Laura Froyen — How to read with your child

In one sentence

Shared reading is a "convenient vehicle" for language exposure and emotional connection, where the most effective support comes from being a responsive, scaffolded partner rather than a perfect instructor.

Why read this (and who it's for)

This conversation dismantles the "parental guilt" associated with not knowing the "perfect" way to read to a child. It is for parents who feel overwhelmed by technical literacy demands and want to understand how to foster a genuine love of reading while actually supporting their child's cognitive and linguistic growth. You will learn how to move from "reading to" a child to "reading with" a child using the concept of scaffolding.

The big idea

Dr. Laura Froyen argues that while shared reading is often presented as a prescriptive "fix" for literacy, its true power lies in its ability to facilitate language development and emotional bonding. The research shows that even when parents aren't following a perfect technical script—perhaps because they are exhausted or lack specific training—the act of reading together still provides significant benefits.

The core of the strategy is scaffolding: meeting a child where they are and providing just enough support to help them reach the next level of competence. Instead of focusing on "teaching" a child to read as a set of isolated skills, parents should focus on being "responsive" and "sensitively attuned" partners who can expand on a child's interests and verbalizations.

Key ideas

The "Convenient Vehicle" of Shared Reading

Shared reading is a primary way to expose children to more language. Because language development and literacy development are "closely tied," improving a child's sophisticated language skills naturally supports their reading ability. Why it matters: It shifts the goal from "perfecting reading" to "expanding language." If you focus on making your child a confident communicator, reading skills will follow. In the book: Dr. Froyen notes that even when parents aren't doing "intervention" style reading, the activity still relates to language development.

The Power of Scaffolding

Scaffolding is the practice of providing the specific supports needed to help a child meet a goal they cannot yet achieve alone. It is the space between what a child can do independently and what they can do with help (the Zone of Proximal Development). Why it matters: It prevents frustration and ensures the child remains the active participant in their own learning. In the book: Dr. Froyen uses the example of a two-year-old putting on clothes; the parent provides the "scaffold" by placing the child's hands in the right spot rather than doing the task for them.

Dialogic Reading

Dialogic reading is an approach where the parent acts as a partner, prompting the child to speak and extending their verbalizations. Why it matters: It turns a passive listening experience into an active conversation. In the book: Instead of just reading the words, the parent asks "who, what, where, when, why" questions and asks the child to complete sentences or describe pictures.

The Importance of Responsiveness

Research shows that when parents are trained to be more "warm, encouraging, and responsive," children become more engaged, ask more questions, and are more cooperative during reading. Why it matters: A child's emotional state and engagement level are the primary drivers of learning. In the book: A study showed that responsive parenting translated directly into better language facilitation techniques during shared reading.

Meaning-Making and Interest-Led Learning

Children need to see that reading and writing are meaningful in the real world. This is achieved by connecting books to a child's specific interests (e.g., construction, animals). Why it matters: It moves reading from a "chore" to a tool for exploring the world. In the book: Dr. Froyen shares how she makes reading meaningful by having her daughters write grocery lists or letters to relatives.

Frameworks & tools

The Scaffolding Method for Reading

Use this to adjust your support based on your child's current ability:

1. Identify the Interest: Find a book or topic the child is currently obsessed with (e.g., "Moana" or "Trucks").
2. Assess the Current Level: Determine what they can do alone (e.g., "Can they point to the dog?").
3. Provide the Scaffold:
   • For younger children: Label pictures, describe the action, and ask for simple identifications ("Can you point to the cat?").
   • For older children: Ask for elaborations ("How is the girl feeling?") or prompts to produce language ("What is that?").
4. Withdraw Support: As the child becomes more competent, provide less help until they can do the task independently.

Dialogic Reading Techniques

To turn reading into a conversation, use these prompts:

• The "Wait" Technique: Stop before the end of a sentence and let the child fill in the blank.
• The "Extension" Technique: If the child says "Cat," you say, "Yes, that's a big orange cat!" (Add more words to their simple statement).
• The "Connection" Technique: Connect the book to real life. If you see a duck at the park, say, "Remember the book we read about ducks?"

