Do You Notice How You Read to Your Kids?

Posted by admin

August 30, 2007 |

Maybe you should.

According to research Mothers’ reading style affects children’s later understanding of other people’s minds. Apparently how you read to your children can affect how they understand others later on in life.

The use of cognitive verbs like ‘think’, ‘know’, ‘remember’ and ‘believe’ by mothers when reading picture books to their children has a beneficial effect on their children’s later ability to understand other people’s mental states

Basically mothers who enhance stories and explain what the characters are thinking had children who were better able to understand what others are thinking. It’s an intersting theory, to say the least. I have often heard that it is best to use interactive reading when reading to young children. Asking them what they think will happen next or what do they think the characters should do. So it seems to me that this is another example of this, but that by putting emphasis on the thoughts of characters in the book you are helping your children grasp what could be the motivational thoughts of others.

Though the study focuses on mothers, I am going to assume fathers have the same affect.

Comments

3 Comments so far

Rhen (yestheyareallmine) on August 30, 2007 8:57 pm
I can see where that could be true. I know my kids (even the older ones) love to have me read books to them. Especially Junie B. Jones books. I am willing to do just about anything that will benefit them!
Michelle at Scribbit on September 2, 2007 1:01 am
I’ve tried to do this, it’s a great thing to help them “get” the story.
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