Some children who suffer from speech or language difficulties may have trouble expressing their thoughts in both words and gestures. They can have a tough time understanding conversations or written words, which causes them to have trouble speaking words clearly. Reading to your child while asking him or her to say character names or other objects in the story is a great way to strengthen these language skills.
Speech therapy tips for reading aloud with preschoolers and school-age children
Cuddling with your child during the reading sessions is a great way to link reading with fun and positive reinforcement. Spend story-time with your older children each and every day. Children of all ages appreciate this close bonding time, and they will begin to look forward to these read-along sessions rather than fear them, which will help to improve their language skills dramatically. Always choose books that are on your child’s skill level and about subjects that your child enjoys.
- Don’t be afraid to read the same stories over and over. This may seem tedious for the parent, but the repetition helps the child gain confidence and improve his or her speaking skills.
- Both you and your child can point to silly pictures and begin conversations. “Look at that silly elephant” or “Do you see that funny puppy?” are great examples of conversation starters.
- Discuss the storyline by asking questions like, “Why do you think the little boy stole the cupcake?”
- Play games with your child that involve sounds. Alliteration games where you make a list of words starting with the same letter are always fun, like “daddy,” “doggie,” and “David.” Or choose words that rhyme, like “small,” “tall,” and “ball.”
Speech therapy tips for reading aloud with toddlers and infants
Reading aloud with your younger child is a great way to speed their brain development. So, don’t be afraid of overdoing it. Read to your child every day. Choose stories that your child enjoys and engage the child in interacting with you in a conversational manner. Because toddlers and infants have much shorter attention spans that older children, consider starting out by only reading with your child a few minutes each day. Gradually increase the amount of reading time each week. Before you know it, your child will see reading and speaking as fun rather than scary.
