Kids and Teens ( Reading at a Young Age - Pros and Cons )
Reading at a Young Age - Pros and Cons
Cons? Can there be any negatives to children learning to read at
very young ages? Only one, but it is a big one; enjoyment! Teachers,
educators and parents should never lose sight of the pleasure of reading
for enjoyment. If children's learning processes are advanced enough to
start reading at age 4 or 5, it is wonderful and should be encouraged.
If they need a little longer to comprehend the decoding process of
turning letters and symbols into meaningful words, then 6 or 7 may be
the norm for them. Usually by age 7 children should be reading with
comprehension.
Where educators and parents might make mistakes is in the reading material. Proudly, a parent can exclaim that their 5-year old is reading a Harry Potter book, but is he really understanding it or just sounding out memorized words? Not only is reading a decoding process, but a learning process of the cognitive nature; communicating words into meaningful information to process. Then, and only then can a child start to receive pleasure in books.
Many people believe reading starts prenatal by listening to sounds from the womb; that is a debatable subject, but most will agree that they do start gaining skills when being read to as a very young child and seeing flashcards in pre-school. By kindergarten or age 5, it is the norm today to begin organized reading education, a whole grade earlier than in the 1940s and 1950s. Children will excel at different rates and only through practice and growth development will they truly refine their reading skills.
Literacy is the ability to use symbols and letters in a cognitive way to create words that they comprehend. Analyzing what they have read or creating their own words for others to read will follow. Reading is the most important skill to have in order to do well in all other classes in school. Most young children "pretend" to read about a year before they're ready. Most children also love to be read to, following along the pages and looking at pictures. Intelligent questions and a good understanding of the layout of pages (left to right and top to bottom) is important.
Guidance is necessary pertaining to selection of reading material for young readers. Parents should not be so consumed with "showing off" their child's ability to read large words, but proud of the fact they are enjoying reading as a creative expression. It will bode well for them their whole life.
Where educators and parents might make mistakes is in the reading material. Proudly, a parent can exclaim that their 5-year old is reading a Harry Potter book, but is he really understanding it or just sounding out memorized words? Not only is reading a decoding process, but a learning process of the cognitive nature; communicating words into meaningful information to process. Then, and only then can a child start to receive pleasure in books.
Many people believe reading starts prenatal by listening to sounds from the womb; that is a debatable subject, but most will agree that they do start gaining skills when being read to as a very young child and seeing flashcards in pre-school. By kindergarten or age 5, it is the norm today to begin organized reading education, a whole grade earlier than in the 1940s and 1950s. Children will excel at different rates and only through practice and growth development will they truly refine their reading skills.
Literacy is the ability to use symbols and letters in a cognitive way to create words that they comprehend. Analyzing what they have read or creating their own words for others to read will follow. Reading is the most important skill to have in order to do well in all other classes in school. Most young children "pretend" to read about a year before they're ready. Most children also love to be read to, following along the pages and looking at pictures. Intelligent questions and a good understanding of the layout of pages (left to right and top to bottom) is important.
Guidance is necessary pertaining to selection of reading material for young readers. Parents should not be so consumed with "showing off" their child's ability to read large words, but proud of the fact they are enjoying reading as a creative expression. It will bode well for them their whole life.
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