Saying "Books are the key to the child's world", IGU Child Development Department Lecturer Buse KERİGAN emphasized the importance of reading books and emphasized interactive reading.
The slogan 'Education is a must!' takes place in our lives from past to present in a wide spectrum. In the 21st century world, as there are many changes in every field, there are constant changes and development in the field of education. Education can consist of a complex structure that includes life-long processes.
As a matter of fact, it is an accepted view in the current century that individuals should be supported to acquire desired behaviors from an early age. Early childhood period includes the most critical and turbulent processes in the lives of individuals. This period, which constitutes the basic building block of life, aims to support and develop children's interconnected processes in mental, social, emotional, language and physical areas.
Why Should We Meet Books At An Early Age?
Early childhood period constitutes an important step in starting the education process and gaining desired behaviors in the individual. Reading activities to be carried out during this period have an important role in providing intellectual richness in children. For this reason, it is advocated that they should be introduced to books from an early age. During this period, books come to children differently and attract their attention.
Considering the relationship between children and books in the 0-6 age period, it is seen that different features gain importance. The books in the first two years of age are called the first books, and they consist of the only figures that children see around them. The child, who tries to develop his language with books at the age of two or three, has learned the structure of the language at the age of three or four. At the age of four or five, the child who uses his language as a means of communication has increased the variety of his books, but at the age of six, he prefers fictional books about the future. Books should be examined with children, the importance of reading books should be emphasized, children should be instilled with a love of books, and they should focus on books within activities. Reading is a part of the learning process and continues throughout life.
Reading books is a process that supports all developmental areas of children and allows us to enter their imaginations. Thanks to the books, while presenting the problem situations that children may encounter in daily life, information is given and it is explained that they are curious about their environment. By identifying with the hero in the story, it becomes easier for him to communicate with the individuals around him.
Studies show that reading books has significant effects on different developmental areas of children. Reading stories selected according to children's developmental areas, age groups and interests enriches their repertoire by increasing their achievements in their developmental areas. Through books, children realize and understand that there are people, lives and emotions other than themselves, and this affects their social-emotional skills. One of the important factors that determine the effects of reading books on children is the methods of reading books. One of these methods is the interactive reading method.
What Is Interactive Book Reading (EKOP)?
The interactive book reading method constitutes a technical process based on the interaction between the child and the adult. In this method, in which the roles of adults and children during reading are changed, the child becomes active. While the adults' asking questions in the interactive reading process, the children's answers to the questions asked, and the examinations made with the children positively affect all developmental areas of the children, their levels can be determined by the adults. This method, developed by Whitehurst et al. (1994), involves children completing a sentence in the story, asking children questions about the story, asking questions about the heroes, and associating the story with the child's life.
In this method, in addition to asking children questions about the characters and events in the story, children can be asked to complete a statement or sentence in the story, to describe the events described in the picture, to name an object in the picture by showing them, and to relate the story to their own lives. Reading the story book together with the child with the interactive book reading method helps the child to see the emotions that she may encounter in real life in the story, to examine the reactions of the characters, to identify and to express her own feelings. In line with the studies examining the story reading times, it is stated that reading a book with children and talking about the book motivates children, enables them to reason about the story, and forms the basis for further understanding.
