What do you think about teaching pre-schoolers reading?

[Caththerese1973]

Hi
I was just curious what people thought about teaching pre-schoolers to read. My daughter is nearly four and just about to start to kindy, but I've never tried to teach her to read (beyond singing the 'Alphabet Song' they used to show on Sesame Street when I was young - what a shame they don't do that anymore! I STILL have to sing it to myself sometimes so I can remember whether 'o' is before or after 'p'....). I have read a lot of stories to my daughter, and she can write quite a few letters, but this is all off her own bat, or maybe her daycare lady has shown her how to do some letters - I've never shown her how to write a letter except for the letter 'H' (the first letter of dd's name). I don't think she knows which letters they are, either: she's just become very used to seeing printed words because of all the story books.
I was inclined to think it best NOT to intervene and try and teach my pre-schooler to read, as I really have no idea how to start, and fear that whatever approach I take might just confuse her when she starts proper school. But the other day I visited my aunt, who is a retired primary school teacher, and she has actually taught her 2.5 y/o how to read a little bit, or at least how to recognise a few words (eg 'Mum', 'Dad', 'Nana', 'Hi' etc). My aunt suggested I should try the same thing with my own child, as she seemed to think it would give her an advantage. Also, according to my aunt reading is not taught as effectively as it used to be, and in her view, if one wants to guarantee a child's literacy in later years, it is best to start very young. We live in Australia and the there is indeed a big problem here with childhood illiteracy here (I know most Mumsnet posters are from the UK: the school system might be better there).
I'm not at all a pushy Mum, or determined that my child has to prove herself a genius, but like any mother, I naturally want my child to learn to read and be reading at an age-appropriate level as she gets older (sadly, many kids in Australia are well below the age-appropriate level reading-wise).
What do other parents think?

Not so much teaching them to read but DH did teach DD how you read the words i.e the words go from left to right on the page so she followed the words with her finger as he read them.

I was thinking of posting a similar thread as my d.s 2.5 has always been obsessed with letters & words.
He knew his alphabet by 18m,then started asking what different words were,shop signs,menu's,etc.He soaked any info up with delight.
He's a very normal,boisterous,fun little boy but adores books-like me.We have hundreds & hundreds!
He knew how to spell his name,mummy,daddy,baby,dog,cat,car etc certainly by 2 years.Now he is part reading his books & can write his name etc.
He loves nonsense poems & knows them inside out after reading them a couple of times-same with the majority of his books.
When I'm down or sad or cross he'll come up to me & say'mummy would you like a poem?and then you'll be happy'!!
I'm slightly concerned that by the time he starts school he'll be too advanced and then be completely bored & rebellious.
But you cant quash a child's loves & interests can you?
I don't know what to do for the best really & would be grateful for advice too.

The best thing you can do with a pre-schooler is read to them and let them enjoy books

if they pick stuff up, so be it

if you try to teach them then I think you're being pushy and it does them no great benefit ... but following them if they want to 'play' at reading / writing is fine

I'd have a look at the Jolly Phonics website .. that's the system many UK schools have adopted and it seems very successful

why are Aussie kids below childhood literacy levels?

Agree with Twig.. let them enjoy books.

I wouldnt personally teach a pre-schooler to read. You may do it differently to how they will do it at school and then the teacher will have to un-teach them and then re-teach them which is much harder for the teacher and the child.

Just let her enjoy books - don't worry about doing anything else for pre-schoolers.

I have never 'taught' ds to read but we have always had plenty of books in the house, reading is encouraged and we read together everyday. He has picked up loads this way - on his own - and his nursery have been extremely impressed with his reading abilities

In fact - I was gently told off by the nursery leader after his first day as he had aparently proudly recited his alphabet as 'ay, bee, cee' etc (the way I was taught it and the way i would naturally say it). She told me it would have been better if I'd 'taught' him phonics instead...

Umm, that last para didn't make much sense

What I mean is best to just encourage reading and love of books at home and let the school guide the actual 'teaching', imo.

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Definitely let the child lead. Much less stressful! Enjoy books with them, and you could try making a picture book using photographs of 'a day out' - so they help you write it, and then read it together.

Yes, if the child is wanting to know what words are, then gently show them. But there si so need to teach them.

Let them get on with it. If they are constantly naagging you "what does that word say? And that word? What's that letter? What noise does it make? Write my name! And your name! and daddy!"

etc etc then I think you have to teach them something to get them off your case. My mu says she taught me to read in self defence.

However, my brother didn't read until he was 6, but he could take apart and reassemble a Tonka toy.

exactly colditz!!!! I can sympathise hugely with her..I cant just'read' stories anymore.D.S demands explanations and for help to 'learn' the new words.
I am regretting letting him watch 'mary poppins' over Christmas cos now his favourite word is SUPERCALLAFRAJALISTIC....you know the one.I def need help with spelling that one!

Kids don't start to read until formal schooling in Scandanavia about 6 (I think)years old (or it maybe 7).

They have much higher levels of literacy than countries where cildren start reading early.

always useful too colditz!

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Children even (so much for literacy! )

@ self defence. I have to say I can't wait for the day when ds can actually sit and read properly by himself. Bliss.

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exactly oops.
I'm in no way a pushy Mum.
I was a Nanny for sixteen years & saw way too much of that.
As far as adding & subtracting.Ha!Forget it,D.s takes after his Mummy and is crap at anything remotely to do with numbers!

would be interested to hear though whether it does cause problems for them when they start school.
my dd1 is at an excellent nursery and my dh loves to teach her how to do stuff. she is nearly 3 and has started to read (recognising words), recognises all the alphabet and numbers, can add up etc....

tbh i am worried that when she starts school (pre school nursery in sept) she will be bored and naughty. When we looked around they said proudly "the children leave here able to recognise their name and count to 10". i think my dd was doing that before she was 2.

ds1 counts everything, it drives me nuts. I really try to encourage his love of numbers but the treacherous 13 year old in my head is scribbling on the mental textbooks, coughing 'bollocks' and sticking drawing pins in the heels of her shoes. I can't make her concentrate on maths.

exactly my fear.I hated school & it's rally important to me that d.s enjoys his schooling.What to do though?

you're a hoot colditz

I will point out the funny pidgeons, or something like that, and ds1 will exclaim "Yes! Let's count them!"

And I will say "Oh what a good idea, ds1" but I will be thinking "Oh Christ do we have to? You're so anal!"

( i am ill so wont make sense!!)
Lots of oppatunity to look at books is all that is needed. Reading to them asking them to sy what they see in the pic etc. but not sctual reading. unless they really show an interest