Dialogic Reading: How to Make Book-Sharing Even More Effective

Reading to your children is the absolute best way to prepare your little ones for later reading success. Research has shown, however, that the way in which you read to your children is just as important as the frequency with which you read to them.

Dialogic reading is a proven-effective method of reading in which adults prompt children with questions and engage them in discussions while reading to them. It encourages parents to go beyond just reading the words on the page. By asking questions, expanding on children’s responses, encouraging them to retell stories, and restating the names, objects, and events in the book, dialogic reading helps young children build and reinforce the basic language and literacy skills that will make them successful readers down the road.

For more information on dialogic reading and a step-by-step guide on how you can try it with your children, check out this article by Grover J. Whitehurst, whose research is the basis for dialogic reading.