We have mentioned using reading material both above and below your listener’s level. Let’s look at some tools to help you do that.
First of all, the books you choose are very dependent on your audience. Reading to one or two in the home is different from reading to a group even of the same age. Mixed age groups are different still. Know your audience and tailor your choices for them.
However, there are times when you would like to read a book that is above or below their level. If you have a book that is a bit too long for your listener to sit through, don’t be afraid to skip parts. Most books can tolerate some omissions without compromising the story line. If you are reading to one or two, you can usually do this as you are reading and discussing the pictures. With a group, you may want to prepare ahead for the parts you will omit.
Sometimes the format of a book does not lend itself to your audience. I love reading poetry to children, but some big anthologies are not small child friendly. One way around this is to copy the poem text on a sheet of paper and find an illustration to put on the front of the paper to show as you read. Now the listener has a visual to watch while he hears the words instead of plain words out of a large uninteresting tome.
If a book has vocabulary that is above your listener, celebrate! Filling up those little heads with new information is one of the great benefits of reading! Just read the book as it is the first time, context will usually be enough to explain the meaning. If you see blank looks, you can add a one or two word definition and move on. Subsequent readings can be more in depth on the vocabulary if it is still unclear.
Books that are below (or perceived to be below) the level of the audience are a bit different. One method here is to have multi-age groups. The older ones will “tolerate” the younger level books for the smaller children while still hearing and enjoying the stories. I have read Dr Seuss to groups of 4 and 5 year olds with 12 year old helpers. I can’t tell you who enjoyed it more. Another tactic would be to group the younger level books with grade level books and read through two or three at one sitting.
Use all the tools in your toolbox to get literature into those little listeners!