How to Support Shared Book Reading With Your Child (Speech therapy ideas)

Shared book reading does not have to look like sitting still, reading every word, or asking the “right” questions. For many children—especially young children and neurodivergent children—book time works best when it feels responsive, playful, and led by the child.

This guide offers simple ways to support shared book reading at home while honoring your child’s interests, communication style, and sensory needs. (Speech therapy ideas)

Step 1: Start With Comfort and Connection

Before opening a book, think about how your child feels in their body.

Some children enjoy book time when they are:

• Cuddled next to a caregiver

• Holding a favorite toy or blanket

• Relaxed after movement, bath time, or outdoor play

Others prefer:

• Sitting independently

• Standing or moving while looking at pages

• Exploring the book on their own first

There is no “correct” position for reading. Comfort helps children stay engaged and curious.

One of my autistic clients loves running back and forth between pages for sensory input. Sometimes, he attempts to find items related to the story we're reading before resuming to the next page.

Step 2: Let Your Child Lead the Way

Shared book reading works best when children have a sense of control.

You can support this by:

• Letting your child turn pages—even quickly

• Allowing them to skip pages or return to favorite pictures

• Following what they point to, touch, or look at

Reading does not need to follow the printed words. The book is a starting point for interaction, not a script.

Step 3: Talk With Your Child, Not At Them

Instead of turning book time into a quiz, think of it as a conversation.

You might:

• Make simple comments (“That’s a big truck!”)

• Add a word or short phrase to what your child communicates

• Imitate your child’s sounds, gestures, or words

If your child communicates using gestures, AAC, facial expressions, or movement, respond to those just as you would spoken words. All communication is meaningful.

Research shows that interactive, back-and-forth book sharing supports language development when adults respond to the child’s interests rather than directing the interaction (Steed et al., 2021).

TIPS FROM SLP VIVIAN:

While reviewing research articles yesterday, I found that researchers have developed several optional tools to help us remember how to respond in supportive ways. These are not rules—they are reminders you can use when they feel helpful. Here are simple tools to support interaction during the shared-booking reading.

PEER: A Gentle Flow for Back-and-Forth Interaction

• Prompt your child to say, show, or communicate something about the book

• Evaluate the response by acknowledging it (for example, smiling, nodding, or repeating it)

• Expand by adding a little more language

• Repeat to give your child another chance to engage

  
  

Example: Your child points to a cat. You say, “Cat!” (acknowledge). Then, “Tiny cat sleeping!” (expand). This keeps the interaction supportive rather than corrective.

CROWD: Types of Prompts You Can Use

• Completion prompts: Fill-in-the-blank moments.

  • “The caterpillar is eating… ___”

• Recall prompts: Encouraging children to share what happened, in their own way.

  • “What did we see on the last page?”

• Open-ended prompts: Talking about pictures or details

  • “What do you notice here?”

• Wh- questions: Simple questions to support understanding

  • “Where is the frog?”

• Distancing prompts: Connecting the story to real life:

  • “Have you ever seen an animal like that?”

Children can respond using words, gestures, AAC, facial expressions, or movement. There is no requirement for complete sentences or correct answers.

References

Garcia-Salas, M., Backer, A., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2019). Reading as protection: Shared reading practices among families experiencing housing instability. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 19(3), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798417712345

Kaderavek, J. N., & Justice, L. M. (2002). Shared storybook reading as an intervention context: Potential pitfalls and promises. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 11(4), 395–406. https://doi.org/10.1044/1058-0360(2002/043)

Steed, E. A., Pomeroy, K., & Burns, J. (2021). Shared interactive storybook reading interventions for young children with disabilities: A systematic review. Journal of Early Intervention, 43(2), 109–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815120979048

The Informed SLP. (n.d.). Shared book reading: Start here. https://www.theinformedslp.com/review/Shared-Book-Reading-Start-Here