Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school She's asking to learn to read

DD is 2 and 1/2, very verbal, very inqusitive....we read constantly. I could read to her all day long and she would be happy. The other day she picked up one of my books about the ethics of genetic testing and asked me to read it to her and she sat still through a whole chapter lol. She memorizes books that she likes after hearing them once or twice and will sit down on her own and recount the story word for word, page by page. The last week she has been asking to learn to read. Saying when we get a book, " I don't know the words. Please teach me to read momma." Or "I want to learn to read" When the commercial for Your Baby Can Read Came on TV. She has picked up somewords on her own already that she can recognize. She also asks me to read every sign when we drive, and the other day said "Mama, whenever you see a sign, you tell me what it says" so she didn't have to keep asking. LOL

So should I. I would normally say she is to young, I don't want to push her to do anything, I just like to provide opportunities, yet she is asking and I feel like since she is, I should at least try. My mom gave me a book called "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" based on the SRA DISTAR Reading program. The book does phonics not whole word which is good, but it says it is for 4-5 yr olds or advanced 3 and 1/2. Has anyone tried this? Is it good? Should I just give it a try and she i she likes it? Or is there another way you would suggest? Or should I just tell her, "when you are older" which I hate saying to her.

Thanks for the input

-Amanda

My advice would be that the next time she asks you to teach her to read that you say, "Well, what would you like to know about reading?" And just discuss as much as she likes. I would strongly recommend not starting a formal curriculum at this point. I've heard of several kids (all older than your DD) who were at a similar stage of reading readiness and similarly asking to learn to read, but who were turned off very quickly once formal lessons began--much to the frustration of their mothers. Just because they want to learn/are ready to learn doesn't mean that they are ready for lessons. While I would definitely not tell her she has to wait, you might tell her that it takes a long time to learn to read; that she already can read some words; that you are sure she'll keep learning to read more & more words all on her own; but that you are also happy to answer any questions she has.

When DD was that age and wanted to read, she was often satisfied when I let her (sight) read a word here & there as I read to her. (E.g., I would say, "You can help me read if you want to. Why don't you read the words 'frog' and 'toad' and I will read the rest of the book?")

My DD was about 3 1/2 when she started asking me. I had the same questions you had. So I poked around the Internet and got a free trial to this software: www.headsprout.com -- She played the first few trial "episodes" and then had enough. I didn't push it and forgot about it. About a year later, out of the blue she asked "Hey can I play that headsprout game again?" At that age, she blew through it and LOVED it. It can't hurt to try the free trial and see what happens from it. Good luck

I'll also say, by the time she asked to play it again, she was reading simple readers - like "BOB" books.

You could poke around on starfall.com with her. My son loved it at that age.

My little guy loved starfall.....the other thing he loved to watch was the DVD by Leapfrog called Letter Factory - my son was glued every time we put it on....he then asked for the next one which was I think called Word Factory....I remember one part of the word factory that he thought was funny - something about the vowels being the glue that stuck the letters together to form a word :-)

She sounds a lot like my son at that age. He loved signs, and asked me what every sign said. He loved road construction, he would see a sign and say "Road Work Ahead - Yay! That means more signs!" I got him this book, I Read Signs and he loved that he could read the whole book to us by himself. He loved these Road Sign Bingo games too: Auto Bingo .

Our DS didn't ask to learn how to read, and didn't really show interest in reading much. He was a sneaky reader. We'd read the wrong word on a page, and he'd correct us. I started using my finger to follow along under the words I was reading to him, and asked him if he ever wanted to read chapter titles. But we never any formal reading instruction. I don't know if we would have done anything different even if he had asked us to read. Just keep reading to her, and answer any questions.

Between the Lions is a good show for new readers, if your PBS station carries it. Have fun!

By all means, go with the flow!
U don't have to start any reading program with her. Just bring her to the library. Make good use of your library card and bring back books every week. Continue to read aloud to her. If she doesn't mind u pointing at each word as u read (some kids dislike it because they will say u are blocking mom! LOL) For some ideas of what books to borrow/buy, u can refer to Jim Trelease "Read Aloud Handbook" (chk his online site too) and also "Some of my best friends are books" by Judith Wynn Halsted. Happy reading!

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas. We go to the library every week and check out at least 10 books.....and keep them for 2 weeks, so we have at any given time 20 or so library books at our house plus the gazillions she owns. Tonight my MIL is visiting and DD said "MeMom has never heard Oliva and the Missing Toy or Olive and the Circus. We only bought Oliva and the Missing toy and we will have to buy Oliva and the Circus another day" My MIL got a kick out of this (both books had been books we checked out that DD had memorized and we bought one of them. She then proceded to "read" it from memory word for word. It tickled MIL to death.

no5no5- I love the idea about giving her one or two words to read in the book everytime we get to it, she will like that. She already follwows my finger along underneath the words and today while doing one of her puzzles that has words, as she "read" each phrase, she ran her finger underneath.

BeckyC- I am going to check out that sight and starfall. We will see what she thinks.

Belle- I just bought Letter Factory for her and it arrived yesterday. Hopefully she will enjoy it just as much as your child did.

St. Pauli Girl-
I am going to order that book this weekend. I think she will love it! She is so into signs

S-T-
Thanks, I am going to check those out.

I really appreciate all the insight. I never expected my 2 and 1/2 year old to be asking to read, but she already has a lot of pre-reading rediness skills. She moves so fast through things.

On a cute note that tickled me today. MIL asked her what she wants to be when she grows up, and she replied "An orthopedic surgeon" LOL. And then showed MIL her "surgical kit, sclpal, surgical mask, and rubber gloves" as well as her ace bandage. LOL

She sounds wonderful!!

im glad u are following her lead. no harm will come from that. to more ideas: do reading teaching aloud while doing other things....say: add the p sound to 'ig' makes which animal? ......some kids are ready for the mental challenge of reading long before their eyes are enough deveoped. the other idea is for her to make her own 'book' of her favorite words to read. U Can help as much as u want. It can have one word on the page or a sentence......also look for book to read to her that are dense, such as 'phantom tollbooth.' enjoy grinity