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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Teaching your baby to read. Anyone read this?

92 replies

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 11:56

Found a book called how to teach your baby to read that's got amazing reviews and I'm
Going to try with DS (2.4) and DD (1.1) but was wondering if anyone has tried it and had any success?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

fuzzpig · 04/07/2011 13:04

Oops last bit got deleted - meant to add that if a child doesn't pick it up quickly it can be very distressing.

HighFibreDiet · 04/07/2011 13:10

Interesting that this question has thrown up such strong feelings in response. I am another one who was taught to read by my dad, based on the methods in this book. He tried it just to see if it worked. It does work at such an early age. It's not pointless, and I am glad that I learned to read before school made it seem so boring... I've seen my boys go through 'reading schemes' bringing home book after book with one word to a page and they just weren't interested.

However, I think it was difficult when I started reception already knowing how to read anything I wanted, as the school really didn't know what to do with me. Eventually I was allowed to borrow books from the junior library but I think it was only after quite a struggle. You only have to search mumsnet or the wider media for studies on adults who were labelled 'gifted and talented' as children to find that sometimes, having developed abilites earlier than the establishment expects, actually is a hindrance in being able to function well in wider society. But then (to the OP) if you learned using this system yourself, you know how it's affected you. I think the school's attitude is quite key but unfortunately lots of schools aren't very well set up for children who are G&T (whether labelled as that or not).

Also, having started to use that system with my boys and then stopped, I think Glenn Doman is quite prescriptive and that you don't necessarily have to follow the steps to the extent he says. In fact, even he points out early on in the book, that young children try to learn to read even if they aren't being exposed to flashcards. My ds3 (just turned 3) loves our local supermarket sign as the supermarket name starts with the same two letters as his name. The name is printed at regular intervals along the outside of the supermarket and I frequently have to hurry him along as otherwise he'd spend ages sounding out each word over and over.

Having read not only the Glenn Doman book but also quite a few books by John Holt (I particularly recommend 'How Children Learn') I tend to lean on the side of letting them discover words and reading when they want to, rather than sitting them down with flashcards up to 9 times a day as the Teach Your Baby to Read book seems to be suggesting. I do like the home-made books, though. I've made books for all my boys and they come back to them even when way past that stage of reading, because they are so personal. I think I even have the books my dad made for me somewhere.

Hth a little :)

jenniec79 · 04/07/2011 13:17

Is it quite an old system? Dad mentions doing Teach Your Baby To Read with me about 32 years ago.

Never felt hothoused, thanks folks, and meant I was a Free Reader early enough to avoid pretty much all of the biff and chip lunacy at school. I was off on an adventure with the secret 7 or similar instead

Now I know people think EB is fab or terrible, and you know what, some days I still prefer chicklit; but probably another story!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/07/2011 13:19

I can't imagine that turning up at school being able to read automatically makes you g&t.

And I'm yet to hear about any of these advantages.

luckywinner · 04/07/2011 13:20

I don't really get it. Who cares that they can read before school? They all get there in the end. And really, when they're 18, are they really going to think, 'thank god mum taught me to read so early'.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/07/2011 13:22

So what exactly did you gain in the long term by learning to read early? I learnt at 5 and was reading Animal Farm by 8. I can't quite see what I missed out on? [c

Original poster

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 13:26

The system is about 50 yrs old. To be honest I wasn't after an argument with bloody UP people as I don't tell u its mainly hippy crap and as an early years professional I find it completely bull. I wanted to know if anyone had had success with it

OP posts:

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/07/2011 13:29

Ah well maybe you have a point. My reading mustn't be up to much as I haven't a clue what your last post meant [confused[

jenniec79 · 04/07/2011 13:30

GML.

Probably no more than a pretty well engrained love of reading everything and anything. Of course it's nice one on one time with a parent too, so there's that side, especially as we did it as games in the main. Looking back on photos of me covered in mud, baking with mum swimming etc at roughly same era, it doesn't seem to have been all we ever did for hours on end!

Every child is different, it suited me, they didn't do it with DB as it didn't suit him. I'll probably give it a try when we get there, but not going to develop some weirdo schooltime routine, that would be mad!

Original poster

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 13:32

I'm doing it as 3 five min sessions each day if he shows an interest. So far haven't built an entire school room and ropes to pin him at a desk

OP posts:

swanker · 04/07/2011 13:35

It doesn't create a love of learning- it creates a love of reading.

I learned to read aged 2 (mother was a primary teacher)- it certainly hasn't made me a good student!
DH couldn't read fluently until 8 or 9 (dyslexic) but is very hard-working when he's studying.

