Studies show this over and over again. Children who have been read to regularly since they were small (before coming to school), have a higher success rate in academic areas. Reading aloud to your child should have begun in infancy, but if you haven't started yet, it isn't too late!!
Reading aloud and reading together helps your child in so many ways. First of all they are spending quality time with you, engaged in coversations... something watching TV together doesn't give you. They get the benefit of hearing what fluent reading sounds like (conversational with tone and expression at a good rate of speed). Children who are read to also begin to understand that letters make sounds and sounds make words. Until this concept is grasped by a child's mind, reading will be impossible. Vocabularies are built when a child is being is read to, especially if the reader stops periodically and asks questions about pictures and words that may be unfamiliar to the child.
There is really no "right" or "wrong" way to read to your child. Just remember that it is more beneficial if you are asking questions and getting your child involved. Another thing you can do to enhance the reading experience is to run your finger under the words as you read them. Remember your teacher doing this in grade school? It really does help. Some children will begin to see patterns in words, certain sounds, and even begin to recognize some easy sight words such as the, a, an, for, etc.
I hear so many parents say, "I don't have time to read to my child." Now that your child is in school, a bedtime routine and schedule will be important so that your child can perform his/her best each day. Reading is perfect for this bedtime routine because it can help calm your child down. Start slowly and read just one book before bedtime. Don't have any books at home? Visit our local library. The Chester County Library has a great selection of books and of course it's free (as long you bring them back on time)! They are open every day except Sunday. Before you know it, you may be reading 3 or 4 books every night before bed. Sometimes parents tell me, "My child doesn't like books or care anything about reading." I find that 99.9% of the time, this isn't true. Once in school and adjusted to the "print rich" environment that they find themselves in, my children love to read and many times choose to "read a book" above doing other things. I even find our classroom books stuffed into desks instead of in the book basket! It's not unusal to come into the classroom and find a student making up stories to go along with pictures while 2 or 3 other students gather around to listen.
I love to read and I hope that by the end of year, your child will enjoy it as much as I do!