When and how did you learn to read?

faithcecilia

wornoutmumoftwo wrote: »

I learned to read at 4 when I started school (text book child me:))
My mum was an early reader and my son has hyperlexia which means he is able to 'just read'. He was reading fluently at 4 and is now 8 and reading three years+ ahead of himself at school. At home he reads higher level books.
At school he is encouraged to read at an appropiate level and not to wait for the rest of the class to catch up with him and gets extra help for being an advanced reader to encourage him.

I had never heard of hyperlexia but after a quick look at a couple of definitions I will definately be doing some research. Not just the early reading, but the never learning to read, and early use of complex language ring a lot of bells. Also some of the other connected 'issues' (for want of a better word). Thank you for letting me know of its existance.

meritaten

sorry trufflebuggy if you feel I singled you out - probably because of your post about dyslexia. you were talking about word dyslexia and my main problem is number dyslexia! but believe it or not - I do have word dyslexia too! hard to believe when I was such an early reader - but I think its the fact I LEARNED TO READ EARLY which has helped with the word dyslexia. I find it hard to explain that, except to say that I must have learned early to 'compensate' or that the teachers brought in to the ward were exceptional! they must have done numbers too - but that didnt click with me obviously!
I have tutored the granddaughters and though I encouraged them to sound out the alphabet - the main problem was getting them to RECOGNISE the letters of the alphabet! we spent a few hours on this - then it was the sounds they could make - and putting them together. the workbooks were great, and the big huge stars to put on every page were brill! instant gratification! though the one day DG1 wore her star on her forehead! as we had had a major breakthrough. the best teaching is done through patience and understanding of why that child doesnt understand! its not rocket science!

SingleSue

I have always seemed to be able to read, in primary school at age 4 and a bit (I was 4 in the April and started school in the September of the same year), I remember being very bored with the "cat sat on the mat" written on the black board which they were going through ever so slowly...so I told them so in no uncertain times.

So they sat me a challenge (thinking I would fail at the first hurdle and that I was just saying I could read) of giving me the next book up in the starter Ladybird books. I read that and then the entire collection of books, right up to 4th year junior books before I started to stumble on a few words.

So from what would now be reception class, I was reading age 11 books, by age 11, I had been reading adult books for a few years.

My mum puts it down to my brother struggling with his words and her buying flash cards to help him...he didn't pay any attention but apparently 2 year old me did much to his annoyance and frustration, I knew the words...he didn't.

And the word I stumbled on at age 4? Determined. I read it out loud so it sounded like deeter mind...something I still do now even though I know how it should be said, I just have this block with it!

SingleSue

meritaten wrote: »

sorry trufflebuggy if you feel I singled you out - probably because of your post about dyslexia. you were talking about word dyslexia and my main problem is number dyslexia! but believe it or not - I do have word dyslexia too! hard to believe when I was such an early reader - but I think its the fact I LEARNED TO READ EARLY which has helped with the word dyslexia. I find it hard to explain that, except to say that I must have learned early to 'compensate' or that the teachers brought in to the ward were exceptional! they must have done numbers too - but that didnt click with me obviously!
I have tutored the granddaughters and though I encouraged them to sound out the alphabet - the main problem was getting them to RECOGNISE the letters of the alphabet! we spent a few hours on this - then it was the sounds they could make - and putting them together. the workbooks were great, and the big huge stars to put on every page were brill! instant gratification! though the one day DG1 wore her star on her forehead! as we had had a major breakthrough. the best teaching is done through patience and understanding of why that child doesnt understand! its not rocket science!

I also have a form of dyslexia...the words swim and jump about on the page. I also have to watch when I am typing or writing, especially when tired, as the words become very jumbled up and all over the place.

trufflebuggy

SingleSue wrote: »

I also have a form of dyslexia...the words swim and jump about on the page. I also have to watch when I am typing or writing, especially when tired, as the words become very jumbled up and all over the place.

Sounds like you need to look into some coloured lenses Singlesue, look up Irlens syndrome. Has anyone had any experience of Irlens by the way??? Wondering whether to take DS for a test or not???

Meritaten - yea for Grandparents everywhere from spend time teaching their little grandkids the wonders for reading.... tonight my lovely DS proudly informed me he had read his school reading book to himself and was very pleased with himself..... now that wouldn't have happened a few months ago.... did he read it right??? I don't know!

But the fact he picked up a READING book and read it without being asked, because he wanted too.... I can't tell you how great that feels :rotfl::T

faithcecilia

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'm another Enid Blyton fan. Maybe if I had stuck with her books a little longer rather than following my mothers reading list and reading Helen Forrester at 6, I wouldn't have announced in Sunday School that I wanted to be a prostitute when I grew up!!:eek::rotfl:I had no idea what one was, only that they worked from home and earned a lot of money:o:p

trufflebuggy

PMSL ...... what else is there to say!!!!:eek:

faithcecilia

trufflebuggy wrote: »

PMSL ...... what else is there to say!!!!:eek:

It still comes up in conversation.....:o

tesuhoha

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.

I agree with this.

I am the exception to all of you clever people because I can clearly remember being very unhappy that I couldnt read. I can't remember how old I was but I think I was about seven or eight and it seemed an impossible thing to do. I can clearly remember it suddenly falling into place and then being able to read a book. The first book I read was the most wonderful thing. I don't know what the book was but it was a kind of fantasy about butterflies and rubies. I can remember the triumph of being able to read more and more difficult books until when I was 12 I could read just about anything.

However at that age I loved books like Little Women and What Katy Did Next. I'm showing my age I think. I remember also at that age reading a book by Jack London about a dingo who was caught in a trap and who had to bite his leg off. I was inconsolable and cried all night long.

trufflebuggy

faithcecilia wrote: »

It still comes up in conversation.....:o

One of those moments where time stood still and yours was the only voice heard.... just for added effect!! LOL..... out of the mouths of babes.... although as a business case, you've got to admit it's quite a profit margin......:D:p:)