| By the time my children were 2 they could | | | | they learned to say a new word I wrote that |
| recognize at least 20 words in a variety of | | | | down for them too. I made little books with much |
| situations. They loved reading and were keen to | | | | repetition of words for repetition is the key to |
| learn. When other parents heard about this, they | | | | remembering. One booklet had a sentence on |
| also wanted their children to learn to read, so I | | | | each page with an appropriate picture: "Here is |
| started a preschool reading program at a local | | | | my cat.", "Here is my house", "Here is my |
| licensed preschool. However, local schools | | | | mother" etc. When I saw the word "Here" in a |
| complained that they did not know what to do | | | | story book I would ask my child if they could see |
| with the children who were coming to school | | | | the word "here". If they couldn't, I wouldn't wait |
| already reading, so the preschool abandoned my | | | | too long but showed them where it was. It was |
| activities. | | | | fun! |
| If you would like to teach your own child then it is | | | | One day I came into the computer room and |
| within your reach. You can begin as early as you | | | | found my 2 year old had logged onto the |
| like with activities that produce reading readiness. | | | | computer (in the days before graphical interfaces) |
| These include talking and reading to your child. | | | | and was playing a computer game we had for |
| With some of the books you can point at the | | | | our 6 year old. She must have watched and |
| words as you read, but don't just point to the | | | | remembered what to do as we had not shown |
| words in books, point to words in the word | | | | her how. The game was one of matching letters |
| around you, such as those on food packets and | | | | with pictures. In one afternoon she taught herself |
| shop windows. | | | | the phonetic sounds that letters made! |
| Learning the alphabet can be easy too. I made a | | | | There are many computer games of great |
| wall chart with pictures of things that began with | | | | "educational" value today that can be sourced |
| each letter of the alphabet and pointed to them | | | | online or created using programs such as |
| as I read the chart. I found a range of alphabet | | | | Macromedia Flash or even Dreamweaver. |
| books and number books and read them each | | | | This year I took two of my classes to a special |
| day. My children loved to bring them to me with | | | | school where they observed what the children |
| other books and we would read them together. | | | | were capable of doing and then made simple |
| You could buy a range of alphabet books or | | | | games to teach them basic concepts. You can |
| create your own. Try making a scrap book with | | | | view and use some from my site below or try |
| photos or images of things that begin with each | | | | doing an online search to see what free game |
| letter. You might like to start with the first letter | | | | making programs are available and make your |
| of your child's name and glue in as many image as | | | | own. |
| you can that also start with that letter. | | | | Make the learning fun. Seeing a word in different |
| When my children were 18 months old I started | | | | situations can be fun and will help a child to |
| writing down one word at a time on a card. I | | | | remember it. Remember the key is repetition and |
| used large lower case letters. When they could | | | | fun is the way. |
| recognize one word, I introduced another. When | | | | |