Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Teaching a toddler how to read...

You might find this essay interesting: How and Why I Taught my Toddler to Read, by Larry Sanger: http://larrysanger.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/How-and-Why-I-Taught-My-Toddler-to-Read.doc

Fyi, my son began reading and talking around the same time, shortly after the age of 2. Prior to that, he communicated through sign language. I kind of attribute his late talking to perfectionism. He also knew his alphabet by about 16 months. I do not feel that I pushed him to read at all; rather, I followed his interests as he devoured all knowledge that I could provide. He continues to do so.

I associate hothousing with parents that seriously have their egos tied up in others perceiving their children as intelligent. Fair or unfair, that is how I see it. I also don't think hothousing is usually harmful to kids.

Whether or not teaching a toddler to read is hothousing is a grey area. We read to our children, but that was a far as we went with "teaching" them to read. Both started reading independently at around age two (one of them was actually 20 months or so when she started to read new books, street signs, etc. She is PG, as it turns out.) We got strange looks and pseudo-accusations of hothousing because our kids were reading so early. We just shrugged it off. Who cares, really? We know the truth and, of course, eventually the true nature of our kids comes out.

So is a formal reading program, like "hooked on phonics" or others considered hothousing? I risk being very unpopular for saying this, but I think the answer is "yes". Just because a child enjoys it doesn't mean it isn't hothousing. Developing or following a lesson play to teach a child to read at such a young age - how could that be seen as anything other than a parent pushing an agenda (early reading) onto their child?

Reading books to a child at an early age, even helping them sound out words if they ask for it = not hothousing. That's just normal parent/child interaction.

Using a formal reading program like hooked on phonics to encourage early reading = hothousing.

JMHO. Obviously, many disagree with me.

I think a lot of people try to insist their are following their own child's lead, when it is really just a justification for their own agenda. (Agenda being creating an early reader, or giving their child a "leg up", or creating the appearance of having a gifted child for whatever reason, etc.) This justification might be conscious or subconscious. If a child asks a parent to teach them to read, that's great. Do it! But how many 16 month old children are saying "Daddy teach me to read?" If a 16 month old points to a word in a book and says "what does that say" and you answer, that is not hothousing. Even sounding it out for them isn't hothousing. But responding to a question like that by running out and buying Hooked on Phonics (or any other such educational program) IS, in my opinion, hothousing. These same people might say "my child was asking to learn to read" when, really, no... they child was not. They child was asking questions, for which you should provide answers and NOT a formal curriculum!

But the more important question might be 'is hothousing harmful'? Personally, I believe in the majority of cases it is not at all harmful. So while I might sometimes (secretly) roll my eyes when I hear someone gushing about how their 19 month old is reading fluently after doing Hooked on Phonics, I don't think it's a bad thing either. The kids probably had fun and enjoys the attention he or she gets with the reading tricks. At least that kiddo is getting lots of love and time with a parent, and that isn't ever a bad thing in my book.

This is all just my opinion. I'm just a parent and not an expert. FWIW, I don't think anyone on this thread is a pushy or harmful hothouser. I personally believe that hothousing isn't harmful (in the vast majority of cases). So the term is probably carrying more emotional weight than it should.

One thing I've noticed is that Highly gifted or PG kids really don't need these "programs" in toddlerhood. They naturally just pick things up. Any parent of a PG child can tell you how different they are than more typically gifted kids. It's simply unnecessary to "hothouse" in toddlerhood for a PG kid. They seek and learn on their own. You just have to keep them safe and get out of the way.

Kids that are average, above average, or even gifted might enjoy these early reading programs and in fact begin to read a very early age as a result. Not a bad thing as far as I can tell. It will NOT change their IQ, though. So it could potentially make a kids "appear" gifted that is really just average or bright. But I don't know if there is tremendous harm in that (other than, in some districts, using scare gifted resources on kids that aren't really gifted - but most PS gifted programs don't start in kindergarten anyway, so I don't think it's a real concern.) The end result most the time from Hooked on Phonics (or other programs)? The kids might have some fun. They will read earlier than they would have otherwise. The parent's ego might get a boost. That's about it.

OK, I'd better duck before a stone hits me.

Fanofphysics- I agree with you! And, I also think this, from Ultramarina, could bear repeating:


I have already given my experience upthread, but I wanted to add my opinion, reiterate, and offer some advice.

Personally, I would not stress. I would not do anything more than read to her and sing songs and play language-y games. This is really important stuff. I don't think you could go wrong there.

I do think you can do a disservice to a 1.5 year old by overtly trying to teach them to read. Honestly, if it is going to take a lot more more than what I wrote above they are probably not ready. And so you are wasting time that could have been devoted to age-appropriate activities that are just as important. Maybe more-so. Not that it is an either-or, playing or learning to read. But, you only get so much time to be a kid. It goes really fast, and then poof, blowing bubbles is just not as ecstatic anymore.

This is just my opinion, and I lean way toward a more hands-off approach, but I sincerely believe that these bright one, two, three-year-olds, if they are to learn to read, it should be their doing. They should figure it out with very little help from us. All we need to do is provide that "print rich environment" and read to them. Use real live books to explore literacy. Just read. Point out words. Take a moment to discuss a weird phonics rules. Trace your finger under the text. And, leave the formal instruction for when they are school-aged.

