Dialogic Reading: An Effective Method to Improve Language and Early Literacy Skills

Early literacy includes prerequisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes that children should acquire in relation to reading and writing prior to primary education. Several studies have shown effectiveness of early literacy skills on later reading and writing skills and academic achievement. Results reveal that early literacy skills that have been found to have an impact on short-and long-term school success need to be supported in early childhood. Adult-child joint reading activity is one of the most commonly used methods of intervention in promoting early literacy skills. There are many studies demonstrating that adult child joint reading activities, particularly those in which adults display instructive behaviors are highly effective on children's language development. Dialogic Reading (DR) is one technique that differs from traditional adult-child shared book reading in that during DR, the adult takes the role of an active listener, gives the child opportunities to talk by asking questions, defines unknown words and repeats and extends child's verbal responses during reading. Numerous studies show DR's significant effects on preschoolers' language, early literacy skills and reading attitudes as well as future academic performance. The aim of this paper was to introduce DR as an effective shared book reading method.