The Value of Re-Reading Books to Kids

Don’t be surprised if your child has a book that they love to read again and again. Regardless of whether you are re-reading a book to your child or if your child is reading it to you, there are quite a few benefits of re-reading books, especially for children who are new to reading. AT Mt. Elizabeth Academy, we love reading books over and over to our kids!

Comprehension

Comprehension refers to the ability to be able to understand all the elements of a story. This includes understanding the characters, the plot and how it all develops and relates. Comprehension is the crux of reading and every time your child hears a story, they pick up more and more about the story. When a child does this, they have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of the story and this helps them to get ready to understand more difficult stories as they develop.

Phonemic Awareness

By re-reading a book a child is able to develop a better understanding of phonemic awareness. This involves hearing, identifying and manipulating individual sounds in words and this is a very important stage in early reading. When you read out loud to your child they have the opportunity to see the link between spelling and punctuation.

Bonding Time

When you read a book with your child, it doesn’t matter if you’re re-reading the same book over and over again; it is a perfect opportunity to bond. You can make games out of predicting what is going to happen next!

Word Recognition and Vocabulary

A child’s vocabulary increases the more that they read. When we re-read a book to a child, they become familiar with the words in that book. If you consider the fact that you have a probably memorised your child’s favourite book, it’s highly likely that they will have too.

Fluency

The word fluency means to be able to read something quickly and accurately whilst using expression. Re-reading a book enables a child to read without having to pause which then becomes a more pleasurable experience for your child. When a child feels comfortable with a particular book, they will then feel happier to then move on to a new book.

Rhythm and Pattern

When you read a story to your child out loud, they begin to become more aware of the rhythm and pattern of a story or text. If we carefully think about language, it is more than just words, language is about how words sound and connect with each other. So for children who are just at the beginning of understanding the way language works, reading and re-reading enables a child to see the rhythm in texts.

Filling Any Missing Gaps

New readers need to have lots of practice when it comes to reading so that they can move beyond the stage where they have to read word by word. This enables them to progress and become more fluent with their reading. So, when your child re-reads a book, they have the opportunity to practice and build upon their fluency.

Confidence

When a child becomes fluent and has good comprehension skills, their reading becomes more confident. When a child is able to read a book without having to stop at certain words they become more assured in their abilities and are therefore more likely to enjoy reading.

Re-Reading Books to Kids is a great strategy for at home and at daycare and the very best reason is, the kids love it!