To most book enthusiasts, reading to their kids seems like a no-brainer, after all, why not share their love for books? However, researchers have discovered that reading with children provides benefits beyond bonding moments. Reading improves children’s academic performance, leading to better educational outcomes.
While much research has been done to determine the effects of children engaging in literacy-related activities, much focuses on the early years and how reading helps develop literacy skills. But, reading does not stop being important once your child learns how to. Instead, the opportunities that a child has to read at home, your beliefs and behaviours continue to impact your child’s reading throughout their school years. Here are five ways reading can help your child’s general education:
1. Better Focus and Concentration
Reading is a unique activity that demands a child’s undivided attention and stimulates knowledge acquisition. Children must remain seated, concentrate, and take in the information to understand what’s happening in each story. This level of concentration enables them to reflect deeper on the story’s subject matter, helping them develop their interpretations and conclusions. As a result, reading is an invaluable tool for cultivating critical thinking and encouraging independent thought in children.
2. Better Comprehension Skills
As children start to think more critically, they become more engaged in a story, which helps them to understand it better. This ability to understand what they’re reading starts at a young age. Many toddlers become attached to a particular book and want to read it over and over again. This repetition helps them to remember the story better. As they grow older and start reading on their own, children who read a lot and widely are more likely to remember details, understand the plot and themes, and more. Remembering information and thinking critically are essential skills in all subjects, and they all start with reading.
3. Development of Vocabulary and Language
When we read books, we often encounter new words that we may not understand right away. However, by using the story’s context, we can figure out what they mean. We can ask someone or look up the definition if we can’t. Children undergo the same learning process: they learn English by listening to others and reading books. And eventually, the more they read, the more words they know. Having a larger vocabulary helps us express ourselves more accurately, which is important for performing well in school – achieving academic excellence.
4. Improved Writing Skills
Reading and writing go hand in hand. Through reading, children are exposed to different writing styles and, from there, learn how to structure sentences and paragraphs, use correct grammar and punctuation, and develop their own writing voice. Reading also helps children to improve their vocabulary, enabling them to use more descriptive and precise language in their writing. As such, children who read regularly tend to be better writers. This skill is highly beneficial in school since they will be required to complete their assignments, write essays and generate reports as they progress on their academic journey.
5. Enhanced Empathy and Social Skills
Besides academic performance, reading also helps to develop empathy and social skills, which are important for success in school and life. Children are exposed to different characters and situations through reading, allowing them to see the world from different perspectives. This exposure, in turn, can help children develop empathy and understanding towards others.
Furthermore, reading can help children develop social skills by providing examples of how to communicate and interact with others. For instance, reading books with dialogue can help children learn how to have conversations and express themselves in social settings.
Strengthen Your Child’s Command in English with MindChamps Enrichment
With so many benefits of reading, as parents, it is important to encourage your child to read regularly, both at home and in an educational setting. One such setting is MindChamps Enrichment. Here, we have an English Reading Programme designed to cater to children of different ages and learning needs. Having been developed by education experts, you can be assured that our Reading Programme provides a structured and systematic approach, focusing on building strong foundations in phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking. All of these contribute to developing confidence and academic competence in your child – setting them up for success.
Additionally, don’t miss out on the complimentary literacy assessment session offered by MindChamps, which can help you better understand your child’s literacy level and identify areas for improvement.
Invest in your child’s future today by exploring the range of English enrichment classes available at MindChamps. Find a MindChamps Enrichment Centre near you today, or simply get in touch with us to find out more.