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Reading to Babies (0-6 Months)

It’s never too early to begin reading to your child.  Reading together not only helps your child learn the sounds of letters and words but also helps to create a connection between you and your child. When you read, be expressive and ask questions about the pictures or the story. Be sensitive to your child’s attention span, as it may differ daily. The more fun you make the experience, the more your child will want to read. Find a book you enjoy and share the experience of reading together.

References:

Bus, A. G., van IJzendoorn, M. H., & Pelligrini, A. D. (1995). Joint book reading makes for success in learning to read: A meta-analysis on intergenerational transmission of literacy. Review of Educational Research, 65(1), 1-21.

Frosch, C. A., Cox, M. J., & Goldman, B. D. (2001). Infant-parent attachment and parental and child behavior during parent-toddler storybook interaction. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 47(4), 445-474.

Sulzby, E., & Teale, W. H. (1991). Emergent literacy. In R. Barr, M. Kamil, P. Mosenthal & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research. New York: Longman.

Teale, W. H. (1987). Emergent literacy: Reading and writing development in early childhood. In E. Readance & R. S. Baldwin (Eds.), Thirty-sixth yearbook of the national reading conference (pp. 45-74). Rochester, NY: National Reading Council.

Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (1998). Child development and emergent literacy. Child Development, 69(3), 848-872.