When is the right time to teach reading?

Discussion in 'Parenting' started by ptahm22, Jan 31, 2017.

  1. ptahm22

    ptahm22 Member

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    My sister's son is now 4 years old. Last night my Mom gave her this long, aggressive speech about how she should be teaching him how to read by now.

    The kids is in a full-day preschool program. She reads books with him every day. He knows his letters and numbers, but I didn't think teaching reading happened this young.

    The kid missed the cut-off so he will start pre-school in September 2017 and then will start Kindergarten the following year.

    When do you think is the right time to start this?
     
  2. Taliska

    Taliska Active Member

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    If he knows his letters and numbers, and his mother is reading with him, then she is already teaching him to read and I'm not sure why your mother says she is not. If she means formal teaching, like phonics or similar, expecting a parent to do that is a little unreasonable.

    How old to start depends on the child. I was reading before I started school (children's books and Peter and Jane) and there were other children in my class who read better than I did. Others didn't really pick it up for a year or two. If the child really loves stories, knows their alphabet and has starter books they can read lying around, then it is likely the idea of reading will click, they will pick one up and start to read on their own. Forcing it, or making a child struggle with books above their age range, will only make a child hate reading and that's not something you want to do.
     
  3. Alexandoy

    Alexandoy Well-Known Member

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    The tradition in our family is also 4 years old for the right age to teach the child how to read. My grandmother said that the child's mind is already ripe for that kind of learning (reading and writing as well). However, I can see that children now learn to read letters by themselves at age 2. That's a mighty early start for reading huh. And that's because of the help of the tablet that the toddler plays with all the time. I guess technology has its pluses and minuses.
     
  4. Jasmin Cottontail

    Jasmin Cottontail Active Member

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    I believe it's the child's willingness to learn as to what age they should start reading. My cousin didn't taught her toddler to read but my nephew eventually taught himself how. He learned numbers and the alphabets by simply watching YouTube videos. He knows all the planets, vegetables, fruits and a lot of things that he had learned all by himself. He can also read bit by bit. He started doing this at the age of 2 and now he's 4 :)
     
  5. Nocturnal Writer

    Nocturnal Writer Active Member

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    I have been a classroom teacher in a public elementary school. As per school curriculum, basic letter reading starts in grade 1 for the kids who are 6 years old. Lucky are those who have gone to Kindergarten school for they were taught simple reading of the alphabets, selected words and phrases. As to the right time or age for a kid to read, it is too subjective. Meaning it depends on the intelligent development of the child. If the child manifests an advance cognitive development, there is no reason that he wouldn't be taught to read. This kind of development is again dependent on the exposure of the child to reading materials.
     
  6. vicky254

    vicky254 New Member

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    the earlier the better ,but first its better to first learn If you have been raising your child in a literate environment and fostering a love of reading from an early age, by the age of three, you could start teaching your three-year-old preschooler to read. What's more, your child will be able to do so successfully. If you are teaching your child to read through a method based on phonics, she should be able to learn to spell and write at the same time. This is often a highly rewarding period for parents i suppose.
     
  7. Holmes22

    Holmes22 Active Member

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    I guess this one would really have to depend on the reader and when the best time is for them. I know that some kids just cannot operate in the mornings, no matter how smart they are.
     
  8. AngelaMc

    AngelaMc Active Member

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    I believe children start to learn reading when we as parents read to them. I think the earlier the better. Then as they get a little older the alphabet and how to count should be introduced.:)
     
  9. Decentlady

    Decentlady Active Member

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    As soon as they know their alphabets and numbers children are good to start learning simple words. Sing the spellings to them while you do your other works and while they play. When they can sing it well, draw the picture and write the word. They pick up faster.
     

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