The importance of literacy is obvious. Everywhere you look, you see words – on signs, in training manuals, on buses, in books. Adults who can’t read risk becoming isolated from society. Illiteracy affects their ability to find jobs, and ultimately, their very survival.

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That’s why it’s so important to get kids reading when they’re young, long before they become adults. Even though their physical survival may not depend on knowing how to read a book, children do gain skills for coping with life when they learn to read.

Early childhood literacy begins in preschool (if not sooner), when books and pictures are introduced to children with the intention of getting them familiar with letters, numbers, and symbols.

Children who fall in love with the experience of reading when they’re young are likely to enjoy it when they’re older too. Early exposure to books, typically through being read to by a parent, grandparent, or other care-giver, instills in children a sense of security and warmth. The positive feelings these children get from books grows into a desire to read books for themselves when they’re older.

Multiply this experience by hundreds of children and what do you get? An end to illiteracy! Of course, it’s not really that simple. Some children will need extra help due to learning differences or other types of challenges, but reading aloud to youngsters WILL help prepare them for learning other subjects as they grow. More proof of the importance of literacy.

Literacy experts have discovered that continuing to read to children into their teens improves their vocabulary dramatically, and also helps strengthen emotional bonds between the child and his or her parent or teacher. These benefits alone will help improve the child’s life in a multitude of ways, some of which may not be apparent for decades.

If you still need proof of the importance of literacy, just talk to an adult who missed out on the privilege of learning to read when he or she was young, and find out how that’s impacted their life.

by Christine Wilson
Source: Kids & Books

Why do we tell children to read ?

We’re always telling children that books and reading are good for them,

but have we ever really thought about why that’s true ? Exactly what do

older children get out of reading novels ? What do younger kids get from

being read to ? Does reading matter ?

The purpose of this article is to say that, yes, it’s true, reading really is

important, and that there are some solid reasons why that is so. Let’s

begin with the practical benefits and then move on to the less tangible

rewards of a life filled with reading.

Books help children develop vital language skills.

Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children.

Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools and (later

on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new

subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems

and consumer protection to more academic research into science or

the arts depends on the ability to read.

Futurologists used to predict the death of the printed word but,

ironically, Internet has made reading more and more a part of people’s

daily lives. The paperless society is a myth. The computer’s ability to

process and analyze data means that endless variations on reports and

other types of documents can be and are generated. Internet, itself

an enormous new source of information and recreation, is based on

the humble written word. To effectively utilize the web and judge the

authenticity and value of what is found there, both reading and critical

thinking skills are of prime importance.

The more children read, the better they become at reading. It’s as

simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more

they’ll stick with them and develop the reading skills that they’ll need

for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be

viewed as a pleasurable activity – as a source of entertaining tales

and useful and interesting factual information.

The more young children are read to, the greater their interest in

mastering reading. Reading out loud exposes children to proper

grammar and phrasing. It enhances the development of their spoken

language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally.

Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new

vocabulary. Even when they don’t understand every new word, they

absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding

of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to

children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the

words on the page, even if they can’t yet read the words on their own.

Reading can open up new worlds and enrich
children’s lives.

As mentioned above, reading opens doors – doors to factual

information about any subject on earth, practical or theoretical.

Given the wealth of available resources such as Internet, libraries,

schools and bookstores, if children can read well and if they see

reading as a source of information, then for the rest of their lives

they will have access to all of the accumulated knowledge of mankind,

access to all of the great minds and ideas of the past and present.

It truly is magic !

Through books, children can also learn about people and places from

other parts of the world, improving their understanding of and concern

for all of humanity. This, in turn, contributes towards our sense that we

truly live in a “global village” and may help us bring about a more

peaceful future for everyone.This can happen through nonfiction but,

perhaps even more importantly, reading novels that are set in other

places and time periods can give children a deeper understanding of

others through identification with individual characters and their plights.

Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new

experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences in

their real lives. They can meet characters who they’ll enjoy returning

to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished

book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex

their critical thinking skills in such areas as problem solving, the concepts

of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of responsibility

for one’s actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young

children, a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to

solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns and

successfully solve the riddles.

Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While

a steady diet of violent cartoons may have a detrimental effect on

children’s development, carefully chosen stories and books can have

a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others.

For example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to

share with others, to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural

environment.

Reading can enhance children’s social skills.

Although reading is thought of as the quintessential solitary activity, in

certain circumstances reading can be a socializing activity. For example,

a parent or grandparent reading a story aloud, whether  from a traditional

printed book or from an ebook,  can be a great opportunity for adult and

child to share some quiet, relaxed quality time together away from the

rush and stresses of the business of daily living. They share a few minutes

of precious time, plus they share the ideas that are contained in the story.

In addition, older children can be encouraged to read aloud to younger

ones as a means of enhancing their relationship.

At school or at a library story hour, books can bring children together

and can be part of a positive shared experience. For some preschoolers

this may be their primary opportunity to socialize and to learn how to

behave around other children or how to sit quietly for a group activity.

Make the most of this experience by encouraging children to talk about

what they’ve read or heard.

Reading can improve hand-eye coordination.

It may sound funny, but ebooks can be a way for children to improve

their fine motor skills and their hand-eye coordination, as they click

around a childfriendly website or click the backward and forward buttons of online story pages. They may also be picking up valuable computer

skills that they’ll need in school and later in life.

Reading can provide children with plenty of
good, clean fun !

