How a reading adult carries out conversations during the reading process can have an impact on a child’s later language skills. In a study of 87 primary caregivers and their 24-month-old children enrolled in an early intervention programme, it was found that caregivers’ use of labelling, expansions, and questions was related to 24-month-old children’s attention during reading.

Although children’s language skills at 24 months were associated with the reported frequency of caregiver reading at home, caregivers’ use of questions had a relationship with frequency of reading.[1] Reading experiences that are pleasant for both adult and children help to develop a love for the activity.

Other studies have also found that while reading to children, specific parent behaviours, such as asking open-ended questions, adding information, focusing on print concepts, and eliciting abstract language, are related to children's later language skills.[2]

One of the most powerful pieces of shared reading is what happens in the pauses between pages and after the book is closed. The use of ""decontextualised"" or non-immediate talk (expanding conversation beyond the book) and active engagement has proven to be particularly beneficial for children’s language enhancement. Mothers’ use of non-immediate talk while reading to their children was related to their later performance on measures of vocabulary, story comprehension, definitions and emergent literacy.[3, 4] 1. Fletcher, K. L., Cross, J. R., Tanney, A. L., Schneider, M., & Finch, W. H. (2008). Predicting language development in children at risk: The effects of quality and frequency of caregiver reading. Early Education and Development, 19(1), 89-111.

2. Roberts J, Jurgens J, Burchinal M. (2005). The role of home literacy practices in preschool children's language and emergent literacy skills. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 48(2):345-59.

3. DeTemple J, Snow CE. Learning words from books. In: van Kleeck A, Stahl SA, Bauer EB, eds. On reading books to children: parents and teachers. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2003:16–36.

4. Duursma, E., Augustyn, M. & Zuckerman, B. (2008). Reading aloud to children: The evidence. Archives of disease in childhood. 93. 554-7. 10.1136/adc.2006.106336.