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How Reading Helps Language Development

Table of Contents


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

Reading is an important activity that 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. Continue to read to your child, even as he or she gets older and seems to lose interest.

Reasons to read

Reading books with children helps develop their language skills by:

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.


Credits for How Reading Helps Language Development

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
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