I’ve saved the most important point for last. Reading can provide

children with endless hours of fun and entertainment. All of the

pragmatic reasons above aren’t at all necessary to justify reading’s

place in children’s lives. Stories can free up imaginations and

open up exciting new worlds of fantasy or reality. They allow children

to dream and may give them a good start on the road to viewing

reading as a lifelong source of pleasure, so read to your young

children every day.

Inspire your older children to read. Give them access to plenty of

reading material that they’ll enjoy and discuss it with them. Sample

everything – traditional printed books and  ebooks on Internet, classic

children’s novels and fairy tales, as well as more modern stories.

If a child wants to hear the same story over and over again, don’t

worry about it. Children take comfort from the familiarity and

predictability of a beloved story that they know by heart. There’s no

harm in that. Reread old favorites and, at the same time,  introduce

your children to new stories. Your child’s mind and heart have room

for both.

So reading really does matter after all !

There are so many ways  in which reading continues to be both a

vital skill for children to master, and an important source of knowledge

and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture it in your children. Make

the most of all the resources that are available and waiting for you:

printed books, online books, magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-

up activities involving creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that

your children can reflect upon or expand on what they’ve absorbed and,

at the same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids

appreciate the magic of reading, you’ll find that there’s a whole

wonderful world full of children’s literature out there that YOU can enjoy too.

By Tara Parker-Pope

Source: The New York Times

Parents and teachers often tell children to pay attention — to be a “good listener.” But what if your child’s brain doesn’t know how to listen?

That’s the challenge for children with auditory processing disorder, a poorly understood syndrome that interferes with the brain’s ability to recognize and interpret sounds. It’s been estimated that 2 to 5 percent of children have the disorder, said Gail D. Chermak, an expert on speech and hearing sciences at Washington State University, and it’s likely that many cases have gone undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

The symptoms of A.P.D. — trouble paying attention and following directions, low academic performance, behavior problems and poor reading and vocabulary — are often mistaken for attention problems or even autism.

But now the disorder is getting some overdue attention, thanks in part to the talk-show host Rosie O’Donnell and her 10-year-old son, Blake, who has A.P.D.

In the foreword to a new book, “The Sound of Hope” (Ballantine) — by Lois Kam Heymann, the speech pathologist and auditory therapist who helped Blake — Ms. O’Donnell recounts how she learned something was amiss.

It began with a haircut before her son started first grade. Blake had already been working with a speech therapist on his vague responses and other difficulties, so when he asked for a “little haircut” and she pressed him on his meaning, she told the barber he wanted short hair like his brother’s. But in the car later, Blake erupted in tears, and Ms. O’Donnell realized her mistake. By “little haircut,” Blake meant little hair should be cut. He wanted a trim.

“I pulled off on the freeway and hugged him,” Ms. O’Donnell said. “I said: ‘Blakey, I’m really sorry. I didn’t understand you. I’ll do better.’ ”

That was a turning point. Ms. O’Donnell’s quest to do better led her to Ms. Heymann, who determined that while Blake could hear perfectly well, he had trouble distinguishing between sounds. To him, words like “tangerine” and “tambourine,” “bed” and “dead,” may sound the same.

“The child hears ‘And the girl went to dead,’ and they know it doesn’t make sense,” Ms. Heymann told me. “But while they try to figure it out, the teacher continues talking and now they’re behind. Those sounds are being distorted or misinterpreted, and it affects how the child is going to learn speech and language.”

Blake’s brain struggled to retain the words he heard, resulting in a limited vocabulary and trouble with reading and spelling. Abstract language, metaphors like “cover third base,” even “knock-knock” jokes, were confusing and frustrating.

Children with auditory processing problems often can’t filter out other sounds. The teacher’s voice, a chair scraping the floor and crinkling paper are all heard at the same level. “The normal reaction by the parent is ‘Why don’t you listen?’ ” Ms. Heymann said. “They were listening, but they weren’t hearing the right thing.”

The solution is often a comprehensive approach, at school and at home. To dampen unwanted noise, strips of felt or tennis balls may be placed on the legs of chairs and desks. Parents work to simplify language and avoid metaphors and abstract references.

The O’Donnell household cut back on large, noisy gatherings that were upsetting to Blake. Twice-weekly sessions focusing on sounds and words, using rhyme and body gestures, helped him catch up on the learning he had missed.

Help inside the classroom is essential. One family in Westchester County, who asked not to be named to protect their son’s privacy, met with his teachers and agreed on an array of adaptations — including having his teacher wear a small microphone that directed her voice more clearly to a speaker on the student’s desk so he could better distinguish her voice from competing sounds.

Nobody knows exactly why auditory processing skills don’t fully develop in every child, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Scientists are conducting brain-imaging studies to better understand the neural basis of the condition and find out if there are different forms.

Reassuringly, the disorder seems to have little or nothing to do with intelligence. Blake has an encyclopedic knowledge of animals — he once corrected his mother for referring to a puma as a mountain lion. The Westchester child is now a 17-year-old high school student being recruited by top colleges.

“He’s in accelerated Latin, honors science classes,” said his mother. “I remember I used to dream of the day he would be able to wake up in the morning and just say, ‘Mommy.’ ”

Not every child does so well, and some children with A.P.D. have other developmental and social problems. But Ms. O’Donnell says that treatment is not just about better grades.

“It definitely affected his whole world,” she said of her son. “Not just learning. It cuts them off from society, from interactions. To see the difference in who he is today versus who he was two years ago, and then to contemplate what would have happened had we not been able to catch it — I think he would have been lost.”

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