Hi,
I’m a dad to a 33 month old princess.
Ever since birth books have fascinated my kiddo and we made sure we spoke alot to my kiddo. As a result, even though English isn’t our mother tongue, she’s pretty fluent and can come up with fairly complex sentences. As I mentioned, she loves books alot and we have quite a collection.
However, we haven’t yet got her started to reading. I don’t think she can read or even recognize words though she can recognize some individual alphabets.
Now I think it is high time we get her started and introduced to the world of reading. So here is what I request of you …
- Given she is 33 months already and has considerable understanding of many words and their meanings, what would recommended approach be? I just wish to know how and where to start the process
- Should I pick any of established methods like Doman or LR or do it ad hoc which is combination of whole word and phonics?
Would much appreciate any and every help!
Thanks and regards!
Wow, congratulations and I hope you have much success with teaching you’re princess to read. But, Keep in mind you shouldn’t “make” your young child read. I’m pretty sure you know that, but there is subtle difference between the words and the entire philosophy is based on the idea gentle, joyful learning. If your child isn’t enjoying what you’re doing. STOP! and find a different way.
Brillkids offers a 2 week trial of Little Reader that you might want to investigate.
Try out the first several pages of The Reading Lesson for a book based approach. The chapters 1 and 2 are free.
Funnix right now is available 100% FREE (Normally costs $250, you should get the program and try it out, even if you need to save it for a later date, I think its worth getting since it is based on the highly popular 100EZ lessons.)
(TRL is a based on 100EZ also, but is more simplified without extensive orthography, scripts and such things.)
It might not be impressive to YOU, but TRL worked well for a 4yr old boy I began teaching to read last year. We took a long break from TRL (because I couldn’t keep regular lessons at all) and have started using it again and he’s doing really well with it. We’re also going to start using Funnix on the accelerated schedule to add variety to his reading program.
See if you can’t get a hold of YBCR used or cheap and see if she likes it, but she’s at the stage where she could probably learn using phonics so check into Leap Frog and Sidney Ledson’s book Teach Your Child to Read in 10 Minutes a Day as it uses a game to teach reading.
There is also StarFall.com and ProgressivePhonics.com to be used for free, starfall is online and Progressive Phonics can be printed and read together and if you want to use more DVD’s there is the
PreSchool Prep “Meet the Sight Words” series and Monki See, Monki Do.
Also, Youtube has loads of phonics videos and songs and such. Search around and take your pick…
Hey thanks for the response, appreciate that.
These days I tend to play a game with her. Its like I ask her “whats that?”. Shes like “a book”. And im like “What sound does the bbbooookkkkk start with?” (really slowing down when i say book so that shes able to appreciate the various sounds.) Thus, she now usually is able to tell the sound different words make. Ofcourse its all just verbal but this is how im trying to make her aware of phonics.
Along with that Im reading to her using the pointing method of Native Reading. Plus Im also showing her the first video of YBCR and starfall phonics.She likes both YBCR and starfall.
So, im on it
I have downloaded LR trial pack also which im reviewing. Its nice.
Let me also check out TRL and funnix, sound interesting. WOW youve given so much links that im more confused now, which is good
Here are some follow up questions:
- How is YBCR to be used? I mean, for how long and what frequency are each videos to be shown?
I do not OWN Your Baby Can Read, a friend does and I had the chance to watch the How To video but that was almost 2 years ago so this may not be 100% accurate.
Playing by the Book…
Each video should be watched 1-2 times a day. Twice, I believe is optimal, or recommended but the videos are long 20-30 minutes each so…your success may vary if Babie’s attention span isn’t that long…
I believe YBCR says to use the flash cards and word books that go with the video 2-3 times a day if you can.
You should watch with baby in a clean room to minimize distractions and dim or turn off the lights so that the TV is the big focus of the room, The booklet recommends putting Baby in a play pen without any toys but Doman method is anti-playpens.
Many parents just opt to watch several minutes of the DVD with their baby and go over the relevant words that they saw.
I think each DVD is supposed to be used for a one month before going on to the next one and there is also a review DVD, hopefully someone using and doing the program will be able to be more factual and accurate.
I think it is common to modify the schedule but I don’t know of any particular “modified schedules” out there that are being followed, I think families are just jiggling them as they can…
You’ll probably get different responses on what the best approach is but your going to have to figure out what her learning style really is in order to do the right method.
Some children at the age of 3 can do phonics. Some can’t.
My 2nd daughter was able to learn reading with phonics at the age of 4. My 4th daughter has not been able to.
But you won’t know unless you try either.
I agree give Teach Your Baby to REad in 100 Easy Lessons a Try or the Free Funnix program ( which is only free for this month , Jan) and see if it works. You can even get some fridge magnets and put simple words together like , cat, sat , hat , mat ,etc and have her sound out each letter.
If she doesn’t know all of her alphabet I suggest the Leap Frog vidoes ( The Letter Factory).
Even better really you can start with the whole words approach , get her up and readin gand then go back to phonics. Either way she will still learn to read.
Not sure if you want to teach her to read in English or your mother tongue. If that’s the case I would get Brillkids a try.
You still have plenty of time to work with your daughter with reading. Its not to late. But make sure whatever you decide to try to let it be fun and dont’ make your child do anything. Which ever method you chose to use will work. :yes: