Mesquite ISD Read Play Talk Magazine Summer 2018 | Page 8

4 WAYS TO CONVERSE WITH YOUR CHILD WHILE READING I t may be hard to believe, but even babies and toddlers benefit from being read to. Although they may not be able to understand everything happening in the story, being read to helps young children master word comprehension. And the more words they know, the easier it is for them to learn. Toddlers and preschoolers especially should be exposed Page 8 to lots of different books and conversations long before they start kindergarten. One way to combine reading and talking is to develop some simple conversation starters you can use with your child while you’ve got a book in hand. These questions and suggestions are geared toward toddler through preschool-aged children but could be adjusted for younger or older children with simple changes in vocabulary based on their needs. 1. Discuss the illustrations on the page. While pointing out dynamic colors, specific characters or interesting objects with your