From kindergarten through third grade, a child's ability to read
grows by leaps and bounds. Although teachers provide lots of
help, parents continue to play a very important role in their
child's reading development. Kids who are first learning to read
get more information from listening to books read aloud than
from reading them independently. This is especially true for
vocabulary development — kids will learn much more about what
words mean by hearing books read aloud and discussing new words
with their parents than from reading on their own. As your
child's reading skills improve, he or she will begin to read
independently. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should stop
reading to your child. Reading aloud together can help build
vocabulary, improve reading skills, and foster a sense of
closeness between you and your child. Encourage discussion about
characters and share your reactions to books to help reinforce
the connection between what you read and everyday life. Your
Growing Reader Here's how readi