Did You Know That...
Reading aloud to children helps prepare them to become readers themselves?
When we read aloud to children, we give them a chance to interact with and use language. Not only do they listen, but if the reader talks about the text with them, they also get a chance to ask and answer questions, retell the story, tell about their favorite part, etc. All of these language uses are important building blocks for becoming a reader oneself.
For more on this topic see Overview of Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children, an IRA and NAEYC Position Statement.
Also see From Rhetoric to Reality: the Case for High Quality Compensatory Prekindergarten Programs in December 2003 Phi Delta Kappan, 85(4), pp. 286-291.