Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school letters vs. reading

My DS is 3. His sister tested and attends a school for gifted so we were more aware this time around to watch for early signs. He is like her in that he started talking early and we always get comments on how well he speaks for his age. He could clearly sing his ABC's by 2. But what is so different is that he doesn't really KNOW his letters yet like she did by 3. He has no interest. Instead he constantly asks me what words say. He points to words and asks me to tell him what it is and is WAY more interested in books than she was.
Is there a way to encourage more letter recognition or should I focus more on it with reading the words?

have you tried the Letter Factory from Leap Frog? Both of my boys learned the letters and sounds from this video in about a week, early on. My 4 year old also learned to write from this video when he was 2/3.

I would keep answering his questions about what the words are, and throw in some alphabet books occasionally. I think there's a group of GT kids start out as whole word readers (not sounding them out). And then they somehow know how to read, without any real instruction except you reading to them. It's like they figure out the reading code without going through all the steps. (This was our experience with our son.) Our son did know his letters early on, though. We did have alphabet books around, and I'm sure we had to read Dr. Seuss's A to Z many hunreds of times.

DS also had some LeapFrog magnetic letter thing on the fridge, where you'd pop in the letter and it would have some annoying little song about the sound the letter made. He seemed to like that.

He's funny because it's almost as if he just isn't interested. He has known how to spell his name since 2 and the letters in his name. Then he'll almost play games with you if you ask him what a letter is. Like, i'll show him C and he'll say 'G' laugh and THEN say C. He definitely knows some better than others, but he just seems more interested in words. His sister will point to a word and sound it out to him (she loves being the teacher) so he loves that and wants to just do the words. I'll try those other games you suggested, but he may just do it on HIS own time I guess. lol. Maybe I'll have his sister play letter games with him!

After reading this, there's a chance he might just be playing you... When my DS was about that age, he wouldn't answer questions if he already knew the answer. He would joke and give you a fake answer. If he had some activity book, and he already knew the answer or thought it was too easy, he would make up some new answer or do it his own way to make things more interesting.

DS4 liked Fridge Phonics by Leapfrog, same thing that St paulis kid liked. He also really liked the next fridge phonics game which is the "word whammer", that one says the letters as they put them in but they can also make short words.

And then the free phonics website www.starfall.com has great letter teaching songs/animations.

DS recently learned the names of the keys on the piano and the only way I could figure out if he really knew them was to be silly and say, "now this one is a X, right?" and he would correct me as he can't bear anyone within a mile of him to be wrong. If your DS is like that it's a easy way to see if they know something or not.

Polly

Does he recognize the sounds? Kids who don't learn whole word (many gifted do) learn phonetically. If you asked my youngest what a letter was he would respond with the sound/sounds not the name. You might try reading the word phonetically and see if it sticks any better or if he has more interest. I have two who learned by sight and two so far who have learned phonetically. It might have something to do with what type of learner they are, auditory or visual, I'm not sure. My DS3 really likes the IEW Reading PAL program here http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/catalog/primary-k-2-pal-reading it has a farm theme (great for boys) and also uses file folder games (like parking cars) that are great at that age.

This is also what I thought. He likely does already know the letter names (when he learned the ABC song), and likely many of their sounds.

If I were in your situation, (as you describe it), I would drop the letter recognition and go to the next level. He sounds like the "class clown" when he's bored with what he already knows.

Try him out on, "PH", "CH", "ST", etc.

We have enjoyed the DVD's by Rock 'N Learn.

Something I have done for our son since he was very little is to always have something available that is at least two years beyond his perceived level. He's surprised us many times.

Hi justamomNC

My DS It turns out was a whole word reader. Snce he was my first (and only) I didn't really recognize that he was learning differently or that perhaps I was doing something different. But he HATED sounding things out once he started to read, still does. But before that I didn't do anything remotely letter related - except for Starfall it's an awesome website that starts with the letters and sounds and then progresses to letter families and ultimately to reading. To my inexpert opinion, he is either already past what you are thinking and so is playing, or is resisting the instruction. If he is ahead, anything more advanced but still play would likely appeal, but if not ready, the new format of things like starfall or the leapfrog letter fridge thing might interest him.

And isn't the second one supposed to be totally different from the first, if we knew what to expect, parenting would be so easy!!!

DeHe

You've got some great advice here! I also am a fan of the Leap Frog movies and toys. I think it's "Let's Go to School" that has a song showing letters and saying the sounds with them. My kids (2 and 3) love it!