How to help pre school child with reading?

[Edenviolet]

My dd was four last week, for a few months she has been sounding out words and recognising words in books and copying them.

The last couple of weeks she has been reading everything she can so I wrote out some words- I, I am, we, the, are, cat, dog etc and stuck them on the wall and she can read and write them.

The thing is I don't know what to do from here, I don't want to push her or teach her the wrong way as not sure how its done in school. We read a lot everyday and she keeps asking to learn more words and wants to watch alpha blocks on tv all the time!

Other dcs never did this and could only read and write their own names when started in reception.

How do I progress with this?

Get some simple "my first reading books" from your local charity shop and let her read them. Talk to your library's early years librarian.

Hi Hedgehog80

Sounds like your DD is starting fast!

Oxford Owl has advice for parents with early reading skills and it may be of help: www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home/reading-owl/reading.

One thing I will say is that if this is coming from a fear that she needs to be able to read before starting school can I reassure you that's not the case.

However, I really do think that if a child clearly enjoys reading and is interested and eager to do more, there's no point 'waiting' for school to start either.

It sounds like you are doing really well and don't need advice. Have you asked the teacher at your children's school?

I hadn't really even considered any of dcs would read before going to school, the older two couldn't at all except their names. We have been reading dd all the same stories as they had but she's just very different!

I was worried about doing it wrong as I know they do all the phonics etc at school and didn't want to start doing things the wrong way and cause problems for her when she does start school next year. All she wants to do lately is read words, copy them out and look at books all the time.

My older child was similar and we got him some of the jolly phonics books and CDs. My youngest had little interest in learning to read until she started school.

She's likely seeing her older siblings enjoy it and want to be like them!

If the school she will go to does Jolly phonics, there's lots of resources out there. Try eBay for DVDs CDs etc that will teach you how to use them. Dd loved them but I never did them with her- she picked it all up at school v easily. Maybe your older dc might enjoy a game is schoolhouse where they help teach your dd?

Also look for creative ways for her spelling that make them a game. I remember my mum made a washing line between 2 dining chairs and wrote letters onto wooden pegs. I then pegged up my dolls clothes to make the word she said. ( put upper and lower case letters on the same peg) I later did that with my dd, along with some Montessori inspired projects ( loads online)

Just let her lead re books.

I might get some of those then as I'm not so great with phonics (I learnt toread with letter land!)

Washing line idea is lovely! Dd would love that!

I agree. Your DD is probably emulating her older siblings. If your school is using jolly phoincs the workbooks are really helpful & there's lots of letter forming skills & colouring in to do. We missed the boat for DD1 with this - but DD2 had these from the start and it really helped.

Also - CBeebies Alphablocks was very helpful at this stage: www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/alphablocks/ - in terms of teaching sounds of letters.

DD2's class used Alphablocks a lot although the phonics scheme was jolly phonics. I found the Alphablocks shows (which you can still see on the website above) really sweet and the tunes were very catchy - so helped make concepts memorable.

HTH

DD started in reception this year and her teacher said that if we did get any outside reading books etc to make sure they were compatible with Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). I think they will normally say on the front.

Dd adores alpha blocks and also rhyme rocket (I can't stand those two in it!) and the programme with squiggle where they sing the alphabet. She isnt interested at all in the other programmes.

The school do jolly phonics so I will see if she wants to try that.

there is a really good guidance called Letters and Sounds wich schools use to teach reading
you can download it and follow the guidelines in there
www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-and-sounds
also it is really important that she learns the right letter sounds
maybe look on youtube for some instructional videos that have the correct phonic sounds

That's brilliant Thankyou I will take a look at that too.

DS was like this. We found he also loved a DVD called "fun with phonics" the BBC produced, and this book. (It turned out to be the same reading scheme they use in school - has about 6 of their early readers in one. It goes up several ladders, if she works her way through all those quite fast).

My aunt teaches, and she said she thinks teachers are arrogant in thinking there is a "right" way to teach a child ready to learn before starting school. She feels phonics are the best and fastest and most universally successful methods, but a kid who already wants to learn will be fine. It's seemed that way with DS, certainly. I'd not worry and just let her enjoy her own enjoyment of learning - think that's key to success at any age, tbh.

Read and re-read any simple story books you have and let her join in as you point to the words.
If you still have simple toddler books get those out, including the non-fiction vocabulary type books.
Cooking together is brilliant. If she can work out the ingredients on the list, with your help, (fl fl what could that be? Flour) and then make a cake or dish there is a super sense of purpose and enjoyment from reading.
Buy some cheap notebooks and bright pencils and leave her to try out her writing.
Don't correct spellings too much at the stage, initial sounds are fine.
Read poems and rhymes and spot rhyming words.
Buy magnetic letters and 100 high frequency words and play with them on the fridge.
Let her see you write lists and read the paper.
Don't force anything but help her when she asks. Leave reading and writing things lying around.
I wouldn't worry about phonics too much because children who cover it too many times can get fed up with it.
Have fun and good luck!