Early Reading

The importance of reading

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

Reading is an exercise for the mind. It helps children calm down and relax, opening doors of new knowledge. Children who read grow up to have better cognitive skills.

Reading improves vocabulary

Even as adults, when we read, we come across many new words. Children sometimes stumble over their words, do not know how to pronounce them or what they mean. By reading, young people encounter new words more frequently and sometimes repetitively and therefore can see them better in their context.

Better comprehension

Children who are encouraged to read and share stories, rhymes and songs at an early age have better comprehension of things around them. As a result, they grow up to be more intelligent and aware of their surroundings than children who don’t read. The more you read, the more imaginative you become. Whenever you read a fiction book, it takes you another world. In the new world, your imagination works at its best as you try to see things in your own mind.

Develops critical thinking skills

One of the benefits of reading is its ability to develop thinking skills. Thinking skills are crucial when it comes to making important day to day decisions. Reading requires an individual to think and process information in a way that watching television can’t. The more you read, the deeper your understanding becomes about what you’re reading. Predicting how the story was going to end before finishing the book means you utilized your analytical skills. Reading allows your thinking skills to become more developed in the sense that you consider all aspects.

Improves memory

Every time you read a book, you remember the setting of the book, the characters, their backgrounds and their personalities. As your brain learns to remember all this, your memory becomes better. What’s more, with every new memory you create, you create new pathways in the brain and this strengthens the existing ones.

Improves learning

Children who indulge in reading books and learning new things do better at school. They are more creative, open to new ideas, and develop empathy for others. They learn to empathise with characters in the books and want to be like them. Not only that, they learn valuable life lessons such as helping others and being kind.

Builds confidence

Children who lack confidence in their early stages often find it harder to face challenges and changes that life throws at them as they grow up, instead sometimes giving up. Reading books sharpens many skills and all together they’ll build confidence and enhance resilience.

Helps you socialise

We can always share whatever we have read with our family, friends and colleagues. This increases our ability to socialise.

Broadens horizons

Reading books, gives you get a glimpse of other cultures and places. Books expand your horizons, letting you see other countries, other people and so many other things you have never seen or imagined. It’s the perfect way to visit a different place in your mind.

Improves writing skills
Children who read a wide range of books also tend to develop better writing skills. The reason: they have been introduced to a world where words are their main weapon and they have the experiences to use their imagination freely. 

Improves focus and concentration

When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story or information—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in the story. This leads to better and longer concentration spans.

Makes you more empathetic

By reading a book, you become part of the story and feel the pain and other emotions of the characters. This in turn allows your mind to become more aware of how different things affect other people. Eventually, this improves your ability to emphasise with other people.

Wellbeing

Reading books reduces stress, helps you sleep better, improves health, and develops your imagination and above all: it is just fun to do. Reading has a tremendous effect on all aspects of our personality and enhancing our linguistic prowess and vocabulary use.  

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” — Frederick Douglass

Here are links to the foundation stage team reading some of their favourite stories. We hope that you enjoy them.

See below for Miss Fields story video. Keep a watch for more videos coming soon