Page 6 - teachYourChildToRead

6 Teach your child to read

with the vowel sounds. For example, babies begin to repeat consonant/
vowel combinations such as “bababababa” or “nanananana”.

Eight to twelve months
Between the age of eight to twelve months babies begin to demonstrate
that they can understand language. For example your child may respond
to simple questions such as “where is mummy?” by looking in her
direction or by pointing. They also begin to respond to simple requests
such as “give it to mummy” by handing over the requested object. At this
stage, infant’s vocalisations transform into ‘speech like’ utterances, they
will use intonation and combinations of sounds they have heard and
learnt.

By the end of the first year children can normally say a few words
consistently. However, children of this age understand a lot more, their
comprehension of language (or receptive language skills) far outweighs
their ability to verbalise words. Twelve month old infants may only be
able to utter a few words, but they can generally understand ten to fifty.

TIP: Your child will probably understand a lot more than you
realise. Remember to talk a lot; they are listening to
every word.

Reading to your infant

Birth to three months

Reading regularly to your child from an early age promotes language
acquisition. It is by far the best strategy to promote the development of
successful reading skills. Read to your child every day; include it into
your daily routine.

Begin reading to your infant from day one. Your new born will recognise
your voice and also find the sound of your voice when you read reassuring.

Select a time to read when your baby is alert and relaxed. Commencing a
reading session when your child is tired or hungry will not be enjoyable
for either you or the baby. A better time may be after their feed and a
bath, as they are more likely to be calm. They really want to hear your