Was up last night watching infomercials at 2 am cuz my sig was up sick with a cough so we couldn't sleep, saw an infomercial about teaching babies to read, it kinda struck me as weird to be teaching a baby to read, I wasn't sure how to feel about it and how often it actually works so I figured someone on here had to know about it.
Teaching babies to read?
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There was a thread about that, maybe in the homeschool forum (or unschool subforum) a couple months back...
I'll see if I can dig it up.
Here it is.
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http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ight=baby+read
I'll see if I can dig it up.
Here it is.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ight=baby+read
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What do you mean by "teaching" and what do you mean by babies?
My dd knew her letters by 15 mo, was sight reading words by 2. But no teaching was involved.
She's 4 now & reading.
I don't think there's ANYTHING wrong with reading to your child from a very early age, and if they show a proclivity towards words/letters, to encourage that... just as I'd encourage anything my children showed strong interest or talent in.
Originally Posted by ebbybaby  Was up last night watching infomercials at 2 am cuz my sig was up sick with a cough so we couldn't sleep, saw an infomercial about teaching babies to read, it kinda struck me as weird to be teaching a baby to read, I wasn't sure how to feel about it and how often it actually works so I figured someone on here had to know about it. |
My dd knew her letters by 15 mo, was sight reading words by 2. But no teaching was involved.
She's 4 now & reading.
I don't think there's ANYTHING wrong with reading to your child from a very early age, and if they show a proclivity towards words/letters, to encourage that... just as I'd encourage anything my children showed strong interest or talent in.
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My dd was the same way. We always read to her from the time she was a newborn, and just naturally pointed things out to her. It's so easy for them to learn just by being talked to and interacted with--you don't need a "teaching" program to do that.
I'm a childcare provider, and one of my daycare moms is a kindergarten teacher. She was telling me that some of the kids come in not knowing much of anything--even their colors. I don't understand how a 5-6 year old doesn't know colors. Are they getting any interaction at home? I realize this sounds judgemental, but it's so simple to work something like colors into a conversation with a child.
Originally Posted by Ks Mama What do you mean by "teaching" and what do you mean by babies? My dd knew her letters by 15 mo, was sight reading words by 2. But no teaching was involved. She's 4 now & reading. I don't think there's ANYTHING wrong with reading to your child from a very early age, and if they show a proclivity towards words/letters, to encourage that... just as I'd encourage anything my children showed strong interest or talent in. |
I'm a childcare provider, and one of my daycare moms is a kindergarten teacher. She was telling me that some of the kids come in not knowing much of anything--even their colors. I don't understand how a 5-6 year old doesn't know colors. Are they getting any interaction at home? I realize this sounds judgemental, but it's so simple to work something like colors into a conversation with a child.
I'm not totally against early literacy, dd was recognizing letters early on and sight reading by 18 months (self-taught)...although lately she is much more intersted in other things.
I do think there is a difference in having a child initiate learning of a subject that they have a natural curiousity towards vs. sitting a baby in front of a d.v.d. in hopes that it will make them smarter.
I believe the studies that show early literacy linked with academic success probably have other factors that contribute towards a child's academic success in school. There is a lot of research that shows pushing reading on children too early is actually damaging to them in the long run.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7107798.stm
I know I've seen better articles, but don't have time to look for these now.
I do think there is a difference in having a child initiate learning of a subject that they have a natural curiousity towards vs. sitting a baby in front of a d.v.d. in hopes that it will make them smarter.
I believe the studies that show early literacy linked with academic success probably have other factors that contribute towards a child's academic success in school. There is a lot of research that shows pushing reading on children too early is actually damaging to them in the long run.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7107798.stm
I know I've seen better articles, but don't have time to look for these now.
As an elementary school teacher, I just want to add that knowing how to read and enjoying reading are two totally different things, and IME enjoying reading is much, much, much more important. I have seen early readers who practically refuse to read by first grade, and late readers who gobble up every book they can find.
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Yup, sounds pretty judgemental!
My 3rd son didn't know his colours until he was 5 years. My other kids (2 olders sons and 1 younger son) knew their colours way earlier than that (way, way, way earlier). He just took a long time to learn them. He has a healthy stimulating environment.... My two older sons read by the time they were 4.5 years. My 3rd son LOVES books and loves being read to, but at age 5 years 9 months he has no interest in learning to read.
I am okay with this. Part of being an AP parent for me is allowing my child to develop at his own pace without pressuring him. I'm grateful to be able to homeschool my children, so that a teacher and her friends will not judge my parenting ability on whether my child knows his colours.
My 5th son is adopted. He is 3 and he "lags behind" in colours, shapes etc. I am allowing him to find his feet emotionally before I'm even going to stress about "Academic" stuff!
Originally Posted by diaperqueen My dd was the same way. We always read to her from the time she was a newborn, and just naturally pointed things out to her. It's so easy for them to learn just by being talked to and interacted with--you don't need a "teaching" program to do that. I'm a childcare provider, and one of my daycare moms is a kindergarten teacher. She was telling me that some of the kids come in not knowing much of anything--even their colors. I don't understand how a 5-6 year old doesn't know colors. Are they getting any interaction at home? I realize this sounds judgemental, but it's so simple to work something like colors into a conversation with a child. |
My 3rd son didn't know his colours until he was 5 years. My other kids (2 olders sons and 1 younger son) knew their colours way earlier than that (way, way, way earlier). He just took a long time to learn them. He has a healthy stimulating environment.... My two older sons read by the time they were 4.5 years. My 3rd son LOVES books and loves being read to, but at age 5 years 9 months he has no interest in learning to read.
I am okay with this. Part of being an AP parent for me is allowing my child to develop at his own pace without pressuring him. I'm grateful to be able to homeschool my children, so that a teacher and her friends will not judge my parenting ability on whether my child knows his colours.
My 5th son is adopted. He is 3 and he "lags behind" in colours, shapes etc. I am allowing him to find his feet emotionally before I'm even going to stress about "Academic" stuff!
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I actually don't "stress" anything academic here with the kids in my daycare, either. I think I just work learning into our everyday interactions. We don't sit down and have a lesson about colors, shapes, etc. I do, however, speak descriptively...."Can you please put the red bean bag in the basket?"..."I like the orange shirt you wore today. It has yellow stripes in it, too." etc.
Anyway, I think it's great that through homeschooling you are able to let each of your kids find their own pace and style of learning. They will love learning because of that!
Anyway, I think it's great that through homeschooling you are able to let each of your kids find their own pace and style of learning. They will love learning because of that!
You teach babies to read from the time you start reading to them, but I think it is a long journey to actual reading for most kids. I taught dd to recognize individual letters and about individual letter sounds when she was three just by pointing out the letters in the books we read each night. She was able to read words and some really short and easy books by four but has mostly enjoyed me reading to her and hasn't wanted to go further with her reading until recently. I would be really skeptical about paying for a program to teach a baby to read. If your baby is showing an interest in letters and such you can start by teaching the letters really cheaply by using what you have at home and if they aren't a program may put pressure on them that will make reading seem miserable and it may take longer to read that way.
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I don't have any problem with babies learning through life experience and basic, daily family life and fun. And if they learn to read super-early, good for them.
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But I don't get the point of an academic program for babies. If a baby of mine is a genius, it will become apparent and we can do what we need to do to keep him interested and learning. But if he's got average intelligence, I'm not going to create a genius by pushing academics at 1 1/2 yo.
But I don't get the point of an academic program for babies. If a baby of mine is a genius, it will become apparent and we can do what we need to do to keep him interested and learning. But if he's got average intelligence, I'm not going to create a genius by pushing academics at 1 1/2 yo.
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