The China Morning Post – Annie Ho
“Last summer, the American Academy of Paediatrics issued a new policy statement for its members, recommending that paediatricians advise parents of young children about the importance of breastfeeding, vaccinating and reading aloud. Until that moment, reading to children was just another fun and enriching educational experience, on par with playing in the park and attending live theatre performances. When educators extol the virtues of reading to children, parents interpret its importance in terms of language skills and literacy development. But the academy’s pronouncement shows that the importance of reading goes beyond educational value. Parent-child read-alouds have a vital impact on children’s cognitive, social and emotional development.”(more)