No, You Really Can't Teach An Infant To Read

No, You Really Can't Teach An Infant To Read

I do believe in miracles and the extraordinary; therefore the idea of a baby beginning to read even at that tender age is not a complete impossibility in my books. But stepping outside the magical land of stunning exceptions, I do not feel we can really teach an infant to read, especially if it has no particular interest in doing so.

Yet there are quite a few companies who advertise and sell promises of giving our children a head start when it comes to the 3-Rs- even before they have managed to potty-train themselves. There is nothing wrong with trying and investing your time and efforts in a cause you are passionate about; but when that comes at a price you need to take better stock of the situation and its realities before diving in.

So just how far can you really go with teaching your infant to read? Well the science on the matter is simple- it is a complete waste of your time. Researchers at the New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development took a closer look studying 117 babies. Half of these infants were fed a steady diet of flashcards, books and DVDs while the others were allowed to live in oblivion of these study aids. Thereafter a series of assessments were carried out examining each baby's ability to recognize sounds, alphabets and vocabulary.

In 13 of the 14 assessments conducted, researchers found no difference between the two groups- whether trained with flashcards and study aids or not, the babies performed equally well at the tests. The only marked difference seen was observed in the parents; parents of babies trained with these study aids seemed to believe their kids were reading, even when the researchers found otherwise.

But beyond the science, the argument continues for both parents and companies contend that parents know their babies better than the researchers do; the margin for error may be much greater in tests than the researchers would have you believe. In my own opinion, yes I would like to believe that I know my baby better than a random scientist- not because I am an academic expert but because I put in the time and effort to register every move and every expression my child makes.

But does recognizing a letter mean my infant is reading? Not always. Sometimes the child does indeed memorize and recognize the image and alphabet before him/her. But this knowledge and memory is not transferable i.e. he may recognize the A in the book you read with him every day, but that does not mean he can read as he may not recognize the same letter elsewhere such as on a signboard.

As someone who grew up rummaging through books, even before I was potty-trained, I am careful to completely dismiss the idea and process. I am sure it has its benefits, and possibly further research on the matter could scientifically back up what is mere parenting instinct till now. But on the question of teaching a baby to read- no, you really can't teach an infant to read.

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