Teaching Preschoolers to Read

[gina2000]

Bob books.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I learned to read when i was four. I had a book called "I Can Read" that my mom would read to me over and over. I basically memorized the book and was able to match the words on the page with the words I was saying. I was reading full books by the time I started kindergarten.

I wish I'd picked up math that easily

I don't remember how - all these many years later - I learned to read, but I was reading by the time I was in kindergarten (don't believe what my brother tells anyone, he was NOT younger than that when he started to read!). I would think it was from being read to at home, because that was my first experience with school. By six, I was reading Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew, and then Hardy Boys, from the library. I remember the Assistant Librarian being at the desk one day and not letting me check out those books because she didn't believe I could read them!

 

[PlaneJoy1]

I have a 3 y/o and a 4 y/o who both love to be read to. The 4 y/o memorizes lots of lines from the books and then loves to "read" them to us.

Have any of you taught someone this young to read, and/or do you know of any tried and true methods of teaching reading to this age?

I recommend the book "Teaching Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". They are very short, easy to do lessons that you can do with your child. It is very possible to teach your children, even at 3 or 4, the basics of reading if they are ready. Nothing wrong with trying!

Good luck!

 

[EMom]

By the time I started K at age 5, I was reading fairly long books, so I think I had been at it since at least 4.....perhaps earlier. No one taught me. I taught myself.

DD did the same thing. She learned the alphabet well before she turned 2, memorized books just as you have mentioned, and then we bought the HUGE Dick and Jane books DH and I used as children. By age 4, she was reading. She just gradually learned on her own.

I read to DD constantly. She had hundreds of books. From an early age, she would "read" to her dolls and stuffed animals. I think it's key to read to them a lot.

ETA: DD could "read" simple books by age 3, but I could never figure out whether she had simply memorized them or not. She could memorize a loooooooong book. Even if it was a new book, did she just recognize the simple words....but wouldn't be able to figure out new words she'd never seen before? Once she hit 4, I bought more complicated books with words she'd never seen, and as she began to read them and sound out words that were unfamiliar to her, I could then say with confidence that she could read.

 

[agnes!]

Back in the 50s my (older) sister started reading when she was 18 months old. My parents didn't do anything special, she just did it.

It's like potty-training...when the kids are ready, they're ready. Trying to force the issue or starting too soon for the individual in question can cause problems later on. So far as reading goes... sometimes the adult (while meaning well), can accidently end up teaching the kid to hate reading.

agnes!

 

[fiveforall]

Two of my kids learned to read before the age of five. Their daycare teacher used a combination of whole language and phonics. They both also loved to play Clifford reading games on the computer. We've read to them all since birth and thankfully, all three kids enjoy reading. (I'm a librarian, so they better!)

 

[JC2]

WOW! You all are wonderful! I'm sorry I haven't been back to thank you before now. The information you have shared with me is invaluable, and I appreciate it so much!

 

[Ceila]

It's not about learning to read, it's about a lifetime love of books.

~ Ceila, a school librarian

 

[kristilew]

Another Bob Books devotee here.

And the best advice I've ever gotten for getting them to continue to advance once the can read: Continue to read to them, books harder than they can easily read themselves. When you find ones that are exciting or suspenseful, read a little bit, then get "called away" by something, leaving the book behind. Chances are, your little reader will pick it up and keep reading to see what happens. (this even still works with my DD12, who has been reading on a college level for years - we still read together every night, and I still find her finishing a good book if I don't get there fast enough!)

 

[5lilfish]

My kids were reading really early too. I remember going to a friend's house that had three youngsters and the subject came up. The husband didn't believe that a little 3 year old could read and thought she had just memorized a few books. So we told him to pick out one of his kids' books and have her read it to him. Sure enough, she read the entire thing. He was amazed.

I never taught them to read. I think it was mostly Dr. Suess. The book Put me in the Zoo comes to mind as one of their earliest books.

I also remember a few people questioning why we would teach her to read. I doubt we could have stopped her!!!

I experienced this with my oldest. He was reading at 3 yrs old. I had people accuse me of pushing him. At 3 yrs old, he was the oldest of 3 kids born within 33 months. I hardly had time in my life for flashcards. My son was hell-bent to learn to read. There was no stopping him. I even had a few people tell me that letting him learn to read was bad because he would be bored in school...which was a challenge we did face. He went into Kindergarten reading beginner chapter books. His K-teacher would have been content to allow him to help all the other kids with their sight words. I had to make sure he was being given work that was at his level.

2 funny reading stories. The basic point being, when a 3 yr old can read, he might not have the maturity to go along with those skills. At 3 yrs old, my son pulled the fire alarm at the zoo. He told me, "but mommy. The sign said PULL." At 4 yrs old, my son ordered a movie off of pay-per-view (scooby-doo). He did not understand that he paid for it. He told me, "I just followed the directions on the screen." Ugh!

Jess