3.8yo is desperate to learn to read. How?!?

[FreudianSlippery]

Am possibly risking a flaming here, so in my defence, we were planning on waiting and not pushing this (despite the fact that DH and I were both very early readers) - but DD is very keen to read books herself.

I've been fascinated by phonics for a while anyway, and I understand how it works, but I have no idea where to start really. We have loads of resources but I don't know what to do with them!

So, a few things -

• DD is quite a physical learner; we've got things like letter magnets and beads etc.
  
• she recognises her name (in context)
  
• she learnt most capital letters before turning 2 (I know you should do small case first - this only happened because of a toy computer thing) but not many small case letters. Those she does know, she usually says the sound rather than the name.
  
• she had trouble with speech sounds and has only just caught up (no SALT, it just seemed to click after starting nursery) - we deliberately didn't teach letter sounds before as she couldn't actually SAY some sounds IYSWIM!
  
• she can write a couple of letters, has good fine motor skills etc and wants to write more as well as learn to read.
  
• she understands that letters make sounds, which make words - she knows that /m/ /a/ /p/ says map but only because DH told her IYSWIM. She's done a few letter sounds at nursery, and knows some JP songs.
  

Sorry for waffle. I am a bit and worried tbh, she's a summer baby and so young, can't believe she's starting school in 8 months. I don't want her to be disadvantaged - so I'm glad she wants to read but I'm also scared I'll mess it up!

So, anyone want to advise a totally clueless mum?!

[wobblypig]

Why would you get a flaming?
My Ds was similar - had letters in the bath and magentic letters. We got the Jolly phonics system when he was three- given to us by my sister who has older children.We then got the phonic games from ELC which we fun and helped him learn the common phonetic words. He watched the Dvd listened to the CD; played the games and essentially taugth himslef to read by having fun. Then we moved onto the JP readers. he is 4.3 and now reading the second series becuase he likes to. We have never been pushy and don't really understnad were it has all come from.
BUT - I would only really do it if she enjoys it nad not because you are worried about school. I have the reverse anxiety as my DS will be one of hte older children in his class so it works both ways.

[Piffle]

I find reading to them, making a deal of the words with letters they know, making sure they follow stories, leave out words, get them to fill in etc
I found my 3yo ds knew up down yes no in on off as well as his name and a few other things
He wants to read but he's not ready per se
Both my older kids were reading basic stuff at 3 but he is the only one who wants to learn... The other two just figured it out themselves virtually.

[maizieD]

Get a copy of the Jolly Phonics handbook; that will tell you how to go about it.

Or, PhonicsInternational has a range of very reasonably priced (and some are free..)products to help with pre and early reading. The website is also very informative

[Malaleuca]

www.piperbooks.co.uk
Little readers designed specificaslly for beginners.

[DerangedSibyl]

teach her all the letter sounds, and get her to pick them out to you in books, on signs etc. tell her to "press the sound buttons" - point to each letter and say the sound. You then demontrate that these sounds can be 'blended' together to make words.

learning the letter sounds actually helps their speech as they learn to listen for them even if they can't say them.

[singersgirl]

I got a copy of the Jolly Phonics handbook when DS2 wanted to learn to read at 3.5, taught him all the basic blending from there and then got some first words JP books. Then I got some Ruth Miskin Read Write books. This was before they were bought by OUP and you used to be able to get cheap black and white versions - don't know if you still can.

I used to fit in 10-15 minutes of structured reading practice most days; often he did it with his lunch after nursery or in the bath. It wasn't onerous because he was very keen and very ready, and I enjoyed following the JP book because I like structure.

Of course, once they're past a certain basic stage, they start to read anything and everything anyway.