by Anne-Marie Wichael

Created on: December 29, 2010

It’s never too early to begin building the foundations for reading in a child, and therefore, it’s never too early to teach reading.  Realize that teaching reading is a process, ongoing, and will take years to complete.  However, building blocks at the foundation are easy to place through parental interaction and involvement with a child.  Formal reading will progress according to the time that has been invested in the informal development of vocabulary and speech.

Reading to Your Child

One of the first elements of teaching your child to read entails reading to your child.  In reading, you are modeling sounds, intonation, speech, left to right direction in following words on a page…many things your child will just know, will be a result of these beginning uses of language.  You can read to a child from the beginning, though an infant will not really be able to follow and interact much at the outset.  The older the child gets, the more interactive the activity will be, and the more your child will glean from the activity.  He may begin to run his fingers across the page, making up a story as he goes, much in line with the one he remembers in association with the book.  Patterns for formal reading are developing.

Learn the Alphabet Together

Yes, you already know your alphabet, but by learning, reciting, singing it aloud with your child, he will remember the letters and to some degree, their sounds.  Through educational programming, such as Sesame Street, you can assist your child in informal letter identification.  Use magnetic letters, puzzles, and ABC cookies, as teaching tools.  It’s not too early to work on the preliminaries of reading.  If your child can speak, sing, recite, he can learn about reading from early on.

Find Good Resources

There are many resources for teaching your child to read.  Phonics based programs are popular, as is a program entitled, “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons”.  A combination of approaches can help you in assisting your child with reading ability.  Note that 100 easy lessons does not equate to 100 easy days.  Children develop differently, and learning for mastery is not the same as speed learning.  As a child increases in ability to read, he may hit roadblocks, whereby he doesn’t seem to grasp something.  It’s possible to set aside the materials, and to do other enjoyable activities.  By allowing for a break, there may be some developmental stages reached, some maturity issues overcome, or some other factor met, and then, a fresh start produces success.  Your child doesn’t cease to be a reader, if you take a break, but rather, has the opportunity to assimilate what he has learned.   

In conclusion, it is never too early to lay the foundations for reading.  Your child may be identifying letters, but not relating the events of some great saga.  Letter identification is an integral part of learning to read.  There isn’t a set age at which you need to start, and there isn’t an age too early to start assessing your child’s interest and aptitude, with regard to the basics.    If your child is ready, he will progress quickly; however, a lack of quick progression does not negate those reading skills which have been acquired.  Common sense will be your guide.

Learn more about this author, Anne-Marie Wichael.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.