Cheeky todder don't want to learn phonics

[Nihauma]

Dont stress your 3 yr old. I dont think it is necessary to know phonics at 3. Or at all! I never learn phonics but can read english fine. Agree with osim totally on reading for enjoyment.

[sharonkhoo]

Don’t bother to question him if he gives cheeky answers. You are just allowing him to misbehave. Kids absorb what they here very easily, so just keep reading to him and pointing letters and sounds out now and again. And I agree with osim that reading should be mainly for enjoyment, not ‘learning’ at this early stage. Language awareness and appreciation is more important at this stage. Phonics can be taught later.

[cherrygal]

Zoophonics 3-4yo class (N2) is only teaching the letters and their sounds, no sound blending yet to make words. Think they start learning how to blend at 4-5yo class (K1). Good that you are making the effort to teach but there is no need to rush if he is unwilling. Make sure he gets a good foundation in the alphabet and the individual sounds first.


I also let my kid watch the Leapfrog DVDs.

[lchunleo]

thanks for your response, i must admit being kiasu…haha…trying to give him a routine of learning things (and reading his books eventually) rather than unstructured form of learning since time is aplently for him now. I am a bit frustrated/disappointed when i failed to get some "serious" attempt/answer from my child but have to agree that every child have their own timetable to learn things.


regarding the usefulness of phonics, initally i don’t buy into it as i myself not phonics trained as i am based on sight reading. but i realize the importance of phonics comes when encountering new words, one will need phonics to piece up all the words to sound correctly (without the use of modern tool like electronic dictionary). but i must say phonics can be dry and difficult even for adult…so i will try to adjust my expectations.


Presently, i do my own phonics card to learn with him and also try to teach him phonics whenever i could, when conversing with him or reading books to him or even bathing for him…embedding in more vocabulary for him so that he learnt without stress but unconsciously learning things. i think that is more fun rather sit down and learn.Today i tried to teach him to learn using the eraseable board where i draw picture (of things that he like) and teach him the individual parts of the drawed object and realized that he did know some alphabets and name of objects.

[lchunleo]

just to share, "I CAN READ" only teach their students phonics starting from 4.5 yrs onwards.

[cherrygal]

I already salute you for putting in the effort to teach by yourself and making all those cards.


There were no phonics lessons when we were little, most of us learned ABCs in kindy then sight reading in P1 onwards. However, now it is important to know how to read independently by end of K2 coz teachers in P1 don’t teach the basics any more. They expect kids to know how to read, spell, show and tell. Those who did not have these basics will lag behind. So it’s OK to start early as long as the kid enjoys it.

[sharonkhoo]

lchunleo:

just to share, \"I CAN READ\" only teach their students phonics starting from 4.5 yrs onwards.

Studies have shown that the average age for blending is around 4-5 yrs and independent reading about 6 yrs. It's to do with the child's brain development, so it's really no use rushing.

[Nebbermind]

slmkhoo:

lchunleo:

just to share, \"I CAN READ\" only teach their students phonics starting from 4.5 yrs onwards.

Studies have shown that the average age for blending is around 4-5 yrs and independent reading about 6 yrs. It's to do with the child's brain development, so it's really no use rushing.

:offtopic: slmkhoo, isn't your time zone in middle of night now? :scratchhead:

[sharonkhoo]

Nebbermind:

slmkhoo:

[quote=\"lchunleo\"]just to share, \"I CAN READ\" only teach their students phonics starting from 4.5 yrs onwards.

Studies have shown that the average age for blending is around 4-5 yrs and independent reading about 6 yrs. It's to do with the child's brain development, so it's really no use rushing.

:offtopic: slmkhoo, isn't your time zone in middle of night now? :scratchhead:[/quote]No, I'm in the same time zone as Singapore.

[lovinglife]

lchunleo:

just to share, \"I CAN READ\" only teach their students phonics starting from 4.5 yrs onwards.

Not true. Some branch does take in students as young as 3yo. Start from mastering the 26 first letter sound before promoting to blending level.