The Many Ways to Read a Book

From the moment they first encounter a book, to the magical moments when they decode words independently, the process of learning to read is a fascinating adventure filled with discovery and wonder. Let’s explore the different ways children “read” books:

Touching: For infants and toddlers, books are not just stories but tactile experiences. Little fingers eagerly grasp at the pages, exploring textures, shapes, colors and even sounds. Board, foam, and cloth books are perfect for tiny hands to manipulate. They provide sensory exploration and develop fine motor skills.

Listening: Long before children can make sense of words on a page, they are captive listeners. Reading aloud to infants and young children exposes them to the intonation and rhythm of language which builds the foundation for comprehension and vocabulary development. Reading to children helps them associate the sounds they hear with the words on the page. Keep in mind that infants and toddlers are busy with short attention spans, so don’t feel the need to finish an entire book or even a page if a child’s attention drifts to something else. It’s okay to come back to the same book over and over again. It’s also okay to read to children while they are engaged in other activities like building if sitting for a story isn’t something they are interested in yet.

Seeing and Saying: Picture books usually offer illustrations that intrigue young children. Before reading the text, children often enjoy taking a “picture walk” through the book, examining the illustrations and experiencing the story from the images alone. This pre-reading strategy enhances comprehension and fosters critical thinking skills. It’s a great opportunity to introduce new vocabulary and have children name objects/feelings/actions.

Story Retelling: As children grow and their language skills develop, they can retell familiar stories in their own words. Whether it’s a favorite bedtime story or picture book, the process of narrative retelling strengthens memory, sequencing abilities, and oral language proficiency.

Playing Letter and Word Games: As preschoolers become more familiar with letters and their corresponding sounds, they often enjoy activities that support decoding words. Simple phonics activities, word games, and exposure to sight words help children make connections between letters and their sounds, laying the groundwork for early reading skills. Children might enjoy being letter/word detectives and searching for particular letters or sight words in a book (you can add a small magnifying glass to make this activity even more exciting).

Shared Reading: One of the most powerful tools in nurturing literacy skills is the practice of shared reading. Sitting together with a caregiver or educator, children engage in interactive reading experiences where they actively participate in the storytelling process. Through discussions, questioning, and predictions, children deepen their understanding of narrative structure and develop crucial comprehension strategies.

Check out this resource on Dialogic Reading (an evidence-based shared-reading strategy): https://ursdayton.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Dialogic-Reading-handout.pdf

As you consider the types of books to share with children, check out this previous blog post on diversifying your library: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2021/09/09/diversifying-your-library/

All types of reading should be celebrated and children should view themselves as readers as early as possible. Let them know that reading words is just one way to read a book, but there are many others that they can do independently and with caregivers.  Children acquire foundational  reading and writing skills gradually. It encompasses not only decoding and comprehension, but also oral language development, phonological awareness, and print awareness. By viewing themselves as readers, children build their confidence and competence with early reading skills which can be motivating to read even more!