Should we try to teach our child to read before he goes to kindergarten?

Question

We've heard that we should let the schools do it their way. We don't want our son to be bored or confused.

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Parents are a child's best and the first teacher....

Teaching your child before sending him to kindergarten would be a good idea definitely but yeah excess of anything is bad.

Teach your child small-small things like alphabets, numbers, sounds, colours (only recognition), animals and birds (not the spellings of the words but only pronunciation)  and new words by telling stories(my younger sister loved it!)

do not expect him to be very quick in grasping, it will take time so have patience and introduce him to words slowly and gradually.

if you do not teach him now, maybe the school will come as a shock to him; a drastic change in his routine.

though you don't get homework in kindergarten, make it a routine from now itself to sit with him and spend time learning with fun!

most importantly, do not put pressure on him or scold him if he doesn't grasp things quickly. he will like it if you do it with fun.

for example, introduce him to drawing; children love them and then make him recognise the colors or act like some animal or bird to teach him their sounds(you will have to take out the sounds!) or even a better option would be to take him to the park and then make him see things and tell him what they are! he will definitely like this because then you can play with him there too and he will also like the nature which is a very good sign for a child's mental development and when you make him play there afterwards, then there will be physical development too!

so HAPPY PARENTING!

Answer 2

You know your son better than anybody.  If he has interest in learning how to read, help him learn.  If he is not interested, don't push him, as that could discourage him.  Even though teachers want every child to be on the same page, remember that all children are unique.  Some children are ready to read at four years old, others are not ready until they are seven.  

Whether your child is ready to learn how to read or not, here are some good activities to help him to be ready to learn to read and be ready for kindergarden:

-cutting paper and putting beads on string-this will improve small muscle skills and make writing easier

-read lots of books to him-this will give him an interest in books and reading

-minimize TV and video games, as these can lead to a shorter attention span

-nature walks-collecting bugs, leaves, and flowers will teach children about science as well as help them have sharper observational skills

Also, if you really do not want your son to be bored or confused, you need to take a lead role in his educational development even when he is in school.  Twenty kids and only one teacher to try to attend to all their educational needs is the perfect recipe to leave some kids bored and confused.   You need to keep close watch on his progress because school is "one size fits all", and you will only know if it is a good fit for him if you are paying attention.

Answer 3

Yes, you should make sure he know the alphabet, numbers 1-20, all colors, all shapes and try to get your hands on a list of basic sight words. This will get him into 1st grade with no problems.

Answer 4

That depends on your son. You didn't tell us his age.  One of the best things you can do is to let your son catch YOU reading and laughing and enjoying books.  If you make reading something important for you, he will want to emulate you and find out what it is all about.

When your child enters kinder, it will be helpful if he knows the names of the letters of the alphabet, upper and lower case and can write (first letter capital, the rest lowercase) and recognize his name in print. He can learn this by playing games with you and by showing him letters in "environmental print"--on boxes, billboards, magazines, etc.  If he doesn't know all the letters, he should at least know the letters that are in his first name (not in a nickname such at "TJ"!).

In reading he will learn to listen to stories (reading to him every day and discussing the story with him would be a great thing to do with him now and in the future).

If you read with him every day, he will learn the "concepts of print"--front and back of book, where to start reading, reading from left to right and top to bottom, left page then right page. He will learn that pictures can tell a story or add information to the printed story.

In kindergarten he will learn to segment words  (say the sounds in "cat"---/k/-/a/-/t/), chunk words (/k/-at), rhyme words (say a word that rhymes with "cat"). He will learn the sounds represented by the letters of the alphabet and learn how to put them together to make words; he will also learn some sight words. He will also learn to read on his own, He will learn that stories have a beginning, middle, and end.

Make reading together a fun time.  Take him to the local library for story time.  Don't force it on him...if you read with him every day he will want to read to you when he is ready.  And if he picks up a book and starts telling you the story as if he is reading, great!  that is the beginning of his understand of reading.

Answer 5

I suggest you give your child I fun game about the alphabet and small words. You can show him how to use it and he can learn at his own speed.

Answer 6

nonono.

after learning letters go to numbers.

and if your child knows both of those,

i would sugest start reading clocks.

or pronouncation of letters.

Answer 7

Well as a child who started reading very early in life, i suggest you do begin teaching your son how to read before he begins kindergarten. The teachers can do it their ways but you can give him a jump start. It is always good to help your children in learning and not just leave it all up to the teachers. It would be easier for the teachers to teach him more if he already knows some of the basics.

Answer 8

As parents, you are your child's first teachers.  It really all depends on what your child is ready for.  I wouldn't stress out and force him to learn to read before kindergarten, but I wouldn't just sit back and expect it all to be done in school either.  Start with some fundamentals that will help him learn to read.  Work on identifying letters, when he masters that, work on letter sounds.  Make sure you read to him as much as possible.  Modeling is the best form of teaching.  If your son is ready to learn to read before kindergarten...great!  Encourage him and help him.  If not, just keep working on those letters and sounds.  

Good luck!

Answer 9

Yes. You should consider placing him in preschool. I dont know where you live but most places are teaching children to read now before Kindergarten and if you wait to let him learn then he may fall behind the other children. I am a teacher and this seems to be the case where I live in Delaware

Answer 10

Parents are their child's first teachers, and as such it is our responsibility to provide them with the tools they need in order to be successful.  If you feel your child is  ready to read, then you teach him how. I started my son with print rich environment when he was just two. I basically put up words around the house so he could see print. As time went on, he began to do word association. For example the word door placed by the door enabled him to make the connection.

In addition, I purchased several Leapfrog products that began to teach him sounds.

In reading to him every night, engaging in conversation, he was ready to read by three and a half. He has just finished Pre K, and can read a variety of text suitable for first and second graders.

If your child recognizes letters and sounds, loves to listen to stories, then he is ready.

You can purchase Dr. Seuss books that contain a lot of rhyme and repetition, which is one of the ways children learn to read.

Whether you begin at home, or allow the teachers to begin this very important step, I know  you will do what's best for your child.

Answer 11

don't push for it... some kids learn it on their own, if he doesn't, then don't make him do it...........

Answer 12

its not likely he will have the ability before that but if he is at that level then by all means-go for it!!

Answer 13

Just be sure you do it CORRECTLY.  Nothing challenges me more than a child coming in and saying that "b" makes the "buh" sound.  It's a lot harder to retrain a child than it is to teach them correctly the first time.

"What's this word say?" (ban)

"buh-a-nuh.  Bah-a-nuh.  Banana?"

You get the point.

Matt

Answer 14

Ok folks, a child will learn to read when he or she is ready. I am a firm believer that we have taken our nations children and made adults out of them long before their time. Pre school as far as I am concerned is nothing more than a place for your child to be baby sat. Why are we trying to push babies into school as soon as they are out of diapers?? Remember, they are only young once. None of my children attended kindergarten and today, one is a Doctor, one is a Nurse and one is a Biology teacher. Remember, all of our education requirements today are dictated by baby boomers who never went to pre school or kindergarten.

Answer 15

u should try to teach them the alphabet and make sure they no the sounds then just leave him be.