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Reading used to be a form of entertainment for all ages. People used to find joy in reading newspapers, books, novels, or just about anything that can be read. However, with the onset of digital media that gives people the ability to watch anywhere and connect with anyone through social media, people seemed to have been given a more entertaining way to spend their time. With less time for reading, children’s language development is greatly impacted. With less reading time, they get minimal opportunity to be exposed to new words and proper usage, which are both important in language development.
First of all, when children spend less time reading, their exposure to new words is lessened, too. According to Nagy, Herman, and Anderson, around 5-15 percent of the words that people learn are learned from reading (qtd. in Duke and Moses). This is why encouraging children to develop the habit of reading will help improve their vocabulary.
Second, spending less time in reading diminishes the children’s opportunity to learn more about grammar structures. As reported by the English Club, reading helps in learning and remembering grammar structures through repetition of words and patterns (“Why Read?”). When children read often, they get to learn more about how words are properly constructed to form grammatically correct sentences.
Overall, reading is vital in children’s language development. Because most reading materials use many words, children are exposed to an enormous amount of new words and meanings. They expand their vocabulary with every reading. In addition, their knowledge on grammar is also improved every time they read. If less time is spent on this activity, the development of children’s language skills will be negatively impacted.
Works Cited
Duke, N. & Annie Moses. “10 Research-Tested Ways to Build Children’s Vocabulary.” Scholastic. Scholastic Inc., n.d.. Web. 15 March 2016.
“Why Read?” English Club. EnglishClub.com, n.d.. Web. 15 March 2016.
