EDUCATION - Reading to Infants

Side comment on reading to infants.  For the first 6yrs of a child's life, he/she is a sponge, absorbing EVERYTHING heard, seen, smelled, or felt.  At this stage there is little comprehension BUT there is the forming of unconscious view of the world.  The young child has not developed the filters of society on what's correct.  But mom's or dad's voice is calming and pleasurable, enjoyable.

One of the main benefits of reading to infants is the enjoyment of the act, even though the child does not comprehend that it's reading, the concept of words, nor the meaning of words.  Later, when comprehension starts, reading is already a pleasurable event which makes learning to read easier.

"I is for infant: Reading aloud to young children benefits brain development" PBS NewsHour 6/24/2014

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that reading daily to young children, starting in infancy, can help with language acquisition and literacy skills.  But, the report says, many children are missing out.  Jeffrey Brown takes a closer look at the consequences and opportunities to improve with lead author of the study, Dr. Pamela High of the American Academy of Pediatrics.