the literacy skills needed to cope with the complex
demands of everyday life and work in the emerging
knowledge-based economy.
• Across all the different types of literacy, people with jobs
were more likely to be assessed as having the skill levels
needed to meet the complex demands of everyday life
and work than were the unemployed or those not in the
labour force.
• The median weekly income for people assessed with the
highest literacy level scores was significantly higher than
for those assessed at the lowest level.
• An Australian Industry Group survey of major employers
found that more than 75 per cent believed their businesses
were affected by low levels of literacy and numeracy in
the workforce.
page | 29
Author’s notes
Author’s notes
Page 3: “The early years of a child’s life are the most significant learning
period. Research has shown that 75 per cent of brain development
occurs in the first three years of life.” McKerracher, Sue and McDowell,
Donna, The Library Agency, National Year of Reading 2012, Scoping
Document, viewed 30 July 2012 at http://love2read.org.au/library/files/NYOR2012-August2010.pdf
Page 4: “After many years of research on how the human brain learns
to read, I came to an unsettlingly simple conclusion: we humans
were never born to read..........where we go beyond the text to our
own thoughts.”
Wolf, Maryanne Prof, John DiBiaggio Professor in the
Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University, Beyond
decoding words in the article Does the brain like ebooks? on the Room for
Debate blog on the New York Times website, viewed 30 July 2012 at:
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/does-the-brain-like-ebooks/
Page 5: How do children learn to read? Shanahan, Kerrie. Springboard
to reading and writing – how parents can help their children 4 to 6 years; Ibis
Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, 2005, pages 58 – 63.
Page 6: The act of reading process... Irvine, Dr John and Steward, John.
Thriving at School, Finch Publishing, Sydney, Australia, Second Edition,
2008, page 72.
Page 7: “We must not teach our children to read. It just happens as
result of love, attachment, involvement, engagement.” Fox, Mem author
of Possum Magic, and Reading Magic in a discussion with ASG’s KidsLife
editor, Leigh Hay for the KidsLife – www.kidslife.com.au – article Mem
Fox’s Reading Magic viewed on 30 July 2012 at: www.kidslife.com.au/Page.
aspx?ID=1464
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
Page 7: “The most active period of brain growth and development is
from birth to three years and it is widely recognised that sharing books
with young children before they go to school greatly improves their
chances of developing good literacy skills.” National Year of Reading 2012,
Literacy Fact Sheet, viewed 30 July 2012 at: www.love2read.org.au
Page 7: “What is literacy?” and “Why is literacy important?”. Queensland
Government, Department of Education and Training, Literacy and numeracy
fact sheets for parents viewed 30 July 2012 at: http://education.qld.gov.au/
literacyandnumeracy/pdf/factsheet-l-n.pdf
Page 7: “Helping children to grow and learn... grow up with the social
and emotional capabilities to tackle everyday life.” Baxter, Dr Jennifer;
Higgins, Dr Daryl; and Hayes, Professor Alan, Australian Institute of Family
Studies, Australian Government, Families make all the difference: Helping kids
to grow and learn, May 2012, page 1 viewed 30 July 2012 at: www.aifs.gov.au/
institute/pubs/factssheets/2012/fw2012/index.html#a2
Page 8: “Helping your child learn within the warmth of your support
and affection produces stronger developmental outcomes.....” Gong,
Cathy; McNamara, Justine; Cassells, Rebecca. AMP.NATSEM, Income and
Wealth Report Issue 28 - Little Australians, April 2011, page 13, viewed 30 July
2012 at: www.natsem.canberra.edu.au/publications/?publication=ampnats
em-income-and-wealth-report-issue-28-little-australians
Page 8: “Helping children to grow and learn... grow up with the social
and emotional capabilities to tackle everyday life.” Baxter, Dr Jennifer;
Higgins, Dr Daryl; and Hayes, Professor Alan, Australian Institute of Family
Studies, Australian Government, Families make all the difference: Helping kids
to grow and learn, May 2012, page 1 viewed 30 July 2012 at:
www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/factssheets/2012/fw2012/index.html#a2
page | 30
Author’s notes continued
Page 9: Benefits of reading aloud to your child, sourced from:
• Fox, Mem. Reading Magic, Harcourt Inc, New York, 2001.
• Irvine, Dr John and Steward, John. Thriving at School, Finch Publishing,
Sydney, Australia, Second Edition, 2008.
• McKerracher, Sue and McDowell, Donna, The Library Agency, National
Year of Reading 2012, Scoping Document, viewed 30 July 2012 at
http://love2read.org.au/library/files/NYOR-2012-August2010.pdf
• National Year of Reading 2012, Literacy Fact Sheet, viewed 30 July 2012 at:
www.love2read.org.au
• Shanahan, Kerrie. Springboard to reading and writing – how parents can help
their children 4 to 6 years; Ibis Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, 2005.
• Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin, New York, Sixth
Edition, 2006.
Page 9: “Get some Reading Magic” Fox, Mem. Reading Magic summaries read
aloud by the author on her website – www.MemFox.net – viewed 30 July
2012 at : www.memfox.net/reading-magic-intro
(note: this summary needs your computer speakers ON!)
