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How To Teach A Child To Read

Jacaranda — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:03:11 +0000

Couple of years ago, I wrote 5 Tips in Teaching Your child the ABC. That tips and techniques that I shared there are based on my personal experience with my son, Matt. Those exact same techniques are still timely and applicable to day. With that, how can we teach a child to read? Check the tips and others in the rest of this post.

Like I said, the same old tips still applies:

Start early
Use props and posters
Use video or other educational DVDs
Repetition
Rewards and complements

The tips above are guaranteed to work because I used them myself. For use to teach our child to read, we must introduce them to the alphabet and the sound of the individual letters that will make up the words.

Teaching Alphabet Letter Sounds

How to teach a child to read? Before a toddler can read, every child must know the sounds of the alphabet letters. He must be able to recall them quickly – he sees the letter and says the sound without hesitation.

First thing’s first, teach your child to read the ABC. Point to each letter and ask your child to, “Tell me what this letter says.”
You can create (help him) his own alphabet book. I usually buy my toddler some notebooks and pencils and he’ll scribble the alphabet for long hours. Staple some pieces of paper together and ask your child to draw pictures of items that begin with the sound of each alphabet letter.
When you are teaching a letter sound, be careful not to add an “uh” sound at the end of the letter. For example, letter s should sound like a snake hissing, with no throat sound. Letter s says ’sss,’ not ’suh.’ If your child learns letters ‘c’, ‘a’, ‘t’ as sounding ‘kuh,’ ‘aah,’ and ‘tuh,’ those sounds will not come together to say cat!

Children have different learning rates. Your child may need lots of direct instruction to learn the alphabet sounds. Don’t forget, he will learn letter sounds more quickly with a short daily review.

Enhancing child’s brain

snowy_023 — Fri, 07 May 2010 06:16:02 +0000

Educational games are indeed important to the growth of children. These games are specifically designed to teach our children about a certain topic that helps them grow into a more complete person. Some says, video games are good for children. Thus, children who spend hours everyday on their playstation, xbox vidoe console may not be rotting their brains, as many parents fear. Contrary to fears about the violent reputation of some games, there is no firm proof that playin them has an automatic negative effect and impact on children’s behaviour. Instead, video games can stimulate learning of facts and skills such as strategic thinking, creativity, cooperation and innovative thinking which are important thing in information society.

Some parent believes that educational games help their children learn new concepts in science, cultures and even historical views. Those commons games are board games, card games and video games. With so many educational games in the internet today, it is very important that as a parent you must understand your role in child’s learning. According to the news, that kids who played educational video games were less likely suffer from attention problems at school. And also that certain computer-based games can boost working memory capacity, where it is the basic ingredients of intelligence and academic success.

Kids clapping and music

snowy_023 — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:03:26 +0000

Everyone loves music, whether it is pop, rnb, rock or those music for our childrens. But do you know that music can help improve your child’s intelligence, brain function and general quality of life. According to research, Children who receives early music training score higher on standardized test. The use of music during learning can increase child’s IQ. Young children who take music lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the course of a year compared to children who do not receive musical training. It is very important for parents to expose their child to music and to encourage participation in music and movement activities informally at home and in more organized music education settings.

But not only music can enhance your child’s intellgence, but also the clapping of hands of your child’s can do. According to Dr. Warren Brodsky, a music psychologist, clapping activities of children can train the brain and affect development of other brain regions. During the study of Dr. Idit Sulkin, a member of BGU’s Music Science Lab in the Department of Arts, he also joined the children to sing. This is to see if the children are amused and fascinated by the singing and clapping. This activity turned out to be quite entertaining for children of primary school.

Habit to break

snowy_023 — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:02:34 +0000

Its is normal for a child to suck their thumb at least 2 1/2 years. But as they reaches school age they must not do thumb sucking. Some people worried regarding with kind of scenario. But parents must be aware that it is quite normal and very natural.

Children do thumbsucking because it make them feel secure and happy. it also offers children a soothing way to alleviate some of the negative boredom, hunger, stress, and fear. Children tend to let go of this habit on their own, so it’s best to let process pass with time. When thumbsucking continues into the school years, it may cause problems with proper growth of the mouth and alignment of teeth. Parents must be aware that excessive dependence on sucking behavior can be seen in children whose needs are not being met.

Here are some ways for your toddler to help them stop sucking their thumbs.
1. There are products that you can lace on your child’s thumb that taste pretty nasty. Of course it should be clean and safe food approved by doctor.
2.Praise if the child does not suck their thumbs for specific periods of time.
3. Meet the toddler needs so that they feel secure and response to their cry to soothe them.

There are more ways to help toddlers stop thumbsucking. But the most important thing to remember as a parent is to be being supportive and encouraging to help them break thumbsucking.

No related posts.

Potty Training Episode for Parents

snowy_023 — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 06:13:29 +0000

Every parent looks forward to time when they child are able to care for his own bladder and bowels. Its’s great not to change smelly nappies, how great not to be bringing nappy changing gear anywhere. But don’t try to be in a hurry for your child knows and understand the potty training for every childs develops their own rate.

