The book is a window to the world – it is an old truth that we all know. With it we discover the way of life, the norms and the accepted reality of a people. The book is an impartial ambassador and an invaluable helper in our lives.
A book that is native to the language and a collective focus of culture
Its role cannot be denied, even in today’s world, in which the new generation is taking less and less time to read. In English language learning for one child, the book is at the beginning and at the end of training – at the beginning, since it starts with the first literacy and language learning and at the end because it ends with free reading with full understanding, reading for pleasure and self-development.
When a 4-5 year old child begins his / her foreign language training in English, in the process of teaching, teachers will open many books and books for him / her to read in English. The child sees his first picture dictionary, reads his first story from that colorful book with a fascinating story and beautiful illustrations.
This is not only an unforgettable moment. It is the first contact of the child with the world that uses English as a means of conveying ideas, philosophy and the value system.
One of the first additions to what happens with reading is that the child develops phonemic hearing, connects the word in meaning with its picture and forms the first connections between meaning and sound. It is also part of the cognitive process of learning.
A child who begins reading at the age of 4-5, that is, an early first contact with an English book, makes much more progress and becomes more fluent in the language than a child who started the same process at a later age , for example, after 8-9 years of age. Early exposure to books in the appropriate language is essential.
Reading that happens in an educational setting – kindergarten or school – is essential. However, it needs to be supported by reading at home, together with a parent or alone.
Reading books and early access to them carries all the symbolism of the culture of the people concerned, the linguistic realities that give that taste of language use as a mother tongue.
The book enriches the child academically with the following:
- creation of language stock;
- enriching the dictionary;
- assisting the child in the academic process of learning new knowledge;
- expanding knowledge on a variety of topics such as – lifestyle, nutrition: food and products, sports, professions, leisure and more;
- mastering the language in detail using the higher language tool – written speech, along with the entire arsenal of complex grammatical and syntactic categories.
Book and reading are great lessons in communicating and building relationships with others
They are also a great way for a child to learn to communicate with others by using the patterns and expressions provided in the stories.
The characters act and communicate in some way with certain linguistic expressions. Dialogues are a common technique in literature. They are an example of imitation and the child readily uses the newly learned expressions and words. Very often the beloved character plays an important role in the way in which the child expresses and reacts linguistically.
In my personal practice, I have met small students who adore, for example, Pippi the Long Stocking or Dorothy of the Oz Wizard. In their quest to emulate, they use the character’s words in their daily speech, imitate language. This imitation is actually a step towards improving your language skills.
Reading a book is often accompanied by discussion or answering content questions
This is the ideal tool for a teacher to get feedback from the child, whether he or she understands whether he or she has started to use the English vocabulary, grammar, and phonics correctly. how to express your thoughts in english.
In this same book, which has been read, a child with only one story can learn several grammatical categories such as – times and their conjugations, parts of speech and more.
Each story has a specific set of words that are within one language slot. For example, the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar basically includes a stock of words, insect names and food. This means that by reading this story, alone or with help, the child learns vocabulary related to these topics.
There are many more books with similar content. A different case is the incredible stories of Dr. Suss, in which the child, and even the adult, can enjoy the true literary mastery of the writer.
The encounter with such works usually leaves a deep mark in the childhood personality, often we ourselves remember those tales or stories from our childhood. When a child reads a piece by an outstanding poet or writer, it draws directly from the source of the language, these creators are the best linguists – navigators who teach in an interesting and unobtrusive, easily digestible way.
With the growing vocabulary, the child becomes more confident and self-reliant, no need for linguistic support. He can express himself clearly, express his feelings easily, instead of exploding when angry or upset.
It is also important to keep in mind that good command of English and any other language generally makes the child a sought-after partner and popular friend.
Other important skills that reading a book in English develop are:
- better concentration and better listening skills;
- understanding of history, other people’s point of view, participation in a lesson;
- Confidence in asking and answering history related questions;
- more accurate prediction of what is happening, detection of cause and effect;
- building and improving grammatical correct speech skills;
- improving cognitive skills;
- getting a better judgment on life situations;
- memory training;
Last but not least are the emotional gains from reading books in English. Different stories can be a prerequisite for gaining a more objective perspective on real-world personal challenges and cases.
If many of the books your child reads are in English, he or she will be able to use the language naturally as a native
Very often, a child cannot talk about his or her personal problem, but Leo gives an explanation through a literary character. Sometimes it is even easier if it is in a foreign language, in the case of English.
By displaying a attachment to a literary character, the child learns to be empathetic, empathetic, which helps him to build excellent relationships with the rest of his environment, be it children or adults. When this happens in English, the child will easily contact the native speakers or those who speak and practice it.
A very read story can help make an emotional or physical change – for example, when something like this happens to a character in his book, it can make the situation more understandable, more acceptable, give him a way to deal with it, to reduce stress or intense anxiety.
Reading books in English also develops the imagination, which is itself an indisputable acquisition. The child enters a magical world where everything is possible and in which he has his part.
Reading in English books builds, validates and shapes the child’s value system, his notions of good and evil. Here is the important contribution of the English language, which gives a different perspective on the thinking of the young reader opens new horizons for him.
