As parents, we are constantly hearing about all the things we need to do to assure our babies develop properly and to their highest potential. Among the list of must do’s is to read to our children. Is reading to our babies really critical, or is it just for fun?
Recent research reveals that the future academic success of babies depends on the amount of words they hear spoken to them before the age of two. This is quite a discovery and should give parents and caregivers the nudge they need to get busy reading to their babies.
At birth, babies are wired to learn language. The process by which babies learn language is through exposure to it. This is critical in their development of speech and comprehension. Babies who are exposed to less language still develop in their speech, but they are at a greater disadvantage. They have less comprehension and much smaller vocabularies. When children aren’t given a strong start in language development, they rarely catch up.
A recent study known as the Hayes-Ahrens study determined that there are 5,000 words that are commonly used in everyday language. There are also 5,000 more everyday words that are used less often. These combine to form the 10,000 basic, most commonly used words. Any words not included in these common words are considered to be rare.
The way that babies and children learn these rare words is through exposure to the written word. Literature is a great teacher of vocabulary. By reading to children they learn in context what these rare words mean and how to use them.
This is critical when it comes time to begin formal learning. When children are learning to read, they may know all the rules of phonics, yet if they do not have an expansive understanding of vocabulary, they will not be able to understand what they are reading, even if they can say the words.
School age children are constantly being tested to see that they comprehend what they are reading or hearing. By reading to your baby from birth, you can assure that your child will have a good grasp of what words are all about, giving them a strong start in life.
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