Your Baby Can Read--Really?

Re: Your Baby Can Read--Really?

• KatFCo member

  January 2012

  I haven't tried it, but I have read several reviews and descriptions of it (I also have a PhD in literacy education). It may result in children being able to recognize a high volume of words at a young age, but that's not real "reading." It's memorizing words based on their shapes and repetition, a method that has been in play for over a hundred years.

  Children who learn to "read" by pure memorization and behavioristic repetition will struggle later in life when they encounter new words and may have a lot of trouble learning to spell.

  The best way to encourage your kids to read is to surround them with authentic print--read to them starting at an early age; let them see you reading; let them play with books. My daughter is 4.5 and reading at a 1st grade level, and people assume it's because we've worked with her. We haven't worked with her at all, other than playing word games, etc. We don't drill or use commercial programs. We just read to her and encourage her to have lots of experiences with print.

  

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• dantesrider

  January 2012

  My son was a bit unusual as the TV did not engage his attention for more than a few seconds at a time until he was pushing 2.5 years old.  I never understood my co-workers or friends who could plop their baby in front of the TV and have them stay occupied for any amount of time.  He'll only just now watch a Nick Jr show for maybe 15 minutes before he wanders off.  So yeah I laughed my axx off when I saw those "your baby can read" commercials because I know my son would have never watched those DVD's.  I ditto what the PP said.  It's just memorization.  Just like how my son "reads" the story's I read to him.  He knows all the words in the book and on the right pages, but he's not "reading".  Invest in reading to your child.  i think you'll both get more out of it.

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