When we set out to
teach a child to read, we are embarking
upon perhaps the most important thing the child will
ever
learn. In the past, when it was time to teach a child to
read, parents either took on the task themselves or sent
their little ones to a local school. In more recent
years,
the belief has taken hold that only professionals can
teach
a child to read. There have been conflicting opinions on
the
best way to teach a child to read, whether through whole
word learning, phonics, or other methods. Today we know
that
anyone can teach a child to read and the best way to go
about the process is by using phonics.
Teaching a child to read often begins long before she or
he
is old enough to understand letters and sounds. Parents
will
give
children a head start if they
begin reading to them
as
infants. A baby will become familiar with the sound of
reading and will take pleasure in hearing his parent’s
voice. By the time a child begins to walk, he will enjoy
looking at picture books and having someone read to him.
Two
and three-year-old children who are accustomed to having
someone read to them will often entertain friends and
relatives by “reading” one of their favorite books. They
sometimes memorize entire children’s books, even turning
the
pages at the right times.
When you begin the formal process to teach a child to
read,
she will benefit from the years of being familiar with
books
and knowing the enjoyment they bring. To teach a child
to
read, always begin with phonics. After she knows her
alphabet well, present to her all the phonetic
sounds of
the
alphabet, one by one. There are many wonderful books and
curriculums designed to teach a child to read; simply
choose
the best one that works for you, or create your own.
Once
the child understands and recognizes all the phonetic
sounds, she will be
ready to learn short words. She will
thrill at her new ability to read simple words, and if
not
pushed, will long to learn more. Continue reading to the
child. Even after you teach her to read simple words,
read
her books above her
age level so her vocabulary and
comprehension will grow. Her ability will eventually
catch
up.
There is no magic age when one can teach a child to
read;
while some children are ready in Kindergarten, others,
especially boys, may not be ready until age eight or
nine.
Traditional schools have programs and quotas which
expect
them to teach a child to read the basics by the end of
the
first grade, but many children simply are not ready. A
child
should not be pressured or berated if he struggles in
reading; he should simply be helped along at his own
learning pace. If a child still cannot read by the
beginning
of 3rd grade, parents might consider homeschooling so
they
can teach the child to read at his own pace without the
pain
of peer pressure
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