According to a new study funded by the Nuffield Foundation, parents and caregivers who regularly read with preschoolers give them a language advantage of eight months, compared with their peers. A huge difference for children aged under five. The research team, led by James Law, Professor of Speech and Language Science in Newcastle University of Education, found that the capacity to understand information is positively affected when preschool kids read with someone who cares for them.
The scientists were looking for effects on receptive language (language understanding), expressive language (how to put thoughts into words) and pre-reading skills (how language is structured). The results were positive in all three categories, but the biggest difference was measured in receptive language abilities. Many studies have shown that kids with delayed language development do generally worse at school and have poorer later outcomes in life. This is why you should read more and more often with your kids.
Alice in Wonderland, by George Dunlop Leslie (Wikimedia Commons - w/Effects)