Memorable examples & stories

• The "Moana" Search: Dr. Froyen's four-year-old asks "Where is Moana?" The parent helps her find the word by identifying the starting "M" sound. Lesson: Use the child's specific interests to drive the literacy practice.
• The Grocery List: Dr. Froyen has her daughters write their own grocery lists (even if they are just scribbles). They take these to the store. Lesson: Writing is a functional tool for real-world meaning-making.
• The Junk Mail Sort: A child enjoys sorting junk mail to find letters and words. Lesson: You don't need expensive materials; "environmental print" is a free and effective resource.
• The "Rap" Nursery Rhymes: The host's daughter chooses to rap nursery rhymes instead of sing them. Lesson: Let the child take the lead in how they engage with the material.

Key quotes

• "Shared reading is a lovely convenient vehicle for getting children exposed to more language."
• "Scaffolding is essentially the idea of meeting a child where they are and providing the supports needed to help them meet their goal."
• "Being child-led is a skill... it's something you have to practice." (Paraphrased)
• "The meaning making comes when you can support your child in developing their own interests in a number of ways, one of which may be reading."

How to apply it

This week

• Identify one "Interest Zone": Find out what your child is currently obsessed with (dinosaurs, space, a specific show) and find 3 books related to that topic.
• The "Stop and Wait" Experiment: During your next reading session, stop 2-3 words before the end of a sentence and see if your child can complete it.
• The "Extension" Practice: The next time your child labels something (e.g., "Ball!"), instead of just saying "Yes," expand it: "Yes, that's a big red ball."

Ongoing

• Create a Print-Rich Environment: Keep writing materials (notepads, pens) in play areas so children can "write" during imaginative play.
• Use Environmental Print: When you see a stop sign, a cereal box, or a store window, point out the letters and words to your child.
• Prioritize Connection over Perfection: If you are too tired to do "Dialogic Reading," just reading the story together is still a valuable win.

Common pitfalls

• The "Instructional" Trap: Thinking you must be a perfect teacher. Dr. Froyen emphasizes that even "imperfect" shared reading is beneficial.
• Over-Reliance on Tech: Assuming battery-operated toys provide cognitive stimulation. Research shows these rarely offer the same benefits as open-ended toys (blocks, balls) where children can direct their own learning.
• The "Doing Nothing" Fallacy: Thinking that being "child-led" means doing nothing. Being child-led means having the skills to identify what a child is interested in and then providing the scaffold to support that interest.

Connects to

• Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development: The theoretical foundation for scaffolding.
• Responsive Parenting: The broader skill of being attuned to a child's needs that translates into better reading outcomes.

If you remember only three things

• Scaffold, don't just "do": Meet the child where they are and provide the specific support they need to reach the next level.
• Extend their language: When they say a word, add to it. Turn their labels into descriptive sentences.
• Meaning is the motivator: Connect reading to their real-world interests (like grocery lists or letters) to make it meaningful.

Internalize it

• Reflection questions
  • When was the last time I let my child lead the direction of a story or activity?
  • In what ways can I make "reading" more visible in our daily chores (like grocery shopping or mail)?
  • How can I "extend" my child's current vocabulary instead of just confirming it?
• Flashcards Q: What is the "Zone of Proximal Development"? A: The space between what a child can do alone and what they can do with support. Q: What is "scaffolding"? A: Providing the specific supports (verbal or physical) needed to help a child meet a goal they cannot yet reach independently. Q: What is "Dialogic Reading"? A: An approach where the parent prompts the child to speak, extends their verbalizations, and treats the book as a conversation. Q: Why is "environmental print" important? A: It allows children to see that words and letters have meaning in the real world (signs, boxes, etc.) without extra effort. Q: What is the "Extension" technique? A: When a child says a word (e.g., "Cat"), the parent adds more information (e.g., "Yes, that's a big orange cat").

Fidelity note

Confidence is high. The summary covers all major points of the transcript, including the definitions of scaffolding, dialogic reading, and the importance of responsive parenting. One minor nuance: the transcript mentions that while some research shows effects of shared reading diminish once a child can read alone, this depends heavily on the family's "why"—whether they want the emotional connection or the skill-building.