Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

I want to start teaching DS to read, what books/flashcards should I buy?

30 replies

Bimblin · 26/02/2008 11:13

He is 3 next month. He knows all his numbers and some letters. Are there any good books you could recommend for both him - to learn, and for me - to teach me how best to teach?
Not pushing him btw, he keeps asking.

OP posts:
cornsilk · 26/02/2008 11:23

I like letterland books. You could buy some wooden letters and start with cvc words. It's important that he says the sounds of the letters correctly. e.g. not 'buh' for 'b' etc.

Twiglett · 26/02/2008 11:25

Please leave him alone just read him stories but don't 'actively teach him' .. if he asks tell him phonically what letters are

terramum · 26/02/2008 11:26

TBH I would simply keep reading books to him following the words with your finger as you do....but then we are HEing & going for 'whole word' reading & learning by osmosis rather than teaching things things phonics al a NC

belgo · 26/02/2008 11:27

I agree with Twiglett and terramum

foxythesnowman · 26/02/2008 11:28

Just be careful, if he is due to start nursery he may have to 're-learn' how to read.

At ours they use phoenics, so they don't learn the names of the letters, but the sounds. And those sounds are different to how we learnt them (i.e. we'd say 'buh' 'duh but they'd say 'pure sounds). Its all very confusing ... the parents had a lesson on it before our children started Reception. Its the Ruth Miskin scheme. It is very good and my boys picked it up easily.

If he is going to go somewhere, find out how they teach it and follow their lead.

TheHonEnid · 26/02/2008 11:31

jolly phonics sounds are great

some nurseries teach it at 3

my dd2 loved it and can now read quite well at 5

I believe in teaching early reading though - v unpopular view!

terramum · 26/02/2008 11:35

Can be nosey as ask why THEnid?

My2Weegirls · 26/02/2008 11:49

my dd1 (3.1) keeps saying to me 'mummy i want to be able to read', i keep telling her to describe what she see's on the pictures. she knows her alphabet - though saying the names of the letters, should i be teaching her phonics?

i don't want to even attempt to teach her to read as i don't want to confuse her with my method and what she'll get at school. she'll go to nursery in august for her pre-school year.

TheHonEnid · 26/02/2008 12:25

early phonics learning is fun

early word recognitino is fun for some children

I dont understand why we push swimming for example at such a young age but are scared off by reading

elliott · 26/02/2008 12:38

I believe in taking the child's lead - if they are interested then yes by all means teach them, if not, just keep reading them books. I don't know why this is controversial! It is quite easy to tell if the child is ready and interested - ds2 keeps handing me ds1's phonics books and demanding to do 'spellings' as he calls it! ds1 on the other hand wasn't particularly interested before reception.
I would choose any phonically based scheme and start with the pre-reading phonics and blending skills. these are quite fun to make into games - starting with 'whole word' schemes like ORT is a bit of a nonsense ime.

fedupwasherwoman · 26/02/2008 12:40

I think the key is whether a 3 year old wants to learn to read, if so, go ahead but find out what method your intended pre-school or school use and follow that.

If they lose interest don't push it as they've probably found it beyond them at the moment but will get to grips with it later when they are ready and the worst thing a parent can do is push reading at a child who then thinks "I can't do it", making them apprehensive when pre-school or reception class teachers start again.

We had a great Mr Men dvd which was about a bus journey looking for items starting with each letter of the alphabet and introduced all the phonic alphahet sounds which is quite enough for the majority of pre-schoolers.

I bought jolly phonics books but in the end ds didn't actually blend sounds and read until a few weeks afer he started school. A few months later he was ORT level 5 so despite him not learning to read until he got to school he then overtook the handful of children who could already read when they started.

