Two year old wants to learn to read

[pipnchops]

I might get some eye rolls, but I think my almost 3 year old is showing an interest in learning how to read... she's my first so I have no idea if this is way too early to start! Probably! I just want to know the best way to start. Obviously with learning letters of the alphabet (she can sing the song abc but she wouldn't recognise letters yet to look at). So when I'm showing her the letters and telling her what they are, do I teach her the real way to say them or the phonetic way? I don't want to confuse her when she starts learning them at pee school or school. And do I show her capital letters or lower case? Totally confused here!

*pre school!!!

I would show lower case letters and make the sound. Knowing the letter names, whilst useful knowledge is of no use when learning to read.

Programmes like alpha blocks and stuff might help? You need to teach her the sounds not the letters.

Agree with others, teach sounds not names. Alphablocks is very useful for teaching parents how to pronounce the sounds.

Lower case and use jolly phonics sounds for word building - otherwise you're teaching her the names of the letters rather then the sounds the letters make

The phonetic way to say letters is the real way to say them?!?

She doesn't need to know the names of letters, just the sound they usually make.

I'd give her a love of books, get her making up stories by looking at the pictures, enjoying lots of different books, but don't try teaching her to read, you are not a teacher so might just get it wrong.

Thank you, I thought so but wanted to check!

Lower case and the sound they make. My dd went to school in Asia at 3 and learning to read was par for the course so if she's up for it then give it a try

Overmydeadbody thanks she loves books and is doing exactly what you describe in the last part of your post. It's wonderful. Today she has been looking at the words and asking me to tell her what they are and I felt a bit out of my depth! I felt like you say, I'm not a teacher and I don't want to confuse her but she's showing an interest.

I second Jolly Phonics. I used these when DS1 was at preschool and DS2 (just turned 3) is starting to show an interest in them now too. Also, you can get the songs with the signs on YouTube, which are quite catchy.

www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Finger-Phonics-Books-1-7-Jolly-Set/1870946316/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500309760&sr=1-13&keywords=Jolly+phonics&tag=mumsnetforum-21

As others have said, lower case letters and the sound not the name. Other pre reading listening skills that you can develop are encouraging her to think about the initial sounds of words, eg in an alphabet book " here's a picture of a baby, baby starts with the sound b, what other things Can you see that start with the sound b . " Thinking about rhyming words, teach her nursery rhymes and emphasise the rhymes, encourage word and listening games etc. anything to develop her skills at hearing and recognising different sounds. Do you go to the library together? borrowing, sharing and reading books is a great way to encourage a love of reading, most libraries do story time, again, she would be learning to listen carefully as well as enjoying the stories.

My dd is the same age and has the same interest level. We read dozens of books and discuss them. We do the comprehension exercises at the back and I've also taught her the phonic alphabet by saying them myself and watching phonics sings on you tube. There are also fun phonics game apps you can download.

We also play at recognising lower case letters and spotting them in books and out and about. Same for numbers. Don't worry about getting it wrong. A love of learning and an interest like this should be encouraged. Just keep it fun.

If she asks what a word says then tell her. there is no harm in telling her. she won't ask you what every word says!

My youngest wanted to do his "homework" when he was 2( has older siblings). He wanted to learn letters/numbers .I bought a basic alphabet book from Poundland and we often used to go through that. He knew most of the letters by 2.5/3 .We had the Pirate Phonics app which he plays with and have subscribed to reading eggs which is enjoyable and has helped with basic reading.Starts reception in September and can read a bit already.2 is not too early if showing an interest.

Thanks, some really great advice here!!

rather than making it a separate "thing", just get some books on the alpha bet and include them in her normal bedtime stories etc

Maybe find out which phonics scheme the nursery she will go to uses. Jolly Phonics is a popular one, each sound has a song and action to reinforce it. You can search on you tube for jolly phonics. It teaches the sounds in a different order to the standard alphabet so they can makes words quicker is the first group is s, a, t, p, i, n.
Also focus on the sounds of words rather that trying to read a word, so when you're out and see a cat you can say 'c for cat, same as c for car'.

Another one for alpha blocks.
And just read to them. Let them follow the words. Just to enjoy the experience. I was apparently like this. This was back in the days of ITA - anyone old enough to remember that ? It was widely seen as a mistaken approach in hindsight. But I still learned quickly.
Dd has been the same. School will sort out any errors.

Enable a love of books. Get him addicted to stories. Long term it will help him reach his potential in so many different subject areas

Agree to just read lots of books rather than focus on teaching/learning as such. School may end up being harder if you start one phonics scheme and they use another. Also, you may make reception year in primary terribly dull if you race ahead, just a thought!

You don't need to 'teach' her. Children are constantly exposed to letters and words. Picking out letters in their names on food packets or road signs will just happen naturally.

If you want to be sure about phonic pronounciation, Alpha blocks is aimed at pre school children.

When did all this phonics stuff start? I'm 41 and never used phonics to learn to read. I've got a degree in English so I must have done ok!

Look on oxford owl app - most are free books but you can sign up

It highlights the words and sounds plus a game at the end or each book etc give it a go

Phonics is supposed to help less able readers - 44 sounds in English many with more than one way to spell them.
It makes it less daunting.

My DD learned to read before school: we worked our way through most of a book that was recommended to me by a homeschooling friend before she was 4. It's called 'teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons' and is basically foolproof. Down to a word for word script that you talk through for each lesson! It uses a phonetic system and special script to help children distinguish between long vowels and short, before switching to normal type once they have the hang of it. I'm going through it with my DS who has just turned 5 and he adores each lesson, with very short and slightly ridiculous stories to read at the end of the lesson once sound practice is out of the way.

I would only recommend this for kids who are asking and clearly ready to start reading, as it is a huge pain and chore if they are not fully engaged. I loaned it to a friend but her DS didn't get on with it at all and she ditched it quickly and waited until school for him.

Each lesson takes about 15-20 mins so easy enough to do one a day, or a few in a week.

Amazon will have copies if you are interested.

I found my DD grasped the jolly phonics system at school effortlessly as it wasn't identical but meshed well with the phonics she had got used to in the book. It meant an easy transition once she started school which I was grateful for as we had just moved to the area and it was one less thing to worry about when she started school.