Intermediate Learner Skills: Building Language Through Storybooks!

Introducing Books

Thick board books, plastic, wipe-easy, tear-proof, and others that are similar will be a good choice for toddlers and younger children. We tend to keep away books from children because “they tear all my nice books!” and this has somehow prevented early exposure to books. Durable books will be a good option for young toddlers to explore; let the child pull, flap the pages, turn it upside down, and even munch on it! Exposure to books is the first step!

Cause and effect and interactive books are the next in line. Touch and feel books, books with 3D pop up images, open-flap, push buttons, and sound-making books will be good choices for children who have learnt how a book works. Allow the child to flip through the pages, explore and have fun. Adults can model by showing how the book works. And if your child has sensory challenges, do try to avoid books that may have sensory affects that your child dislikes. A picture dictionary can come next.

Identify what your child’s interests are and follow his interest to introduce books with simple story lines. Choose stories that have direct cause-effect and straight forward, with clear and vibrant pictures. Even using a part of a book to introduce a short story line can be a good start. For example showing your child only two to three pages of the Humpty Dumpty book: ”The humpty sat on the wall feeling all happy”, and turn to the next page, “Oh-uh, Humpty fell down! Ouch!”

One parent actually made a book on her own, using real print out pictures of people that the child loves and her favourite daily objects for her child who prefers on-the-go activities and play time. To our delight, her child began to point at pictures while she read to her.

Keep on trying and exposing, follow your child’s interest! 

Telling Stories

Once your child finds books interesting and she realizes that it can be so much fun in a book, you can try story telling!

Sit face to face to your child and hold on to the book facing your child at his/her eye level. You can choose not to read everything written on the book because usually child might start to lose interest before you even finish the sentence! Know the book and the story before you start, be animated (your face and your voice tone!) and find the pace that your child prefers. Know your child’s attention span and try to finish the story within the span! Even it’s just two pages of a short story like the Humpty Dumpty, it’s worth a try!

How do we tell whether our child likes it? Observe his expression and body language! If the child likes the way we tell the story, you’ll see a child who smiles, focuses, points at the book, looks at the pictures, and even verbalizes (comment, label or babbles!) If your child looks away, turns away, or starts to self-stimulate to avoid tasks, or has a blur face, you might need to end the book as soon as possible, and do not force a child through a book that he/she doesn’t find interesting. You will need to practice it reading it again an interesting manner on your own in front of the mirror. I mean it and it helps!  

Coming soon... Language Building! 

Written By

Yu Ying, 

Consultant EAP Msia.