Yes, there was a point where DD obsessed over sounding out a word. We discussed some phonics rules and helped her sounds out some words. But, she was still not ready to read. She just wanted to figure it out. I am glad we did not misinterpret this and push her too hard, because she was clearly not ready. Instead, we spelled out words aurally. We wrote out some simple sentences on a restaurant place mat. That passed. And, then there was a point where she began to read books, which came almost 2 years after she knew letter sounds. All we did was point to words and read them together, and within weeks she was reading. really reading. Six months later she is reading consistently at 2.5 grade level, a very happy reader at almost four.

Now, I have no doubt that I could have taught her a bunch of sight words when she was still one. Really, I have no doubt. But, we waited and it was a pleasant experience. I always try to focus on how she is learning and experiencing the world, not what she is actually learning. But, I believe preschoolers benefit from experiential learning, not teaching.

So, I really am not the person to talk to about teaching anything. I understand all kids are different, and I have only the one. But, because this worked so well for us, I really wanted to make sure you heard this. FTR, I do feel like we had a huge hand in are DD learning to read. I do like to say that we taught her. Anyway, I just want to share how we did it. Have fun.

For me, it depends on what you mean by "using a formal reading program." If the program dictates some kind of schedule, and the parent of a toddler tries to stick to it then I think you have a case. If a parent buys such a program, shows their child what it's about, and then the child chooses to work on activities from that program, then I don't see that as hothousing... at least not on the part of the parent.

Also, I don't think there's a definitive answer as to whether or not prompting toddlers to challenge themselves intellectually raises IQ. From my understanding of the brain, I think there's a good case that it is in fact beneficial, though in a limited way (probably not going to bring a child who would otherwise have an IQ of 115 up to 160, but might get them up to 120 or 125).

I do agree with you and can pretty much relate to the looks from people when you have a 2 year old sounding out signs in stores or talking about chess.

I hothouse.  It's the opposite of an ego boost for me.  I'm smart enough to know almost everybody will have an opinion of it and for the most part they won't be saying they would do it this way.  It's no compliment to me.  (the results of hothousing are no compliment to me)  I guess my kids have a high iq.  It's just a guess at this point, no testing.  I didn't teach early academics to "give him a leg up".  He would have looked plenty impressive learning all this in school in front of the teacher. I started teaching "all the boring parts" of academics so he would learn what he needs to learn so he can do what he wants to do.  I discussed unschooling with my husband.  He said we didn't have the money to do it right.  It's true.  I want to take my kids up the Apalachan trail, and down the Mississippi river, and to the pyramids in Egypt.  I'm not angry, hurt, or mad fanofphysics.  

I type up these thoughts I had behind making my decisions to share with you & I wrestle wether to hit "post" because I know from my limited experience that people generalize what they read and think, "do those reasons apply to me?  do my reasons apply to her choices?". Since we're moving past phonics I've started studying ideas about reading comprehension.   That skill, comparing what you read to your own life, is a skill that is taught to improve reading comprehension.  Yup, we were all taught that in school.   

One more thing that lead me to become a practicing hothouser.  Where we used to live I thought I was going to homeschool my son.  Actually, as I re-read this I see that maybe I'm just naturally a hothouser.  I had two younger sisters I helped teach.  I helped teach classmates all through school.  Etc.  It might be in my upbringing or it might come natural but I don't teach my kid academics to impress other people.  For one, they're not that impressed.  Two, I'm smart enough to know that.  Lastly, they're more impressed if you're a stepford wife with perfect kids.

We have been an anti-flash card house but DS4 taught himself to read at 2 (he has always been a book-lover). He read by whole words only and has always read fluently with expression (and comprehension). We never did phonics as such and would just tell him the word if he didn't know it. He now independently reads chapter books at about a grade 3-4 level. He has always been able to spell 3 letter/phonic sounding words but couldn't sound out words (would just make an educated guess). This year he now sounds out new words so phonics has come 2nd. Interestingly a friend who has a gifted child decided to teach her DS phonics at 3 (about the same time as DS started). He is now 5 and still on readers, fluency and comprehension coming much more slowly. All depends on the child...
Best thing you can do though is read lots of books - all sorts!

Just FTR--the book I mentioned, Mommy Teach me to Read, is by a former Montessori teacher and is very child led. I think a lot of the stuff in it is just stuff that we all kind of naturally do--but if your kid wants something more structured I really like her approach.

Bobbie...sounds identical to my DS5! He also taught himself to sight-read at 2, and I got more criticism than praise as being "too pushy" despite the the fact we never taught him! We do have tons of flashcards that DS asked for whenever we went shopping. He loved to sort them and studied them for fun. Flashcards are not inherently evil. For visual learners they can be a blast. Now my DD2 has inherited the flashcard pile and also adores them. Sometimes she counts them and she loves to name the pictures. For us, flashcards are favorite toy. I guess you could say I "hothoused" my DS with "normal toys (action figures, superhero costumes, dragon castle). I even sent him on missions to play make-believe....but he is just not that kind of kid. It took me awhile to understand that.

Funny how different they all are. My mother bought DS a few sets of flashcards - never could interest him. His preferred way to learn is through stories - written or told. I suspect he has a photographic memory too which may be why flashcards are not that interesting for him. School is going to be interesting...