Reading aloud makes children fit for school and for life
Reading a book together is a solid and beloved ritual for many families. A new study by the Stiftung Lesen shows once again that reading aloud is not only comfortable, but also positive for the development of children.
For the study, 524 eight to twelve-year-old children and their parents were interviewed - and a clear result was: reading makes children fit for school. Eighty-three percent of the children who were read daily said they were "very fond of going to school." For the children who have rarely or never been read, it is only 43 percent.
Reading aloud is also good for the grades: 70 percent of the children had a good or very good grade in German as a subject when they were read to them daily.
Social background does not matter
It is particularly interesting that the importance of reading is provable independently of the educational background of the families. "Reading aloud every day helps children in their development even if their parents do not have a high school diploma and a university degree, each father and mother should use this opportunity to promote their own child," said study director Simone Ehmig.
Reading aloud is good for self-esteem and a sense of justice
But reading has a positive influence not only on the school performance, but also on the development of the personality. Thus, children who have been read regularly are described as more cheerful and self-confident than children who have rarely or never been read (93% and 75% vs. 59% and 44%, respectively).
"These children are gripping and active, they have the opportunity to develop into strong personalities, they are more willing to take on responsibility in their later professional lives and to creatively promote things," says Antje Neubauer, chair of the Deutsche Bahn Foundation's Education Board who co-initiated the study.
Reading aloud does not only strengthen the children themselves, but also the social relationships in which they live. Children who have been read regularly are more likely to integrate others than children who have rarely or never read (40 vs. 17 percent).
In addition, according to their mothers, 85 percent of the children who were read to daily have a pronounced sense of justice, as opposed to 40 percent of the other children.
All good reasons to pick up the book again tonight! If you still need suggestions: We present you our favorite books to read aloud here.
The Lecture Study is a joint project of Stiftung Lesen, the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT and Deutsche Bahn Stiftung gGmbH and has been held annually since 2007. More on www.stiftunglesen.de.
