How Reading Helps Language Development -

Topic Overview
Newborns and toddlers

Speech and language lessons start in the uterus, where your unborn baby hears and responds to
familiar voices. After birth, your newborn learns language by listening to the basic and distinct
sounds (phonemes), such as the "tr" and "cl" sounds in the English language.

Reading to your newborn gives him or her comforting contact. You are also establishing an early
reading routine, and this helps make future reading comfortable and fun.

As your newborn becomes a toddler and older, reading opens him or her to new ideas. It helps
your child become more familiar with the sounds and rhythms of the language.

Older children and teens

Continue to read to your child, even as he or she gets older and seems to lose interest. Reading
and other activities, such as writing, drawing or playing a musical instrument, can help children
learn to think and express themselves in new ways. Your older child or teen may discover a new
or stronger interest, which may help his or her self-esteem.

Reasons to read

Reading books with children helps develop their language skills by:

Increasing their exposure to language. Stories that rhyme are very helpful for teaching speech
and language skills and can help children discover a love of language.
Engaging children's imaginations, stimulating imaginative play (a primary way children learn
about the world), and introducing children to things and places they may not have a chance to
learn about otherwise, such as oceans or dinosaurs.
Helping children work out their feelings about the world. Many children's books are on topics
that can open up valuable discussions between a parent and child, such as books about sibling
rivalry, nightmares, or dealing with difficult emotions.

Tips to help children read

Read to your child every day. Here are some tips to help you. Take your child's age into
consideration as you use them.

Choose books with colorful pictures, and point to the pictures while you read.
Read books that are made of cloth or cardboard so that your child can hold them and turn the
pages.
 Choose books that show lots of action. Ask your child to point to familiar items and make the
sounds that go with them. Say "Point to the fire engine" and "What sound does the fire engine
make?"
Join your child in reading. Set aside time that you and your child can look forward to and talk
about stories, words, and ideas.
Visit the library on a regular basis. Try to find books with new subjects that you think might
interest your child.

Reading English newspapers will improve

language proficiency
They help students enhance vocabulary and sentence-formation skills

SALEM: The habit of reading English newspapers will help students improve their language
proficiency and also understand various topics in the syllabus, speakers said at a programme
organised by News Corner, a newspaper reading club of the English Literary Association, at
Gokulanatha Hindu Mahajana Higher Secondary School, here on Friday.

Participating in the programme, Postgraduate Assistant (English), Neelambal Subramaniam HSS,

J.Samuel Devanbu explained that reading news papers would help students enhance their
vocabulary and sentence-formation skills. Continuous practice was required to improve the
language skills, he pointed out. He interacted with students and motivated them to develop the
habit of reading.

School Correspondent S. Sriraman, presiding over the programme, pointed out that many Indian
leaders including former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Arignar Anna were known for their mastery
over the English language. Students should take them as role models and improve their language
skills.

Other speakers said that the impression that newspapers in no way had a direct link in enhancing
students ability in understanding that their textbook was wrong. Students could find many
textual portions particularly for Plus I and Plus II in the newspapers.

Topics

The association released a newsletter titled Textual Reading in Hindu for English Newspapers.
The newsletter carries examples from The various textbook topics including idiomatic phrases,
abbreviations and acronyms, compound words, prefixes and suffixes, impersonal and personal
passive voice and homophones. Assistant Headmaster B.R. Tamilmani released the newsletter.

Standard X students L. Govindaraj, S. Jebakumar, R. Sathiyan and B.Veerichetty sang an

English song. School Headmaster V. Gnanasekaran and Association Secretary R. Sasikala also
spoke.