Page 10: Tips for reading aloud with your child, sourced from: Trelease,
Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin, New York, Sixth Edition, 2006,
pages 75-79.
Pages 11-12: “Developmental outcomes by amount of time child is read
to (table and commentary).” Gong, Cathy; McNamara, Justine; Cassells,
Rebecca. AMP.NATSEM, Income and Wealth Report Issue 28 - Little Australians,
April 2011, page 13, viewed 30 July 2012, at: www.natsem.canberra.edu.au/
publications/?publication=ampnatsem-income-and-wealth-report-issue-28little-australians
Page 14: “There is no specific age to begin but the earlier the better.....”
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Childcare and children’s health
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
– an information sheet for parents: Reading with young children, viewed
30 July 2012 at: www.rch.org.au/emplibrary/ecconnections/CCHP_
August2005English.pdf
Page 14: “Reading to a child in the womb or ‘in utero’ from as early as
16 weeks gestation benefits your child....” Eshelman, Adam. Penn State
Research, Can babies learn in utero? Article based on author’s interview
with Rick Gilmore, associate professor of psychology, directs the Brain
Development and Cognition Laboratory and is acting director of the
Social & Life Sciences Imaging Center, Penn State, viewed 30 July 2012
at: www.rps.psu.edu/probing/inutero.html
Page 20: “Here’s a guide for suitable types of books for your child”
sourced from Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin, New York,
Sixth Edition, 2006.
Page 21: “As your child grows and begins reading for him or herself”
sourced from: Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin, New York,
Sixth Edition, 2006, pages 75-79.
Page 25: What about using ebooks for reading? – information about
the young child’s reading brain sourced from: Wolf, Maryanne Prof, John
DiBiaggio Professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development
at Tufts University, Beyond decoding words in the article Does the brain like
ebooks? on the Room for Debate blog on the New York Times website, viewed
30 July 2012 at: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/doesthe-brain-like-e-books/
Page 26: “Why we read” Infographic Labs – www.infographiclabs.com –
visited 30 July 2012 at: http://infographiclabs.com/news/e-reading-trends/
Page 26: “Improving and measuring reading” McKerracher, Sue and
McDowell, Donna, The Library Agency, National Year of Reading 2012,
Scoping Document, page 33, viewed 30 July 2012 at: http://love2read.org.au/
library/files/NYOR-2012-August2010.pdf
page | 31
Author’s notes continued
Page 26: “Babies and preschoolers” McKerracher, Sue and McDowell,
Donna, The Library Agency, National Year of Reading 2012, Scoping
Document, page 33, viewed 30 July 2012 at:
http://love2read.org.au/library/files/NYOR-2012-August2010.pdf
Page 26: “Children” McKerracher, Sue and McDowell, Donna, The Library
Agency, National Year of Reading 2012, Scoping Document, page 34 viewed
30 July 2012 at:
http://love2read.org.au/library/files/NYOR-2012-August2010.pdf
Page 26: “Young people” McKerracher, Sue and McDowell, Donna, The
Library Agency, National Year of Reading 2012, Scoping Document, page 34,
viewed 30 July 2012 at:
http://love2read.org.au/library/files/NYOR-2012-August2010.pdf
Page 27: “Great reasons to read aloud to your child were found in the
most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey....” reported
in the National Year of Reading 2012, Literacy Fact Sheet, viewed 30 July
2012 at: www.love2read.org.au with a reference to the Australian Bureau
of Statistics 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey viewed 30 July 2012
at: www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4228.0Main%20
Features22006%20(Reissue)?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=
4228.0&issue=2006%20(Reissue)&num=&view=
Page 27: “An Australian Industry Group survey....” reported in the National
Year of Reading 2012, Literacy Fact Sheet, viewed 30 July 2012 at:
www.love2read.org.au with a reference to the Australian Industry Group’s
National Workforce Literacy Project viewed 30 July 2012 at:
http://www.aigroup.com.au/portal/site/aig/education/workforceliteracy/
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 32
Resources
Resources
Websites
ASG’s KidsLife has a monthly competition for newsletter
subscribers to win books:
ASG’s parenting information website, Kidslife.com.au has a
number of articles on reading with children for parents:
You can become a subscriber here:
www.kidslife.com.au/SubscriberLogin.aspx?ID=653
• Activities to encourage literacy (sourced from
www.readinghouse.com) by KidsLife editor, Leigh Hay at:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1445
Reading tips and selections:
• Building reading stamina by Sarah Mayor Cox, Faculty
of Education, La Trobe University Bendigo at:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=3678
• Helping your child read by KidsLife editor, Leigh Hay at:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1467
• Hooked on a book by KidsLife editor, Leigh Hay at:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1205
• How a child learns to read by Professor Kevin Wheldall, Director
of Macquarie University Special Education Centre at:
www.kidslife.com.au/Page.aspx?ID=1543
• Ideas for getting boys to read by James Moloney, at:
www.kidslife.com.au/page.aspx?id=1480
• Reading for pleasure by Marj Kirkland, National President,
The Children’s Book Council of Australia at:
www.kidslife.com.au/page.aspx?id=2653
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
There are hundreds, if not thousands of websites that can help
you select reading material for your children. Here’s a couple,
search for more.
