miss r tried reading eggs trial earlier this year and the scores showed her reading at 5 years when she was 2 years 4 months. She did little reader but she stopped after 3/4 of the whole lessons. She plays with star falls and endless abc. She dislikes reading eggs finding it a bit slow for her. I am not sure how much she learnt from there. She loves reading and now she can read several usborne first reading books and many easy phonic books by herself, but she keep insisted me to read to her. I started the first language lesson with her and she seems to be enjoying it. Nowadays she loves to sit and read aloud to herself, but she doesn’t like me to listen to her (unless I ask her to read one page when I read one). When I listen to her, I find that she reads in bits? There are a few lines and sometimes she miss one or two words in a line but words I know she knows how to read.
I have these questions:
How do I know she is pronouncing right? I read to her but I am not a native English speaker.
Should I still go on and introduce a phonic program to her? Like explode the code?
What should we do next? We are still reading everyday. Should we go onto spelling? Or building words?
It’s so exciting that your little girl is reading so well!
Your questions are valid and understandable. OK, firstly, there are more steps to be an independent reader. Her reading can go further still. As she is only 2 I wouldn’t yet go too deep with phonics and slow down her reading speed. As I don’t know her and what you have been doing exactly up to now it’s difficult to help in detail. Maybe get higher and higher readers, as you said you use Usborn readers, keep making progress on those. If you need to introduce new words make flashcards for them. Eventually she will be able to intuit new words, that’s a good time to introduce phonics. Eventually she will be able to read a new book all by herself, and then more. That’s when she will be actually reading.
(When she will be practicing with phonics, it can be a time to introduce her to writing too. Until the practice drawing shapes into rice/semolina or corn meal/shaving foam, picking up small objects from the bottom of a bowl of rice/beans/lentils/pasta - here make sure she has to get in elbow deep, as more of the tactile pathway need to be stimulated,not only the hands. Wash her hands with soap before these games, so the skin is more sensitive to the stimuli.)
She will want you to read with her all along until she discovers that she can read by herself too because till now reading wasn’t just looking at words, it was mommy time too!
As you said, she started to like reading to herself now, but she doesn’t like you listening to her. Maybe she feels a bit of testing there. Also, most kids don’t like to show off their talents. So maybe give her the freedom on that. and provide her with many even new books she has never seen. Check if she ventures to read them by herself - that can give you a clue how much effort you still need to help her along that path.
As far as pronunciation goes: don’t worry about her picking up yours. She will be able to speak without an accent if you make sure she hears English from native speakers: such as watching good films, listening to children’s songs listening to stories and what have you. My kids loved ‘Thomas the Tank engine’ for example and watched all the Disney and Pixar movies in English too.
Spelling and word building is connected to phonics - and mostly writing. And you can certainly prepare for the physical aspect of that. Even the creative writing part (check the post “can a 3 year old learn to write”) but while you have the right brain so active, go with holistic, do the details after 3. - well, this is what I see working most effectively for the families I’ve been working with.
If i wasn’t clear on anything, drop me a line! And certainly post how things are working out for you! You’re doing wonderfully! <3
Thank you orsi26 for your reply. Yes, she loves watching peppa pig and Ben & holly! 😄 she learns many words from there including “I’ll turn you into a frog!” 😂
Wow now I finally know the reason to go elbow deep! Thanks for that. For fine motor skills as she still has no strength to use scissors yet, I got her a big tweezer to play with and training chopsticks for her fruits.
She wasn’t taught phonics, but she watches phonic songs on YouTube, play starfall app on iPad. She started reading bear halfway, we only do the audio sentences and quizzes because with others she lost interest quickly. For little reader, only completed 3/4 as she knows how to read and lost interest. Now she watches it a bit when little one is going through it. When asked how to pronounce “a”, she will say it’s a as in a from abc song and not a from Apple (phonetically). We read many easy readers from the library, recently moving on to big pictures books, little men & little miss library books, and usborne first reading. Recently I start showing her meet the phonics DVD by preschool prep hoping that she can get something off there. So is it still worthwhile to go through a phonics program? I am planning on homeschool her too. She definitely loves reading, she picks up new books and get me to read them. We go through at least 5 books a day. When she sits in the toilet she reads, and sometimes we read in the car (when I am not driving) and sometimes we have reading marathon (read till she sleeps).
She knows her 1-100, and is it alright to teach her math facts like multiplication and buddies of 10 (1 and 9 makes 10) or should I leave it for abacus lessons? I was reading a lot in the forum and I can’t remember if anyone said not to teach math facts before abacus?
Thank you for giving me the assurance that I am doing it right. She is my first so sometimes wonder if I am doing it right. I love this forum and have spent many nights reading through all the posts and absorbing as much information as I can. Thank you. 😊
will write you a longer reply later, bu now i just wanted to applaud you on the wonderful job you are doing! I’ll get into your questions more, but for now, just a question: once you read a new book to her, does she read it to herself later?
Looking forward to hearing from you! Where are you in the world?
Hi orsi26, thanks. it’s good to know I am going on the right direction. Yes, nowadays she loves to re-read the books after I read it to her. Sometimes she read new books by herself and then ask me to read to her. I am in Australia. Where are you? looking forward to your long reply.
Hi to all.
I’ve just finished LR with 18 months.
My girl point every image I show, and also can read a lot of words.
What to do next?
Can I start again?
Move to another language?
Another software?
I suggest just reading a lot of books now, on variety of topics and buddy read with her ( she reads some and you read some, etc) You will be amazed how fast she will be able to progress!
To my child of 10 years. The learning process was not easy. Because the child did not show any desire to learn. As soon as I saw interest, I began to teach him. I’m patient, the studying was very well. The main thing is to praise the child for his success. :yes:
Hello, all…
I am new here, and since this post is on reading, I wanted to know , if moms like us are interested in free children’s picture eBooks?
I am a new author of children’s book, and my book will go free on this friday, 30th june. so let me know , i can send u free copy, in return can u review me?
thanks…
As she is only 2 I wouldn’t yet go too deep with phonics and slow down her reading speed. As I don’t know her and what you have been doing exactly up to now it’s difficult to help in detail. Maybe get higher and higher readers, as you said you use Usborn readers, keep making progress on those. If you need to introduce new words make flashcards for them. Eventually she will be able to intuit new words, that’s a good time to introduce phonics. Eventually she will be able to read a new book all by herself, and then more. That’s when she will be actually reading.
it’s good to know I am going on the right direction. Yes, nowadays she loves to re-read the books after I read it to her. Sometimes she read new books by herself and then ask me to read to her. I am in Australia. Where are you? 
looking forward to your long reply.