Phonics phobic

[PollFlanders]

DD is almost 4 and loves words and books (physical stuff another matter). She has a great vocab and is able to recognise loads of words, but is quite resistant to sounding out phonetically. Clearly she finds this much more of an effort than just learning the word by sight. She always tries to guess (often correctly) first and once I get her to sound out the first couple of letters her brain is whizzing through the available alternatives and then guesses (correctly) again. We don't often make it to the end of the word! Partly I'm delighted she likes and enjoys reading words but I know when she starts School in September they won't like her approach at all - and I do appreciate how helpful phonics are in learning to spell. But, if she 'just learns' the words I can't stop her can I?! Any advice?

Hi

The only advice is that she is still very young, and phonics is something that just clicks, usually sometime between 4 and 7 years old.

My last dad was a primary head. He explained to me that, until around 5 years, most children learn words by sight and shape. At around 5, the ability to pick up phonics clicks in.

I was taught early, by word recognition, and my spelling is rubbish. Better just to keep enjoying stories etc for now, and practice phonics (lots of eye spy etc) and the rest will come very quickly shen she is ready.

To be honest I don't know why you are even bothering. DD starts school in September, enjoys looking at books too but the last thing i would do with her is try to teach her how to read before starting school.

Had this approach with older DS and he could read after one term at school and has a reading age of 12. He has just turned 7.

Really don't worry about it and enjoy your summer together before she starts school.

Thanks. We didn't deliberately teach her, she just read words herself and as she had started I though we'd better get it done 'properly'.