Beyond the book

Sharing stories and books with babies, toddlers and young children can be one of the most interesting and joyful parts of the daily routine in early years. Books provide a gateway to new worlds, ideas and concepts that can stimulate play and discussion.

In some contexts, such as with a small group, we can intentionally encourage children to use the book as a focus for discussion, rather than silently listening to the adult reading out loud. We might do this through prompts such as comments or questions. Over time, the balance shifts so that children lead more of the discussion about the book. This is known as ‘interactive reading’.

Interactive reading is a great way to develop children’s early language skills and vocabulary, and can benefit all children. There is very strong research evidence about the impact of this approach for children experiencing poverty and those with less developed oral language.

Interactive reading, using high-quality books, is one way to introduce children to new vocabulary and more complex forms of language. Books offer more elaborate sentence structures than children are likely to hear in everyday conversation and interactions.

Books provide a helpful context for conversations with children, helping them to develop their language skills beyond the ‘here and now’ of their immediate experiences. As children connect to the story, we can support their understanding and enjoyment of it by highlighting and discussing any new words and their meanings.

In addition, research evidence shows that the more active the children’s participation, the greater the gains in their language development. So, how can we put this into practice?

The ‘Fish Eyes’ clip is an example Interactive Reading, taken from the Communication and Language theme of the Early Years Evidence Store.

As you watch the clip, reflect on how Rahima encourages the children to join in:

• Using questions like “I wonder why he is saying ‘Hurry up?’”

• By commenting to expand on one child’s idea that a shark is chasing the fish

• Waiting for a child to complete the end of a sentence: “They’re following something, or maybe something is following…?”.

Think about how you could use this clip to stimulate a professional discussion with your colleagues. What might this approach look like in the context of your setting?

Visit the approach page for further examples of interactive reading in different settings with children from one- to four-years-old.

• Interactive reading can also support children’s early literacy development. Visit the Early Literacy theme on the Early Years Evidence Store to find out more.

• Read the ‘Preparing for Literacy’ Guidance Report to explore broader approaches for supporting children’s communication, language and early literacy for three- to five-year-olds.

• Visit our Early Years Hub to explore more of our resources.