Reading to grow sentences: why and how?

Did you know that reading stories to your child isn't just a sweet activity before bedtime... but also a real fertilizer for their sentences? Yes, that's right! Several studies show that children regularly exposed to reading produce longer and more complex sentences than those who don't have this privilege. Reading is a bit like giving vitamins to language.

When reading makes sentences grow

In speech therapy, an indicator called Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) is used. It measures the average number of words a child uses in their sentences. Before the age of 6, children who are immersed in stories every day show MLUs that are 0.5 to 1.5 words per sentence higher compared to those who read little. Does that seem small? Multiply that by all the sentences in a day... then by 365 days. That's a lot of words gained, and therefore a lot of small victories!

Let's take a concrete example: a 4-year-old child with little exposure to books uses an average of 4.5 words per sentence. But a "reading enthusiast" can go up to 5 or 6 words. And at 5-6 years old, the difference becomes even more pronounced: their sentences are 20 to 40% longer. It's not magic, it's science. (And, good news: no gym membership is required for these linguistic workouts!)

Why does reading have such an impact?

In everyday life, parental language is often short and direct: "Put on your shoes," "It's bath time," "Give it to me." But in books, sentences take on a whole different look. We find more complex structures, logical connectors ("because," "whereas," "although"), and a more varied vocabulary.

By regularly hearing these sentences, the child not only learns new words but also understands how ideas are linked and organized. It's like attending a sentence gymnastics class, but without fluorescent leggings or a shouting coach.

Tips for growing sentences during reading

Good news: you can easily make your readings more "fertilizing" for language. Here are some simple ideas:

1. Commentary break

   Stop at a complex sentence and rephrase it. Example: "Oh! The rabbit says he's sad because no one wants to play with him. In fact, the rabbit is sad because he has no friends."

2. Let's lengthen the sentence

   Add details together. "The dragon is mean... The dragon is mean because he wants to destroy the castle... The dragon is mean because he wants to destroy the castle by breathing fire!"

3. Mirror, mirror...

   Invite the child to repeat a sentence while lengthening it: "The little cat is sleeping..." → "The little cat is sleeping on the sofa."

4. The magic wand of connectors

   Introduce "because," "but," "whereas." Example: "Why did the knight leave when it was dark?"

5. Before / After

   Encourage the child to guess what will happen or to remember what has happened. A great way to work on verb tenses without pulling out a conjugation table!

And after reading?

The magic continues once the book is closed. Here's how to extend the fun (and learning):

6. The elaborate summary:

Ask the child to retell the story, adding details. Prompt with "And then?", "With whom?", "Why?". And for even more motivation, ask them to tell another family member.

7. The sentence of the day:

Invent the longest possible sentence about the story together. Be warned, laughter guaranteed (and records to beat: 27 words... but who can do better?).

8. The "What if..." game:

Change the story: "What if the wolf had been afraid of the goat? What would have happened?" This type of exercise encourages the child to create longer sentences and play with grammatical structures.

In summary

Reading to your child every day is not just about sharing a moment of closeness. It also helps them develop longer, richer, and clearer sentences. And the best part? All of this happens naturally, with pleasure and seemingly without effort.

So, pick out a book, get comfortable, and let the stories act as a little magical fertilizer for your child's sentences.

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