Should I teach DC phonics before school?

[Stickortwigs]

I’m not generally into doing stuff that they’ll learn at school early as think there’s plenty of other stuff like collages of leaves to be doing.

But DS is a sedate child who’ll happily sit for long stretches and concentrate and is constantly asking what each letter is in a book and what words say. If I read a story he’ll choose words which I’ve read and ask which ones they are on the page.

He’s my second so think I’d have a reasonable chance of teaching him phonics according to the school’s scheme but think then he might be bored in reception? Or I might teach it slightly wrong and create bad habits.

I don’t know whether to give it a go as he’s so keen or stick to answering his questions as we are.

Does anyone have any advice, especially if you’re an early years teacher.

I should add he’s almost 3.5 and he doesn’t start reception until September 2026 so a way off.

Nope, I wouldn’t bother. Just lots of reading together and playing outside. They have forever to be stuck indoors learning phonics. I’d make the most of fun stuff together now.

Is he in nursery now? They should be teaching him. If he shows interest them yes go ahead but if not just leave it to school.

If you are doing it make sure you’re using pure sounds and not adding ‘uh’ on the end of them.

Honestly no I wouldn't. I would just keep reading to him and encouraging his curiosity with letters e.g spotting them on number plates but I wouldn't sit down and actively teach him phonics.

Don’t they teach him in nursery? Most children will start this in nursery so don’t start school without any phonics knowledge. Nursery teaches a lot of things to get them school ready.

I was a child minder we did phonics before school . They really enjoyed it .

none were bored in reception, they don’t spend much of the day doing phonics . It’s part of the whole curriculum .

My Ds could read before he started school . He enjoyed reception .

I did, and it gave them a great start. We just did it through play, with Reading Eggs and Reading Chest books. We started with letter land.
https://shop-uk.letterland.com/
https://readingeggs.com/
https://readingchest.co.uk/

If he’s in preschool, surely they teach them anyway.
my preschooler can read, because they’ve taught her the basics. And I just bought some extra phonics books for home because she was very keen to read.

I would do lots of work on oral blending and segmenting, playing lots of games to hear and say or clap out the sounds in words. There is loads online. I'd also work on fine motor control, pencil grip, letter formation and hand eye coordination. If these are strong, then the phonics will be really amplified. In saying that, I don't think it's right to hold children back so they won't be 'bored' in school, as schools should really differentiate their phonics and have provision to stretch more able students. In saying that, sometimes parents think that their children are ready to be pushed in ways that they aren't but I don't see any harm in introducing your child to phonics at all, if he is truly ready. Just make sure you're pronouncing the sounds correctly using the pure sounds and not saying 'suh, muh, nuh etc'.

I'm an early years teacher btw

I think they must be teaching him some at nursery as he’s also just told me how to write 100 and it comes after 99.

My eldest went to a forest pre-school who did nothing academic like this so it’s new to me.

Thank you, this is helpful. And yes he’s got very good fine motor skills and can write some letters.

I do wonder if I should spend my time encouraging him in his poorer areas, but they are gross motor and I’m a lot less sure how to tackle those. And it comes a lot less natural. A think he’s a sedate bookworm like his mum!

No point. You'll just create a bunch of new problems.

Are you a qualified teacher?

I feel sorry for these little kids - just 4 and being made to do this stuff. There is no need at all.

I’d largely agree with the quoted post. If he’s showing an interest I’d follow his lead and answer his questions. Whether you do more than that is up to you but I suspect you could get him to the point of blending simple CVC words by the time he starts school just playing around with sets of magnetic letters on the fridge or similar.

Did you read my post? I said I don’t ever really push to teach things early (actually I don’t ‘teach’ them at all, just reading and help with homework with my eldest).

But DS keeps asking about letters and what words say so I wondered if I should, being led by him.

You can if you'd like. No harm will come of it. But there's no need and it won't make him a better reader. What will make him a better reader is reading to him and talking about the book. What do you think will happen next? Why? Try to pick out evidence from the text. You can model - I think she's going to a party because she is carrying a present, for example. Ask simple comprehension questions.

He’s not being made to. He’s just at a peak age for showing interest and sensitivity for letters, sounds and reading.

In terms of early reading skills, phonetic awareness and blending is key imo. The more natural and automatic these are, the more space is mentally freed up for the comprehension side of things, and of course prior exposure to storybook language and vocabulary all help with this, and with writing too etc. That's just my opinion and what I've noticed through the years: phonetic awareness is very important amd they do need to get through that clunky phase before moving onto the more inferrential stuff. I always think we should go with a child's interest and if they are curious about letter sounds and seem motivated to read, then go with it.

Yes, go for it.

NO!

For several reasons:

• unless you are a teacher and know exactly how it will be taught at the school then you might confuse her
• you are setting her up to be bored in reception
• you are forcing an adult mindset on a child
• Childhood is precious and irretrievable - treasure it and value what it brings of itself - imagination, a sense of fun. excitement at the world around etc. etc.

She has the rest of her life to learn phonics etc. Let her have a bit of pure childhood - you owe her that at least before she is funnelled down the learn, learn, learn route!

She needs to be having some wild fun! She will be sitting behind a desk before you can blink.

These are all the reasons I’m reluctant and where my natural stance is. But he seems very keen to know more and talk about letters. Bedtime takes ages because he wants to know which words on the page are the ones I’ve read.

I don’t want to not do an activity he wants (or appears to want) because I think he should be waiting.

But it seems opinions are mixed. There’s been some very helpful advice on ways I could do a little bit with him. So think I might test the water and if he likes it carry on, and if he’s ambivalent, then stick to reading and talking about the story etc.

I disagree in that children need to learn reading comprehension and written grammatical structure as distinct skills from the mechanics of reading. And the first 2 are possible with someone else reading to you, and should keep going even when learning phonics.

I agree that the OP will do a perfectly fine job of teaching phonics if her dc is keen to learn. There's no need to wait.

Do you know what phonics scheme the school he will go to use? I wouldn't do it unless you know that as you will risk confusing him :)

Yes as he’s my second. I wouldn’t even consider it had I not watched the weekly little videos the reception teacher sent for my older child.

Go for it if he is interested. My 3 year old loves letter because he watches alphablocks. So I’m going with his interest and teaching him to read and he is loving it. Your DS sounds very ready to learn and actively asking to learn to read.