Importance of early reading - Page 2

[NaturalMamma]

Originally Posted by no5no5

Can I just say what I think is the elephant in the room here?

Many (but not all) gifted kids learn to read early, and these kids are going to stay ahead of their peers. Many (but not all) kids with learning disabilities or other learning difficulties learn to read late, and these kids often stay behind their peers. So if there are statistics or studies (and I have never heard of any) that indicate that early reading is a predictor of later academic success, I would attribute that to the kids in these groups skewing the statistics for the rest of the kids.

I agree with that.

And we should be mindful that we don't confuse "forced reading instruction" with a child's natural timetable for decoding printed language. I believe forcing a child to read when their brain is not ready for it (b/c it's concentrating on something else) can cause more harm than good--like forcing a child to learn to walk before they are developmentally ready.

DH and I read to our DD all the time. since she was a baby. We sat in the rocking chair with her and read stories every day. (And we talked to her a lot.) Not for the sake of teaching her to read (that was the furthest thing on our minds--we were too busy dealing w/colic and lack of sleep LOL) but b/c DD enjoyed it, it soothed her and they were special bonding times. As a tot she could "read" store signs and grocery product labels. We never did any type of formal reading training/program/curriculum. She started reading books a few months after her 6th birthday. I was amazed...it was as if it happened overnight. She is almost 9 now and several mos ago she was assessed (our state law requires testing or personal assessment) and her reading level is high school level.

I have found that respecting our DD's personal timetable and following her cues has worked terrifically for her in every area--with breastfeeding, reading, walking, potty learning, etc.

[milkybean]

I very much agree with no5no5's statement.

Which makes me feel funny saying what I was going ot say before reading that.


I learned to read by myself (though my mom did read to me, I wasn't in a vacuum) at 2. Out loud...just picked up a newspaper and boom.

My brother learned to read a bit later (though interestingly, since our mom's death, he's taken MY story and made it his own ).

In elementary school I was indeed in the gifted/talented program. My brother was not. He should have been, but unfortunately the test had been changed in between the two of us, and his test somehow involved needing to know various cartoon characters, and since we ONLY watched PBS, he didn't know them, and didn't get into the program.

Adolescence and school itself beat the smartness out of me, but I was a B+ student most of the way through. Went to a private university where I did B+ work, went to chiro school got an A average (turns out I work well on a quarter system vs a semester system).

My brother got straight As through school except for one B in woodshop, when his friend sat on his project before it was graded. Got into Duke U, got an EE degree, later an MBA (just b/c he wanted it...his wife got one too, matching MBAs how cute), and is ridiculously brilliant and is successful in EVERY way possible.


All I have to show for reading early is....needing glasses from the age of 13 on, and the side effects of Lasik. Brother still has 20/10 vision at 37.


Oh, and it was torture in early school, listening to the kids learning to read at a normal age...I did Montessori from age 4 to 6, no kindergarten, but in 1st grade is when the sounding-out stuff started. And I felt out of place reading so well in front of my peers. And I was so shy I hated having to leave class for the GATE program. In 3rd grade I went to the 4th grade class for Reading. I hated that too. In 4th grade we went to a different school that was awesome, with multi-grade classes (one kinder, then a 1,2,3 class, and a 4,5,6, and one 7th grader room) and I tested at 13th grade level.

All that got me was reading books with subject matters FAR beyond what my young mind should have been reading....



My husband, however, had to be forced to learn to read (I still don't know how that's done), it was a HUGE issue. He probably has a form of dyslexia but no one noticed that, they just labeled him with worse words, though he actually had a better GPA through HS than I did. He reads VERY slowly (I race through books), and he remembers them (I don't, I can read a mystery probably 3 times, not in a row, before I finally start to remember whodunnit...really convenient, but kinda strange).



Anyway, yeah, being read to is great. But just the learning to read early bit...hasn't gotten ME much except for eye strain!

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by no5no5

Can I just say what I think is the elephant in the room here?

Many (but not all) gifted kids learn to read early, and these kids are going to stay ahead of their peers. Many (but not all) kids with learning disabilities or other learning difficulties learn to read late, and these kids often stay behind their peers. So if there are statistics or studies (and I have never heard of any) that indicate that early reading is a predictor of later academic success, I would attribute that to the kids in these groups skewing the statistics for the rest of the kids. I would be very surprised to learn that for normally developing, non-learning disabled kids early reading skills (or early reading education) are any kind of predictor of academic success.

I think that makes a lot of sense. And on the other hand, I've known of exceptionally bright ones not learning to read till quite late. I just don't believe there are statistics showing that early reading is a predictor of later academic success - or if there are statistics that show that, I think the reasons have to do more with there more often being books and reading parents in the home in those case where children had later success - thereby enabling early reading as a side effect - as compared to the opposite in homes where children are not later academically successful. - Lillian

[inkedmamajama]

i have always read to my children, but my oldest had a real hard time learning to read, in fact she entered 2 grade at a kindergarten reading level! but she entered remedial reading and got 30 minutes a day and one extra hour a week at her school and by the time she started 3rd grade she tested at above her grade level! now in 4th grade she is reading at 6-7 grade level and ABOVE!

i think if the child doesnt know how to read entering school, it is not the kiss of death reading wise.