When and how do you teach a four-year-old to read and write?

1. 68

   shellyakinsposted 14 years ago

   When and how do you teach a four-year-old to read and write?
   
   My son is on the waiting list at our local preschool.  He's not "at risk" enough to get in.  He goes to day care four days a week.  His teacher there does teach, but they are learning colors and letter and he's beyond that.  I want to challenge him, but don't want to make it a chore and have him hate learning.

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2. 60

   MickSposted 14 years ago

   I learned to read and write when I was almost three.  My parent's house was, and still is, a mini library, as is mine.  I taught all of my children to read before the teachers with their inefficient, new fangled ideas got hold of them, and my children are teaching my grand children in the same way.
   Language is a code, we have to crack it, the only way is by knowing the key, the key is the alphabet and the sounds are far more important than the names, a b c, not Ay, Bee, Cee.  I don't hold with rote learning; however, singing the alphabet sounds does wonders for learning to read and write, as does the singing of multiplication tables  for learning maths.
   Listen intently to your children read, make special time for it, and always remember, children love to please and always want to get it right, so don't be afraid to tell them when they are wrong as long as you teach them what is right.

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3. 59

   Wynne52posted 14 years ago

   hi there,
   Have only just joined the Hub - and found your question.  Am a retired primary school teacher so have some ideas for you and your son. Remember the 'reading' steps - see it, say it, write it, remember it!
   Start with pictures and picture books with little writing and simple sentences [can send you some authors if you like] label things around the house and in his room - door bed etc. Always encourage him to answer questions with full sentences - Where is the cat? There is the cat, it is in the tree. As he recognises words let him 'read' along with you. Let him recognize labels on chocolates, cereal etc in the shops. Try to teach him a new word every day as well as those ones we call 'sight words' - and, but, there, here, after etc. He should by now be doing a lot of mazes, dot to dot and tracing of pictures. Also colouring in the lines and recognizing that certain things are specific colours - like trees. Teach him to read and trace over and write his name from memory.
   Can send you more detail if you need.
   Lucky boy to have a Mum who cares!
   Love Wyn

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4. 72

   kschimmelposted 13 years ago

   Only teach a child that young to read if he is demanding reading instruction.  One of my six children taught himself to read at 5, as I did when I was 5, but the rest of mine were older before they were really ready developmentally.  One was not a fluent reader until he was 8 or 9, but now he is 15 and reads Chaucer for fun!
   
   Reading TO children, however, is essential almost from birth.  I would model by reading myself for pleasure, then see how interested the child is.

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5. 72

   EyesStraightAheadposted 13 years ago

   I am working with my almost four year old by reading to her, making traceable letters for her to copy, and making a game out of it. Learning is fun and if she knows that, then she will be encouraged to want to do more. Some days we may play Simon Says while we are doing it, other times we may play a version of hopscotch where we can only move as we say the words in the squares, other times I will make a game board using flash cards with our learning words and you can only move forward until you get one wrong. She has a lot of fun learning them and will often be the one to ask me if I want to play!

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6. 0

   Starmom41posted 12 years ago

   make reading and writing a fun part of his everyday life. 
   both of my kids could read, write, and do simple math by the time they turned four. 
   
   oh- and have plenty of age-appropriate books and supplies around your home.

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