On Reading

[metz]

There is no one method that can work magic and teach all young kids to read. In fact, it's more than just one method that will start a child to take interest in reading. Asides from parents sharing their own experience, many experts have also shared their part. In KSP, we have buds to share on phonics. Years ago, another early childhood educator has also kindly shared her views on reading. Here's the link http://www.baybsupplies.biz/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=7910 .


And in another forum a few years ago, I participated in an interesting discussion with other mommies on phonics http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/messages/36738/1161065.html?1196044030 .

Sometimes our views simply don't agree because all kids learn differently. Within phonics itself, there's more than one way of teaching a child to read. Some kids find learning to read c-at, b-at etc a breeze. But for others, this may not be easy. Besides learning the letter sounds, the child has to memorise at, ake, an, etc. To me, this is an added burden and may turn a child off. For my kids, they simply blend the words on their sounds c-a-t = cat, b-a-n = ban etc. Simple and straightforward. For those who are interested in the differences between phonics, try googling for more information on synthetic and analytic phonics.

If you are serious about teaching your kids to read via phonics, go get a book that can give you an idea what phonics is about. Have an overview what the subject is about, only then one can guide his/her own child on it. After all, if you know naught about phonics, how can you teach your child to read using phonics? An alternative will be to sit through some phonic classes and learn with your kid. This will be beneficial not only to yourself but also your other kids.

Lastly, phonics is not the only key to read. If it doesn't work for your child, don't despair. Just try another key.


PS : I hope CKS won't mind me pasting links to other forums here.

[metz]

I just want to stress again that synthetic phonics is only another tool to learning to read. My two kids actually started off as sight readers. Phonics merely helped escalate their reading abilities. For parents, if you hope to raise life-long readers (and not just kids who can read words), please heed the following -


Reading is a life skill - some of it can be overtly instructed but a large part of creating a life-long reader is to build motivation. If he is looking away - he's clearly telling you that he's uninterested. There is no motivation there. Motivation is a strange thing - the more you try to force it, the less it's going to happen. You have to engage your son in things that interest him (and you!) and layer in experiences of words. I have often seen parents who in their fervour to focus on the reading, have created a struggle that absolutely kills any enjoyment of reading - that sort of negative association with reading is very very hard to undo. Even as you simply talk about the book you read, the signs on the street, the movie posters you see, you are exposing your son to the word of print – he is learning to read. He is learning that in order for him to make more sense of the world, he needs to understand those squiggles that mommy is ‘reading’. And every child is inherently motivated to make sense of the world – every child, given the exposure to print and books, with a little direct instruction, will want to read and will eventually read.

- Rina Ong, Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning

I hope no parents would rush into teaching their kids to read by using synthetic phonics and be disappointed when it doesn't work for their kids, especially the very young ones. As what Rina mentioned above, reading is more than just the words.

[smurf]

my boy went to borrow a book from his sch library, he chose the easiest book, 2 words title, and fewpages only. each page only 1 sentence, and 1 sentence only 3-4 words.


he simply dun like to read even though he can recognize words.:(

[metz]

smurf:

my boy went to borrow a book from his sch library, he chose the easiest book, 2 words title, and fewpages only. each page only 1 sentence, and 1 sentence only 3-4 words.


he simply dun like to read even though he can recognize words.:(

Hi smurf,

This is a fairly common happening nowadays. A number of parents face the same problem with their kids, i.e the kid can read/recognize words but doesn't enjoy reading.

Anyway, I have PMed you more on this.

[smurf]

Thanks Chamonix for your encouragment and PM. much appreciated. sometimes just dunno what to do, he just refuses to read. or should I say, lazy to read.

[mummy of 2]

chamonix:

This is a fairly common happening nowadays. A number of parents face the same problem with their kids, i.e the kid can read/recognize words but doesn't enjoy reading.

I have the opposite problem. My kids are interested in reading but cana't recognise the words. DS1 is reading from memory

Am trying to use phonics and readers to help them get started on the path of independent reading.

[metz]

smurf:

Thanks Chamonix for your encouragment and PM. much appreciated. sometimes just dunno what to do, he just refuses to read. or should I say, lazy to read.

Hi smurf,

Have faith in yourself and your son, perserve on and you'll see results.

[metz]

mummy of 2:

chamonix:

This is a fairly common happening nowadays. A number of parents face the same problem with their kids, i.e the kid can read/recognize words but doesn't enjoy reading.

I have the opposite problem. My kids are interested in reading but cana't recognise the words. DS1 is reading from memory

Am trying to use phonics and readers to help them get started on the path of independent reading.

Hi mummy of 2,

Yours is not a problem. Try reading the first forum link I have provided in the first post. There was some sharing on reading from memory.

Hope your wish will come true soon. :celebrate:

[ChiefKiasu]

chamonix:

... PS : I hope CKS won't mind me pasting links to other forums here.

As long as they are relevant to the discussion and not some marketing mumbo-jumbo, URLs to other sites are perfectly fine with us. Post away :). SingaporeMotherhood is a great site with lots of knowledgeable mummies too.

[smurf]

chamonix:

Hi smurf,

Have faith in yourself and your son, perserve on and you'll see results.

I try...but i find that his attention span is rather short...