When and how did you learn to read?

Dainty1976

I learned to read and write aged 2! I had a poem published in the Telegraph aged 3 that made up and I wrote myself (about a cat) and received a letter from the Queen commending me for it (I was apparently the youngest published writer in a newpaper at the time)! I was on Junior school books in Reception year, aged 4. I was great at maths in Junior school but as soon as I hit Secondary I became abismal!

I dont read anymore as I dont have the time but used to go through 10/12 books a week - more in my teen years - until a few years ago!

My DS had cognitive assessments a few months ago when he was 5 yrs 4 months old and had a reading age of 6yrs 11 months! He is now 5 yrs 8 months and his reading age is currently 7yrs despite his Autism!

I didnt use phonics, we learned whole letters. My DS learns phonics.

I have always regulary read with both my children! My DD however shows no interest in reading at all aged 2yrs 8months!

Humphrey10

faithcecilia wrote: »

Maybe I am a freak of nature, but to me 'cat' was just 'cat', spelt CAT, cuh, a, tuh meant absolutely nothing, it was giving 3 syllables to a 1 syllable word.

Me too. I've never understood why children are taught to read using phonics, eg reading everything out in thier head rather than just recognising the word, because then they will have to learn to read a second time, properly like an adult eg not spelling out words, just recognising them by sight.

Though maybe this is why I can't spell, or read things that have been written phonetically (well I can read them it just takes 10x longer, I have to read them out in my head).

faithcecilia

JC9297 wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:

Yes, funny how everyone responding is saying how early they learned to read i.e look how clever I am. Nobody saying I never picked up a book until I got to school and it took me ages to learn. I'm amazed how people can remember so much about being 2 or 3 years old.

Its not about being 'clever', its about learning an essential life skill, just like tying shoelaces or a tie (which I was much later at!). As for memories, I can vividly remember one house where we lived, which had weeping willows and a pond in the garden. We have no photos of this house at all, and we moved from there when I was 18mths old. I also remember conversations word by word that took place 25+ years ago. Whether my almost photographic memory is a blessing or a curse is questionable....

pinkclouds

faithcecilia wrote: »

This mornings conversation was about phonetics and learning to read that way. To me it seems extremely confusing and just 'strange' to not give letters their names, and I cannot get my head around breaking a 1 syllabl word into 3 sounds!!

My mom taught me using home-made flash cards (words printed very large on bits of cardboard) and, later on, with simple story books. I started reading about 2 years old.

My daughter has alphabet cards (shop bought, I confess) and lots of story books. She's 3 years old and can recognise most of her letters and short/simple words.

I have never learnt the phonics method and, to this day, cannot understand it. All this "grunting" of sounds and breaking words down is odd to me. However, I know it is very popular and I remember at primary school all the kids who couldn't read were taught that way. (If you could read, you were essentially given a book and told to get on with it.) I think it's better to learn to recognise words instead of trying to sound them out because English has lots of silent letters and unexpected pronunciations. For example, how doesn't rhyme with show but it does rhyme with scow. Also wretch and retch are essentially homophones but are spelled differently.

faithcecilia

pinkclouds wrote: »

My mom taught me using home-made flash cards (words printed very large on bits of cardboard) and, later on, with simple story books. I started reading about 2 years old.

My daughter has alphabet cards (shop bought, I confess) and lots of story books. She's 3 years old and can recognise most of her letters and short/simple words.

I have never learnt the phonics method and, to this day, cannot understand it. All this "grunting" of sounds and breaking words down is odd to me. However, I know it is very popular and I remember at primary school all the kids who couldn't read were taught that way. (If you could read, you were essentially given a book and told to get on with it.) I think it's better to learn to recognise words instead of trying to sound them out because English has lots of silent letters and unexpected pronunciations. For example, how doesn't rhyme with show but it does rhyme with scow. Also wretch and retch are essentially homophones but are spelled differently.

Exactly! English has so many exceptions to its own rules that I think its easier to not know too many of the rules!

I agree with the 'grunting' too, it actually makes me laugh to hear it, it seems so alien. Maybe its good that I will not be having my own children, I would probably get kicked out of parents evenings:rotfl:

Gloomendoom

I didn't even start to learn to read until I started school at 5. !!!!!! and Dora IIRC. From what my mother has said, I wasn't at all keen at first, but once I had mastered the basics there was no stopping me.

Molly41

I dont remember learning to read but I do remember the first book I read by myself - Enid Blyton The Wishing Chair/ Tree? I can see the cover and where I was - in my bedroom! Probably about 4 ish?

pupsicola

I dont remember learning to read either. I do know that at about 8 years of age I was reading books like "Famous five". I am a teacher and spend year after year helping little kids master the art of reading. When I see how much they struggle with it and what a huge achievement it really is to master it I cant believe I have no recollection of it. Its like its something I always did and never had to learn. Unlike maths, boy do I remember struggling with that.

pupsicola

Molly41 wrote: »

I dont remember learning to read but I do remember the first book I read by myself - Enid Blyton The Wishing Chair/ Tree? I can see the cover and where I was - in my bedroom! Probably about 4 ish?

I loved her books too

meritaten

*Maya* wrote: »

Wow, I would never have the time for that. :eek: Maybe I'm a slow reader but with just a full time job, a house to clean, no kids and a bit of a social life I only have time to read in bed and average one book a week.

My friend is a Primary one teacher and says it's unusual for kids to read before starting school. It can be a real hinderance to them if they can as it can leave them frustrated in their first year at school which can really put them off learning and joining in with the rest of the class.
I learned to read in Primary one.

I have dealt with teachers who say this myself, but back in the eighties when my own kids were in school and I had (of course) taught them the basics of reading before they went! the reception class teacher was not happy about it! (they were going through the 'flashcard fad' at the time! It rather rattled her when I asked her if her class was taught as a whole rather than on an individual basis - as every child is different and some will progress faster than others! but not to worry about my kids reading progress as I will take care of it, as she obviously wasnt competent at teaching children of varying levels! by the time my third child went into her class she just buttoned her lip and assumed he could read!

I really thought that attitude was so out of date as to be consigned to the dark ages!!!!

I dont want to derail the thread but holding back brighter children so the others can catch up is not, I think, good teaching practice! Isnt that why they split them into little groups?