The importance of reading.

From the original article found here....

Never Too Old to Read Aloud

Out-loud reading sessions have many benefits for children of all ages.
By Victoria

Ever since my children were little I have always read to them. Bedtime had the most structured routine in regard to reading aloud to my children. We would get ready for bed, brush teeth, and then snuggle in for one or two goodnight stories. As they got older I began reading chapter books at bedtime. We would read a chapter each night until we had finished the book. Then they got to about fifth or sixth grade and instead of me reading at night we set aside a half-hour before bedtime as reading time. Everyone, including me, would read for a half-hour before they went to bed. I felt that I was doing a good job of modeling what avid readers do and creating a block of time so that we practiced what I preached.

Recently, however, I was reading a wonderful article on how your children are never too old to have a story read to them. The article talked about how families can create read-aloud time together and share the responsibility of reading out loud so that everyone has the opportunity to share the reading experience. This is especially effective when you have various ages and abilities within your family. Older children are able to model good reading strategies for younger siblings so that parents aren't the only ones in the family seen as good readers. I gave this article quite a bit of thought and did what I always do when I think we need to try something new at our house: I went home to discuss this idea with my son. Sean Michael was not as impressed with this idea as I had been. In fact, he promptly told me that he felt like reading aloud together was kind of babyish and he was happy just keeping the 30-minute reading block before bed as independent reading time. Being a pain-in-the-neck teacher mom, I put my foot down and asked that we at least try it. Under duress, he gave in.

My mom had sent him a classic piece of literature; a wonderful novel titled "To Kill a Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. At first, Sean Michael just wanted to read it by himself, but he soon discovered that this novel was written quite a while ago and contained vocabulary and syntax that he was not used to reading. So he reluctantly gave in and we began reading the book together each night. I read a page and then he reads a page. He seems to like alternating better than reading a whole chapter at one time. It has proven to be a remarkable experience. We are able to discuss unfamiliar vocabulary, syntax and concepts as we go. Since it takes place in the 1930s and is set in the South, there has been quite a bit of background knowledge that he does not have.

Reading together provides abundant opportunities for us to develop a better understanding of the time and place and how these factors influence the characters and events in the novel. It has also provided us with some valuable parent-child time. As he continues to grow up he seems so intent on creating individual experiences. I am grateful and so appreciative that we get this time each night to read together. I also noticed the other night that he was beginning to use more expression as he read. I would like to think that my modeling had something to do with that. Either way, I am intent on continuing this ritual for as long as I can. I shouldn't have stopped it so soon in the first place.