• Mem Fox – www.memfox.net – Author Mem Fox provides lots
of reading tips for children
• MyLittleBookcase.com.au – www.mylittlebookcase.com.au –
Editor Jackie Small has developed a website based on reading
with children
• PlanningWithKids – www.planningwithkids.com.au – Mum to
five children aged three to 13 and avid blogger, Nicole Avery
provides some great tips for parents. Be sure to checkout these
posts (and do a search on her site):
• http://planningwithkids.com/2010/11/26/preparing-yourchild-to-read/
• http://planningwithkids.com/2010/06/01/reading-learningand-education/
page | 33
Resources continued
Books
• Shanahan, Kerrie. Springboard to reading and writing – how
parents can help their children 4 to 6 years; Ibis Publishing,
Melbourne, Australia, 2005.
Reading For Children Series (Set of 6 – for children from
kindergarten to year 4)
• Fox, Mem. Reading Magic, Harcourt Inc, New York, 2001.
This series investigates different elements of the reading
process. From radio plays featuring classic children’s literature
accompanied by humorous sound effects, to game shows,
phone-ins and imaginative adventures, Reading for Children
models the hands-on, practical strategies that no young reader
should be without. (Learning Video Company, USA).
• Irvine, Dr John and Stewart, John. Thriving at School, Finch
Publishing, Sydney, Australia, Second Edition, 2008.
The individual titles in this series are:
• Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook, Penguin, New York,
Sixth Edition, 2006.
• How A Book Is Made (Reading For Children Series)
Publications
• OECD (2012), Let’s Read Them a Story! The Parent Factor in
Education, PISA, OECD Publishing, free PDF version available
at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264176232-en
• Identifying Letters & Sounds (Reading For Children Series)
• Identifying Words (Reading For Children Series)
• Reading Aloud (Reading For Children Series)
• Reading Comprehension (Reading For Children Series)
• Reading Fiction & Non Fiction (Reading For Children Series
DVDs
Reading Magic With Mem Fox DVD (for parents)
Learn how to help your child learn to read. Join Mem Fox,
internationally recognised children’s author and literary
consultant, as she guides you through the benefits of reading
to children. Learn how, by reading to your children, you can give
them a huge educational kick-start. Reading aloud to your child
is fun and beneficial to you both. Mem Fox answers all your
questions before you even thought to ask.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 34
Celebrate Reading in 2012
Celebrate Reading in 2012
Marking the final year in the United Nations’ Decade of
Literacy, 2012 is Australia’s National Year of Reading.
A great reminder to start a regular reading routine with your kids,
and finish those half read books on your own bedside table.
The National Year of Reading 2012 encourages children and
families learning to read and promotes a reading culture in
every home. Materials on the project’s website –
www.love2read.org.au – support reading initiatives while
respecting the oral tradition of storytelling.
The project combines the efforts of libraries, government,
community groups, organisations, plus reading ambassadors
such as actor/writer William McInnes, renowned author Bryce
Courtney, comedian Anh Do and cricketer Adam Gilchrist (to
name a mere few), who share their stories and love of reading.
You may not think it, but nearly half of our population cannot
read fluently. So encouraging Australians to discover and
rediscover the magic of books is a vital exercise, in which the
ultimate goal would be to become a nation of readers with the
literacy skills to take us into the future.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
Three goals to help us on this journey are:
• For all Australians to understand the benefits of reading as a
life skill and a catalyst for wellbeing
• To promote a reading culture in every home
• To establish an aspirational goal for families: parents and
caregivers sharing books with their children every day.
Find a whole heap of fun reading activities taking place around
Australia on the Love2Read website for people of all ages and
backgrounds.
Owners of iPhone can use their Love2Read app to locate local
libraries, download books and track upcoming National Year of
Reading events and competitions.
Reading with young children is likely to be the single most
important activity to develop a child’s future literacy skills, and it’s
never too late to start.
page | 35
About the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG)
About the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG)
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning
eguide is provided to parents as an education support
initiative of the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG).
Not-for-profit organisation and Australia’s specialist education
benefits provider, the Australian Scholarships Group (ASG), offers
parents a proven and proactive way to help nurture and fund
their children’s education. As a not-for-profit organisation, ASG
Members share the benefits.
ASG has helped more than 243,000 families prepare for the
cost of their children’s education. Currently ASG has more
than 90,000 families enrolled in an ASG education program in
Australia. ASG has supported more than 72,000 students in their
secondary or post-secondary education. ASG has returned more
than $A1.4 billion in education benefits to Members and their
children since its inception and has more than $1.6 billion in
funds under management.*
For more information about ASG and its range of education
and parenting support initiatives visit www.asg.com.au or
call 1800 648 945.
*At 30 June 2011
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning eguide – published August 2012.
Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement available at ASG’s Registered Office or any Information Centre.
Reading aloud with your child: the kick-start to learning | www.asg.com.au/reading
page | 36