Is it possible to teach a four year old to read?

Question

My little girl turned four a few days ago, she knows about 20 sight words now. We were starting the sight words then I guess grandma and others said you should let her be a kid.

She asks me all the time momma can i read yet? what ways can i make reading fun should we keep doing the sight words?

Answer 1

Yes, it's possible.  I have five kids and four of them were reading at age four.  I home school and I use a curriculum called Abeka.  They have a K-4 program for four year olds that focuses on teaching them to read.  I've used it on all my children .

Don't push her if she isn't ready, of course, but if she shown interest (such as reading sight words) then she is probably ready.

Answer 2

My daughters could identify all the letters and the sounds they make well before they were two, and could read well by 3. All you have to do is read to them a lot, use flash cards, and encourage them. They think it is fun, maybe just the adult interaction and encouragement. It really gives them a headstart in school.

Our oldest daughter was tested a month before her sixth birthday and was reading at 4th grade level! She is 19 now - made a 30 on her ACT.

Answer 3

A great way to learn is from this book,

"How to Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons"

Worked for both my girls. Helps teach them phonetically too.  Takes only a few minutes a day and isn't stressful.

Answer 4

a lot of kids can read this early, it just shows how much mommy and daddy care about their developement. try flash cards-my 3 year old loves them and he can read like dr seusse books now.

Answer 5

Yes, all kids are different. I was reading at 4 but my son just turned 5 and still only recognizes his name, "toy", "Zurg" & "Buzz". (He really likes Toy Story lol)

Answer 6

If she wants to do it, let her. As long as you let her do it on her own time. Let her keep doing the sight words, her kindergarten teacher will love you. :)

Answer 7

flashcards

Answer 8

Sure! If she's excited about reading that is great and should be encouraged. She'll have such a head start on school and hopefully a lifelong love of reading. Too bad about grandma butting in. I started reading when I was 4 - the Purple Pussycat was my first book. Dr. Seuss was great but I thought some of the books were tedious (of course I didn't know the word for it!). I loved Sweet Pickles and Sesame Street books that my Mom got through a book club. New ones were delivered to the house and I remember being so thrilled every time a new one came. If she's that eager I would recommend just reading with her and let her try to read to you. Help her sound out words and she'll probably catch on really quickly. Best of luck!

Answer 9

YES!  However, I suggest you forget about sight words for awhile and teach phonics.  My kids don't have a high reading aptitude compared to the kids of my friends, so what I am suggesting works even for kids who struggle with learning.  My kids can't memorize like your daughter so I taught them phonics.  I found a fantastic method designed for two year-olds in a book from my library called "teach your child to read in just ten minutes a day".  

When my five year-old graduated preschool she was only able to pass-off 4 sight words.  Within 2 weeks of this phonics program she could read over a hundred words and in 6 weeks she was reading almost anything she wanted to read (hundreds of words).

The reading program was super fun.  It had one simple game that was the backbone of the program called blocks.  My kids loved to play it so much I had to limit how much they played.  It suggested and explained how to use puppets for humor, my kids loved this and begged to take the puppets to bed at night.  We were inspired by the "blocks" game and made up a ton of other similar games.  They thought they were playing all day, but they were learning very quickly how to read.  My four year old has progressed a bit more slowly, but is progressing.  This is astonishing because despite lots of preschool, reading, and direct instruction he only knew one letter when he turned four.  Now, 6 weeks later, he can read.

e-mail if you want me to send you a detailed file on the learn to read program we are using.