Teaching your child to read and write are two of the most crucial skills that you can impart. Reading and writing not only helps your child to communicate but also provides them with the foundation they need to continue to grow and make their place in the world. One way to help get your child interested in and engaged with reading and writing is by exposing them to poetry at an early age. Check out three ways in which reading poetry to your child can help them begin and improve their reading and writing skills.
It Is Enjoyable
Whether rhyming or just rhythmic, poetry has a way of captivating even the youngest reader. Part of the battle of getting your child to read and write is finding ways to get them to engage. Children tend to gravitate to things that interest them and will become more focused on the flow and creativity of poetry rather than simply see words on cue cards. They are exposed to how words can convey feelings, create excitement, and evoke a range of emotions. This excitement can make them want to create poetry of their own, so they will be more excited about learning the tools they need to achieve this.
It Creates an Awareness of Words
When it comes to poetry, each word matters to the piece. The placement of the word, meaning, and sound all play an integral part in conveying the emotions and message of the piece. Poetry also exposes your child to a wide variety of types of language as well, such as alliteration metaphors and similes. Each word has a meaning and as your child hears it again and again in the context of the story, they will begin to understand the meaning or why one word was used instead of another.
It Increases Their Vocabulary
Part of the foundation of reading and writing is having and using a strong vocabulary. The more words your child learns and understands, the better they will be able to communicate their specific thoughts, wants, needs, and desires. They will also learn a wide range of synonyms for words that are part of their vocabulary helping them to realize that there are multiple ways to reference something. The more types of poetry you read to them on a variety of topics, the more words they will be exposed to. Since most language is learned through repetition and use, they will be able to expand their vocabulary as well as fully understand the meaning of the words they are learning. Poetry is also beneficial for young children to increase their vocabulary as the repetition and rhyme make it easier for them to remember the words they are hearing.
Reading is a great tool to not only make your child more susceptible to learning but also to help them comprehend as well. Vocabulary, parts of speech, and storytelling are all vital parts of learning to read and write, and poetry can help establish this foundation through a learning structure that is easy for a child to understand. Repetition, rhythm, flow, and engagement are all keys to helping your child learn.
Source
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/using-poetry-teach-reading
https://www.readbrightly.com/transformative-power-reading-poetry-child/