I wouldn't say it is hothousing though- I was obviously very interested, and certainly have no negative memories of the process. My own children have been able to recognise letters and numbers at age 2, without any coaching or pushing.

emsies · 04/07/2011 13:37

Im actually surprised you're an early years professional. Most primary teachers I know (including local head) prefer you not to try to teach your child before they come to school as they would rather you work on all the other pre-reading schools.

We start teaching to read far earlier in this country than others as it is, and have a hideous literacy rate. Countries where people start later seem to have less problems with it in general.

I will definitely keep reading books to my daughter but I've been turned off the formal/flash card approach by my local head and will instead continue with rhymes and matching games and wait.

emsies · 04/07/2011 13:37

pre-reading SKILLS. D'oh.

Liluri · 04/07/2011 13:39

Excellent post, Emsies.
The YR teachers at our local primary prefers children not to have been taught to read at home, at they can become bored when the other children are being introduced to phonics if they already know it.
The UK already introduces formal learning at too early an age, imo.

Original poster

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 13:42

I work in a nursery school not primary I'd just like to point out!!

OP posts:

HighFibreDiet · 04/07/2011 13:45

Lexiejack, I'm not an 'unconditional parenting' person so I hope your last-but-one post wasn't aimed at me. I generally agree with the approach, just wanted to point out the potential downside as I experienced it.

I also agree with jennie79 and swanker that I had a very rounded childhood and particularly remember doing loads of camping and crafts with mum, so certainly not hothoused.

TheFlyingOnion · 04/07/2011 13:48

why why why???

what a complete (pushy) waste of time.

I say that as an infant teacher, btw...

RitaMorgan · 04/07/2011 13:53

Is it just teaching word recognition?

How does the child cope with coming across unfamiliar words?

Original poster

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 13:54

We do lots of things like fishing, trips to beach, playing in the woods. I just like the idea of being able to teach them to read instead of putting all my faith in a teacher of them in the future who I havent met. I loved being able to read early as I got to choose what books the school ordered (I read them all lol) and could always escape with a book if I was bored. I dont see how it's different from teaching a child ballet or shapes to be honest.

OP posts:

alana39 · 04/07/2011 13:56

As you are keen to help your children learn to read, have you thought about doing it intuitively rather than using a book? I'm firmly in the camp of letting children learn to read at school, but my DS2 could read car and street names at 3, then kind of used this knowledge of letters and words to work out what other words were, and was reading, in his own way, at nursery. He never demonstrated this to staff who all thought he didn't even know letters as he stayed away from them most of the year, but came home and read his big brother's reading books!

There was no formal learning at all, but every walk involved him trying to read house names, street names, signs etc because that was what he was interested in.

DS1 was one of those kids who picked it up very slowly at first, but is now one fo the best readers in his year. He had no interest in anything other than being read to, constantly, for years but it hasn't made any difference in the long run.

I guess what I'm trying to get across is that you can help an interested child to read "early", but I can't see any point in getting tied into someone else's way of doing it. Go with what your children want to do at this age and it will be alot more fun.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 04/07/2011 13:57

But it is different. It's the foundation of their entire education.

Enraha · 04/07/2011 13:59

My mum learnt to read before starting formal school and says how she hated being constantly bored and ahead of her peer group for the first 2 years of school, and it got her into trouble on more than one occasion because she lacked appropriate stimulation while the others were still learning the basics. A different generation and teaching style, but interesting unintended consequences.

She purposefully DID NOT repeat the perceived mistake with me and I don't intend to teach my children to read either. Although we do read stories together all the time and have done since very early on. At 3, DD1 has a good memory and can recite things by ear, but she's by no means reading herself yet.

Original poster

Lexiejack · 04/07/2011 14:02

But their education shouldn't just be at school. I'm not forcing them if they don't like it we'll stop. I just feel that they might benefit from it and it's fun for them to learn.

OP posts:

TheFlyingOnion · 04/07/2011 14:05

"I just like the idea of being able to teach them to read instead of putting all my faith in a teacher of them in the future who I havent met"

god you sound pushier and pushier.....

you'd rather teach your child to read because you don't trust some future teacher to do it properly?? Someone who is trained and has years of experience... you obviously know better

I hope your kids never end up in my class, I bet you'll be a nightmare...

Lancelottie · 04/07/2011 14:06

Yup, another one here 'taught' to read with this at 2 (well, mum taught my older brother, and I was there, so learnt by osmosis).

Snags? Yes, by the time I started school I was reading fluently but silently and I was both exceedingly shortsighted and exceedingly shy, so the busy, harassed reception teacher never discovered that I could read at all.

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