A Head Start With Books - ESL Worksheet

Good Morning & Happy Monday!

I apologize for not posting last week's article! I couldn't get to blogger due to some strange problem with our compound's Internet firewall. However, I finally gave up and got my own provider. We'd been having problems ever since we arrived, so it is wonderful having real Internet again!

I hope you enjoy this week's article and worksheet. Thank you for visiting and have a great week!

A HEAD START WITH BOOKS

We all want smart children. We want them to be successful and happy in life. There are many things you can do to help your children learn. One of the best things you can do is read to your child.

There are many benefits to reading with your child. One important benefit is developing strong ties. 

Your children will develop a good relationship with you. They will enjoy sitting together and spending time with you. They will remember your times together with joy.

Another benefit is that your child will have excellent vocabulary. She will know words from different subjects. She will learn about science and geography. She will know how to learn from books. Your child will not be bored by books. Instead she will see books as her friend.

Children who read a lot can speak and write well. They learn how to communicate with people. Your child will learn how speak about different subjects. He will know interesting facts and even jokes and stories. This will help him at work and other places, when he is an adult.

Your child will see books as a tool. If she has a question, she will know where to get an answer. If she is bored, she will use books to have fun. Your child will see the library as her friend. She will have an easier time doing research or even fixing something.

If you are not sure how to start reading to your child, start with the tips below. You can start with babies as young as three months. Babies enjoy looking at pictures. Choose books with large and simple pictures. Show your baby the picture and talk about it. Hug and kiss your baby from time to time. This will help your baby enjoy books.

Read to your child for ten minutes every day. Choose books and subjects that your child enjoys. Read to your child in a language that you both know well. If you do not know the language of the book, talk about the pictures together. Choose many kinds of books, such as comics, magazines and poetry. This will make reading interesting for your child.

Read to your child at bedtime. Make this a ritual. This way, your child will have fond memories of books. Smile and laugh at the funny parts of books. Talk about the pictures. Make bedtime reading an enjoyable time for both of you.

Children like to pretend read. They like to look at pictures and act like they are reading. This helps them to build reading skills. If your child wants to pretend read, let her do so. Listen to her and respond to her reading.

Read your own books and let your child see you reading. Children copy what they see.

If your children enjoy cartoons, give them books about the characters they love. Choose topics that interest your child right now. For example, if he enjoys building with blocks, get books about building. If he enjoys painting, get a child's book about painting.

If you want to learn more about reading to your child, visit the website below for more information. You can download a booklet on how to read to your child. It is written in different languages.

Reading with your child  - a booklet in different languages

http://www.booktime.org.uk/schools/reading-with-your-child

Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this article, please click below.