5 reasons reading unlocks the world of opportunity for your child.
As a company that is largely focused on technology and the convenience of apps to shoring up learning skills, the value of reading is never lost on us. As a matter of fact, it is the mission of Smart Bubblegum to impact literacy at the GLOBAL LEVEL by providing the tools and resources to meet educational challenges and reach new learning levels. In addition to being FUN, reading can help your child develop certain foundational skills – many of which have been outlined by the experts at the Reading Clinic:
- Strengthen Language Skills: Exposure to language through reading can help a child further enhance their vocabulary in a way everyday conversation cannot. If they do not recognize the meaning of a new word within the context of the passage they are reading, encourage them to ask you or look it up in the dictionary. Elizabeth Barnes, Executive Director of the Children’s Reading Foundation of the Mid-Columbia shared in a recent Yaktrinews.com article, “Reading a minimum of 20 minutes a day allows children’s vocabulary to grow and expand, exposing them to 1.8 million vocabulary words a year.”
- Develop Social Skills: Although reading is often a solitary pursuit, it is a skill that can help a child strengthen their social skills. The term “well read” is often synonymous with being intelligent and cultured. Their ability to read can bolster their ability to absorb material – better equipping them for the occasional debate or deep conversation. Encourage them to share the books they love with others, then have a conversation about the book to gain a different perspective on how that book was received by their friends.
- Improve Communication Skills: In today’s technologically driven world, we are continually called upon to communicate via text, email and social media. By being a good reader, kids will become better writers and communicators on all formats.
- Enhance Research Skills: From essays to PowerPoint presentations, modern students are often called upon to offer research to support their position and findings. Reading is essential to gathering information on the web.
- Expand their World View: Reading can open up entirely new worlds to your child – and not just in the fictional realm. Through the pages of a book, they can span the globe – learning about different countries, their people, their cultures and their histories.
While you may occasionally receive pushback from your child when you suggest they read a book, there are a number of ways you can win them over:
- Begin by reading TO them – make it a part of your daily routine… like a bedtime story. In time, have them read to YOU. Have discussions about what you both love best about the story you just shared. It’s a timeless and powerful way to foster a love of reading in your child while creating special memories together.
- Your child may be more of an auditory learner. If that’s the case, audiobooks are a terrific option. While it doesn’t build their reading skills, it may aid in absorption of the material. Again, have a conversation about lessons learned, characters and favorite moments in the story.
- To further support reading and their own storytelling skills, Smart Bubblegum is proud to offer a library of excellent apps under our BOOKS and READING + WRITING categories.
To explore additional apps, tools and resources to support your child’s learning development in reading and beyond, be sure to visit us at SmartBubblegum.com.