Just out of interest despite his use of phonics he is actually a "whole word" reader too and enjoyed the old "Peter and Jane" books but these weren't introduced until after he had been taught phonics. He definately remembers whole words a lot of the time rather than sounding them out.

singersgirl · 26/02/2008 13:32

I second Jolly Phonics or Ruth Miskin (ReadWrite books available from OUP). DS2 wanted to learn at 3 so I taught him with Jolly Phonics. We spent 5-10 minutes most days.

Reading is enjoyable and empowering, so if a child wants to learn, and is ready to learn, why not teach them? Like Enid, I don't see why we make such a distinction between 'academic' skills and physical skills. I know people who have taught their 3 year olds to ride bikes without stabilisers - that would have been a miserable non-starter for DS2, but no doubt brought a lot of pleasure to the kids who were keen to do it.

DiscoDizzy · 26/02/2008 13:40

I third jolly phonics but I wouldn't actively teach reading. When DD was in nursery I bought the books, wall charts that DD would be learning from when she went to school. Like I said not actively teaching but occassionally talked about letters when reading.

Original poster
Bimblin · 26/02/2008 13:45

Thanks for the help and ideas. Since he wants to learn to read, I am going to check with his pre school and then try the Jolly Phonics. And hey, if he doesn't like it, I'll just go back to reading to him, I'm not going to cane him

OP posts:
puffling · 26/02/2008 13:51

I don't understand why a child might be at a disadvanage if you use a different phonics scheme to the one used at school. Surely the phonetic sounds can't differ depending on the scheme?
ps: agree with Elliott, child might want to learn. DD adores it, it's her best play. She likes knowing the names of letters and the phonetic sounds.

Bluebutterfly · 26/02/2008 13:52

My ds (3.1) has no interest at all in learning to read and he has been read to before naps and bedtime, every day since he was about 5 mths old. The rest of the time he is far to active to sit still and listen to educational instruction (or am I doing something wrong?)

cazza6 · 26/02/2008 14:00

I agree it's never too early but no need to be pushy, just encourage and make spelling words a part of conversation. The other day my 3yr old wanted to go to the toilet while we were out and when she wasn't convinced there were any toilets, I pointed to the sign saying Toilets and spelt it out (she wasn't crossing her legs at this stage btw). She showed some interest and I'm not saying she took it all in but I think every little bit helps with letter recognition and letter sounds. As long as you're consistent I don't think they'll get confused. Cross the bridge of the method that the nursery/preshcool goes on to use when you come to it.

wheelsonthebus · 26/02/2008 14:41

re books for you - this is supposed to be v good
www.amazon.co.uk/Butterfly-Book-Reading-Writing-Course/dp/1903386616

spokette · 26/02/2008 14:46

This book has great reviews on Amazaon.

I have a copy but not used it yet. I'm waiting until the boys show an interest.

Piffle · 26/02/2008 15:30

dd self taught, grandparents bought awful leap frog phonics radio which she was addicted to from 24 mths, within days she knew the alphabet and phonics.
Then we got her the leap frog fridge phonics, she started making up words.
Bang that was it she could read
zero input from us!

mumeeee · 26/02/2008 18:02

The best thing you can do for him is to read him lots of stoires and to point out words around you when you are out. But don't actibely teach him to read unless he asks.

colditz · 26/02/2008 18:02

Dr seuss

DualCycloneCod · 26/02/2008 18:06

hmm i started wiht ds2 at 4
he read a book

pronounced he coudl read then gave up.

SpringSunshine · 26/02/2008 21:03

My ds self taught the letter sounds at nearly 3 whilst watching the Jolly phonics DVD and using the finger phonics books which we had for dd who was in Reception.

He wanted to learn to blend and read real words but as he was so young we took it slowly and used Jelly and Bean books which start with one word per page plus the JP read and see books.

He is now 5.3 and reading ORT stage 9 and has just moved into chapter books so it certainly has worked for him

Squirtle · 26/02/2008 21:21

Whenever he learns to read just make sure
YOU keep reading to him. I think a love of reading is more important that learning to read young. Your son sounds great, have fun.

Swipe left for the next trending thread