Best aids for teaching alphabet, early reading

[otchayaniye]

Before you cry 'stop!' my daughter (23 months) has been asking to read for months. We read to her often in the day and of course at night. She can recognise certain words ('cat', 'baby' 'book' 'tiddler' 'You are pigs' from Piggybook etc) but has said things like 'this says x' and is trying (and failing) to spell out the words through the letters'

Now, of course she is doing this by recognition (much as I had to learn Mandarin as it's not phonic) so I guess this isn't bad in and of itself, but I'm wondering if I should:

teach her the alphabet (she knows about half anyway)

teach her phonics with basic flashcards (know any that are good?)

just continue reading to her as is and let her pick up more words?

I was of the generation where most mothers taught their kids to read early but nowawdays most advise leaving it. I don't think I'm forcing this though as she keeps asking.

[starsandmoonandback]

Ha ha! That's hilarious!!

[YAsoNBU]

I expect the child in question is reading Tolstoy by now seeing as this thread was started in 2010!

[Iwantakitchen]

I meant at bath Time!

[Iwantakitchen]

Bath letters with little fish net from the pet shop, y
She can go letter fishing at bedtime. I have this fantastic puzzle from John Lewis bought years ago with letters and first sound of the word (s for snake). I use it with all the children I look after and they love it. Get familiar with phonic sounds and use them correctly. Not the alphabet song it doesn't help with the method used at school. I mean it's great if she knows it but phonics is more useful for learning to read. Play games with her, please forget about flash adds they are not a natural way to learn or play. Make it fun and then, let her take the lead. When she is ready she will be able to put the sounds together.

[HJBeans]

Our little boy (23 months) is also obsessed with letters and keeps pointing out signs and trying to name the letter sounds. He's also recently started counting. We responded by getting him a word/letter puzzle set by Melissa & Doug which he loves, and a numbers stacking toy by Bigjigs which he also enjoys. I knew how to read well before school and can recall being bored in school, but also loving books throughout childhood. I figure if he's asking, I'm going to support his interest as I would an interest in anything else.

He is also mad about "Get Squiggling Letters" on the BBC. But they're only a few minutes long and, maddeningly, they only release two letters per week. After literally dozens of viewings of N and O, I'm genuinely looking forward to the weekend when I expect to meet P and Q!

[Ferguson]

I worked in primary schools for twenty-five years, and besides the 'letter, word, and phonics' activities DD is already becoming interested in, don't forget numeracy - counting one-to-one correspondence of objects, and simple mathematical concepts: half, quarter, double, share, position, shapes etc.

Also she is at an ideal age to start learning informal music: if you can afford it, an electronic keyboard (61 full size keys, not a toy one). Or 'domestic percussion', pots and pans and wooden spoon to accompany TV or radio music.

[starsandmoonandback]

Also twinkl phonics apps are good x

[ReallyTired]

Jolly phonics has some brilliant resources for teaching early reading, but your daughter may well be too young. There are some jolly phonics videos on YouTube another good website is star fall.com

I see no harm in teaching a small child to read provided its child led. Playing games with robot speak is fun or making letter shaped biscuits. Sharing books is a great way of improving vocabulary.

[starsandmoonandback]

Let her watch some alphablocks x

[lexyloub]

Use the alphabet song on you tube my ds liked that played it constantly reciting it with the song

[melvinh]

There are various Reading tools available these days. I use See-n-Read Reading tools for my kid. It really helps.

[JimJammum]

Jolly phonics was recommended to us by ds' teachers at nursery as the system they use. There is a cd which you can play in the car and a book to accompany to teach you the songs and actions for each word. My ds was/is very into letters and we had foam bath letters, but I have since realised that I have taught him wrong....so M is not "muh" but "mmmmm". I wish I had known earlier so he doesn't have to unlearn what he has already picked up.
You can get it on amazon and it's not expensive, and then use the phonics to blend letters together to make easy words....we then got books from library in early readers section.

[allbie]

An able child will not be confused by different methods of teaching. If they have a level of understanding already, they will use whatever comes their way to learn. A variety of methods gives a far wider scope.

[otchayaniye]

Everyone thank you. Great advice. I don't think it matters really if she is behind or ahead of her coevals at reception. They are all varied at that stage anyway and will find things to occupy themselves. I read at 2.5 and found I was able to enjoy school.

[IMoveTheStars]

this is superb for phonics.

[IMoveTheStars]

I would recommend fridge phonics but only the lower case version.

Also alphablocks (correct phonics, and v entertaining to LO's)

Click around the site, there's loads of little games/info

[TottWriter]

You could also try drawing the letters with her. Obviously sh'es probably not going to learn to write for a while, but I found my DS is quite good at recognising letters if I draw the mand ask him what "sound" they are. It's fun, because for letters like 'o' you can get her to join in (circles are hit and miss, but they are rewarding for them to draw).

I sometimes ask DS if there are any letters he knows on the cover of his bedtime story, depending on how worn out he is.

Also, I would go with the phonics, rather than the letter names. Have you seen Alphablocks on Cbeebies - that's a better way than 'AH Buh Cuh', and they use it for children who have difficulty learning to read. A young child might find that easier too, and hissing like a snake and humming the 'm' is a good way to get her enjoying it.

She might get bored though - DS went through a phase at around 24mo when he was obsessed with a few letters, and now he doesn't seem to remember them at all. From the sounds of it, your DD has progressed beyond that, but it is still possible that she'll take a step back at some point. (If that does happen, don't be disheartened. DS is now really into books again after a break of around 6 months.)

[Rosebud05]

My daughter learnt the alphabet by reading the letters on car number plates when we were out and about, then picked up lower case letters from books, street signs etc.

Someone gave us some flash cards as a present - we looked at them once and she just wasn't interested.

[kidsncatsnwine]

I second Nannynoknobs (lol@ name!) Bath letters and fridge magnets, rather than formal teaching.

Letter sounds rather than letter names.. draw letters in sand, shaving foam, make it fun.
Of course you may find in 6 months time she is bored with that and mud pies are far more fun...

[ruddynorah]

the 7 book series of jolly phonics is easy going, fun, good introduction to phonics and blending.

[nannynobnobs]

Bath letters are brilliant :)

[4plus1]

Try and help her to become aware of different sounds and develop her listening skills. I dont just mean as in letter sounds but sounds around her and sounds she can make clapping, clicking tongue etc. I find the children who can distingush sounds then in a word have a good start when reading. Just another angle to things.

[MadameSin]

Continue reading and show her the 'joy' of books and how they can be shared. There's no harm in teaching her the alphabet, but I would stay away from actually doing the phonic stuff, as it may be taught differently when she starts school and therefore could be confusing. I think she sounds like a very bright little girls who will learn quickly anyway. Another danger of teaching her early is that she'll be bored when she starts, as she will already know what they need to learn in Reception. Good luck

[woopsidaisy]

My two DS loved-and still do actually-the Fun with Phonics series from CBEEBIES. You can buy it on amazon,comes with book and brill poster.I found it very helpful as I had never learned the phonic alphabet...it is just a fun way to learn.