REVISED 2004

The Value of Reading Aloud to Children.* A Chicago school superintendent said, "If we could get our parents to read to their preschool children fifteen minutes a day, we could revolutionize the schools."

But why read aloud? Listen to these dismal statistics. The United States, is the wealthiest of countries, with more automobiles, television sets, and electronic gadgets than any other nation in the world. Yet two out of every three children can't read, won't read, or hate to read. One out every five American adults is functionally illiterate. This means that 20 percent of our adults cannot even read the directions on a can of soup and that another 34 percent are only marginally literate, that means that they are barely able to address an envelope. (U.S. News & World Report, May 17, 1982.)

Why is it that we spend millions of dollars in teaching children how to read but so few choose to read. Obviously something is wrong. It appears to me that we have concentrated on teaching children how to read but we have failed to help them want to read. Katherlyn Randalph is a fifth grade teacher in the Boston public schools. Her students scored nearly twice as high as other Boston reading classes, and better than 88 percent of the nation's fifth grades. "I always find the time to read for 10 or 15 minutes a day," she explains. "Excitement is a very contagious thing in a classroom, and children are immediately infected by it. My enthusiasm shows children that class work is not just doing something with kids they should like--teachers like it too." "Here's a Room Full of Success," Boston Globe, June 21, 1982, p. 6. If reading aloud to children stimulates their interest, their emotional development, and their imagination, why is it that parents and teachers don't do more of it?

Talk With Your Children.* Who talks to your children? The television, cassette player, the video, your computer, wind-up toys--these all talk, to the child. Yes, their school teachers and Sabbath school teachers are all center stage in communicating to your children. Group discussion, as valuable as it is, doesn't fill the bill. Harvey S. Wiener, in his valuable book, Talk With Your Child, says, "Talking and learning depend on each other. Are you satisfied that you're talking enough with your child now? In general, family statistics in this regard are pretty grim. American mothers, says the Department of Education, spend less than 30 minutes a day talking with their children. Fathers spend even less than that-- about 15 minutes a day." Harvey S. Wiener, Talk With Your Child, (New York: Penguin Books, 1988), p. 7. And why is it important to talk with your children? First of all, Scripture admonishes us: "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (Deut. 6:6, 7, NIV).

Specialists in child development are unanimous in their emphasis of the vital importance of talking with children. Conversation shares the fabric of language and enhances reading and writing skills. Every child needs a conversational partner --someone who is gentle, affectionate, open-minded, curious, patient, and relaxed.

We all talk to our children every day: "Put your coat on," "Don't forget your lunch," "Wipe your shoes," "Take your bath," "Turn off the television," "Go to bed," etc. The great need is talking with children.

(1) Converse with your children at the table. (2) Ask questions about their day-to-day activities. And share your life experiences with your children. (3) Read aloud to your children and talk to them about the words and pictures. (4) Seek your child's opinion about issues--clothing, food, entertainment. (5) Encourage your child to enlarge on one-or two-word statements. (6) Provide options for your children when a decision has to be made. Ask them to give their reasons. (7) Invite your children to share in planning vacations. (8) Arrange for your pre-schoolers to play near you so you can converse with them about their play. (9) Ask your children to explain their pictures as they draw. Play verbal word games with your children using riddles, rhymes, synonyms, etc. (10) Name and identify unfamiliar objects or concepts as you read. (Adapted from Harvey S. Wiener, Ibid., pp. 5-11.)

Pay special attention to children's questions. A question indicates that a child is ready to learn. Tom, six years old, with a puzzled look on his face, asks: "How strong is God? Can He really move mountains like they said in Sabbath school?" Dad thinks for a moment. "Yes, Tom. If God made the mountains, wouldn't it be reasonable to say that He can if He wants to?"

Questions are important to children and deserve a thoughtful response. Many times we will have to admit we don't know. "Martha, that's a good question. But I don't know the answer."

Let me remind you again that children spell love: T-I-M-E.

*These portions are reprinted from: How to Teach the Bible With Power, by Charles H. Betz, pp. 47-49.

"Singing stimulates more of a baby's brain than simply talking-- Lyrics impact the left half of the brain, while the melody affects the right." Author Unknown