An adult and a child reading together is a simple practice, but also a powerful one: It helps the child build their vocabulary, oral language, and listening comprehension skills, as well as their knowledge and understanding about the world around them.
These are critical components of early literacy. A 10-year initiative called Reading for Understanding found that once a child learns to decode words, low language skills and gaps in world knowledge impede further progress in reading comprehension. In fact, listening comprehension becomes the leading predictor of reading comprehension.
The need for language skill supports is evident for students in Mecklenburg County. In spring 2023, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools staff shared a report with the school board about the reading levels of Black and Hispanic third grade students, showing that more than 90% of those students needed language skill supports.
Development of these important language skills begins early in life, well before children start school. Reading together early and often can help support that development.
“It’s well established that a children’s book is one of the most powerful tools we have to build language skills,” said Read Charlotte Executive Director Munro Richardson. “In fact, we’d wager that virtually all third graders in our community who score at College and Career Ready on the annual state reading assessment have adults in their lives who regularly read together with them.”
In addition to helping children build their vocabulary, oral language, and listening comprehension skills, reading together provides an opportunity for adults to model proficient reading, including reading with fluency and good expression. Reading fiction books helps children develop a deeper understanding of how stories work, while reading nonfiction books about topics like plants, animals, and space helps build world knowledge. Along with classroom instruction that explicitly teaches children to read written language, these ingredients combine to help children become strong readers in elementary school.
And for a practice with so many benefits, reading together has few limitations. It can be done in a variety of ways; anywhere, at any time. But done regularly, it can be a powerful practice in a child’s life, helping to build important skills and encourage a love of learning. To explore different ways to read together and get tips on incorporating it into your family’s routine, click here.
