PARENTING : PUSHING CHILDREN INTO READING TOO EARLY CAN LEAD TO TROUBLE LATER.

Byline: Greg Steckler and Gerald Deskin 

Children who learn to read at an exceptionally early age are often a source of parental pride, but pushing a child who is too young is neither effective nor desirable.

Research so far has not backed up the benefits of starting to teach reading at early ages such as 18 or 24 months. There is evidence that children will learn what they need to learn at the appropriate age and that teaching reading too soon may lead to children backing away from reading rather than getting ahead.

What confuses the issue is that on occasion an unusually bright or gifted child will learn to read much earlier than most other children. Additionally children can be made to feel anxious, or to feel like they are failures by parents trying to push them to learn to read too early.

What children need to do as preschoolers is learn about their environment, especially developing their social skills and readiness skills, to prepare for kindergarten.

Children begin learning to read when they are ready. Many, but not all, are usually ready to begin with pre-reading skills in nursery school and in kindergarten. As they develop physically, their cognitive skills also grow. They begin to learn language skills that help their developing reading skills.

Parents can help the development of pre-reading skills by sitting and reading out loud to their child. When a child sees parents sitting and reading, there is a healthy desire to imitate their parents. If a family values reading, chances are a child will, too. Our culture tends to emphasize television and video games more than reading. In families that start the child off with books at their level, children will enjoy learning how to read.

One way for children to develop a love of reading is to get books that are both fun and interesting. As children learn to read for enjoyment, or to learn about something they are interested in, they tend to read more. As children read about their hobbies or their sports, they begin to see the relevance of reading.

The correct developmental sequence means that a child learns what is appropriate at each age or sequence in development. When they are 3 years old, children may begin to learn letters and enjoy books if they sit with a parent and learn that stories they love come from books their parents are reading.

Parents can take their lead from a child. Pushing the child to learn what they are not ready for can be harmful and a waste of time. If you are frustrated that your child is not learning letters, or not learning to read at an early age, stop and wait until they are ready.

On a happier note, most children learn to read at an appropriate age, starting in kindergarten or first grade. Those that are clearly behind their fellow students may need special help in catching up to their grade level.