Throughout the summer I will re-publish my articles and short stories that have been published in a variety of venues--trade magazines, literary journals, magazines, newspapers, and books--since 1992. And For the Love of Books was published in 1992 in the Manitoba Child Care Workers' trade magazine. Back then, I was engaged but yet to marry.
For the Love of Books
by Leanne Willetts (now Dyck) Child Care Worker III
When we think of reading to infants and young children many questions arise. Here I will answer three of the most commonly asked questions.
What, if anything, does the infant gain from this type of experience?
The positive effects of the reading experience are four-fold. To begin with reading is of immense benefit to early language acquisition. The infant is repeatedly exposed to a few words in an interesting and stimulating format providing him/her with a golden opportunity to expand upon a limited vocabulary at a manageable pace. Second, reading is an effective way to strengthen the bond of adult to baby. During those few precious moments, the child has your total attention, nothing exists in the universe except the two of you. Third, the sound of your voice is a wonderful preparation for nap or bed time. Fourth, the fine illustrations found in picture books provide excellent visual stimuli. Illustrators draw from the limited experience of the young child's world. They draw common items such as balls, cats, dogs, faces, which the child no doubt has had experience with. Infants are by nature egocentric and these illustrations have great appeal to them.
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Visit next Monday to read the conclusion of this article.
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Next post: Raving about A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