Potty Training or what we called as Toilet Training is fun and memorable for both of you as parent and as kid. But it is very challenging aspects for both of you also. Handled with positively and with preparations and it can be also one where humour can be used in heaps. I know that some of parents found this one as the most difficult times in their households and when you feel under pressure to get your child get toilet trained before going to nursery or pre-school. Parents must remember that every child are different and develops their skills at various times.

Potty Training When Traveling With a Child

Toddler Reading Activities Suggestions

Jacaranda — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:01:48 +0000

Many parents are worrying that today’s kids are no longer interested in books and in reading. It may sound true in some way, that they maybe swaying away from books but with today’s modern technology, ebooks is a viable substitute for physical books. But still, with so many things, so many activities to do online, it may also be true that kids of today, the toddlers and teens are reading less and less books.

In a world that is slowly but surely turning away from books and getting glued to monitors or television screens and like I said before, the internet… the importance of having a passion or developing wants for reading cannot be overlooked. Reading is a habit and should be established when the child is relatively young.

As a parent we are the first person to show our kids the value and importance of reading. We must tell them and make them understand that reading can broaden their mind. What can we do to foster this habit and add reading to their daily activities?

Enroll your child for reading classes

There are many well structured after school reading classes that aim to draw the children to books. They help kids with diction, idioms and phrases. For young children, these classes can be fun with animated characters and pictures. Illustrated picture books, rhymes, silly songs and pretend stories all attract the young child. Use creativity to capture the child’s vivid imagination.

Pique your child’s interest
If your child has a favorite character, pick a series of books that features this character. For my son, it was Spiderman. Thanks to friendly neighborhood spidey, my son latched on to comics fairly early in his childhood.

Build a home-library
A skill like reading cannot be learnt in isolation. Do not leave all the hard work to the after school program. Pick up books that you think your child will like. The Internet is also a rich resource of reading games
that will attract little children to the fine art of reading.

The suggestions listed above pertains only to physical books. There are many other ways to give the kids interest in reading if we are to use the internet. Wikipedia is the number one website for information and for kids to know and acquaint them in Wikipedia and other rich of information website will do wonders in their growing up years.

5 Signs a Child is not Doing Good in School

Jacaranda — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:01:59 +0000

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Although I still have a couple of years before my two boys will be seriously going to school, that is attending the primary school, let me share you some signs that a toddler is not doing so good at school.

Many reasons such as home background, lack of money, lack of involvement from parents, peer pressure, self-fulfilling prophecy, lack of positive role models, lack in confidence in the education system, etc, can lead to the underachievement of pupils. There will be lot more of discussion

Eating and Sleeping Habits
Sudden change in behavior
Rushed homework
Frequent sickness
Anxiety attacks

What to do if your child isn’t doing well in school?

Toddlers and Pets: Lessons Learned

Jacaranda — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:17:14 +0000

My brother and I had a small chit chat about kids’ pets and how having one can have a great impact on a child’s leadrship and social skills. True enough, I read this article about ‘Kids and Pets’

Pets are an important part of childhood. Everybody has a childhood memory involving a pet. If you’re considering getting a pet, be prepared for additional expenses and headaches over who cares for the pet. However, children benefit significantly from caring for animals. It teaches them to be kind, patient and gentle and those traits will carry over to how they treat other people. Developing positive feelings about pets can contribute to a child’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Positive relationships with pets can aid in the development of trusting relationships with others.

A happy relationship with a pet can also help in developing non-verbal communication, compassion, and empathy. There are physical benefits such as added exercise (walking the dog!) and the comfort of a soft and furry touch. Children often talk to their pets, so they’re good for releasing private thoughts and secrets without judgment. They reduce anxiety. Through birth and death, they teach children about life.

All kinds of animals can be fun for children, but it is important to choose a pet that is right for your family, your home, and your lifestyle; and one that your child can help care for. Avoid bringing aggressive animals into your home or exotic animals as they are usually harder to care for.

Taking care of a pet can help children develop social skills. However, parents should be aware of the following:

* Since very young children (under the age of 3-4 years) do not have the maturity to control their aggressive and angry impulses, they should be monitored with pets at all times.
* Young children (under 10 years) are unable to care for a large animal, a cat or a dog, on their own.
* Parents must oversee the pet’s care even if they believe their child is old enough to care for a pet.
* If children become lax in caring for a pet, parents may have to take over the responsibility on their own.
* Children should be reminded in a gentle, not scolding way, that animals, like people, need food, water and exercise.
* If a child continues to neglect a pet, a new home may have to be found for the animal.
* Parents serve as role models. Children learn responsible pet ownership by observing their parents’ behavior.

Pets can add to the joy of a family and bring many new experiences for children. They take a lot of work but also bring a lot of love and wonderful memories.

Benefits of Bedtime Stories to Kids

Jacaranda — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:31:02 +0000

It has been a proven fact and many studies have been made that reading stories to your child before going to bed has many good benefits for him.

For generations, parents have known that bedtime stories help kids relax and fall asleep more easily. But what they probably didn’t know, specially for first time parents or new parent like myself, is that reading bedtime stories do more good than just relaxing them and putting them to sleep.

What are the other benefits of telling toddlers the stories of Peter Pan, Cinderella and the likes?

Reading to them can help develop reading skills and emotional child development. You will notice that toddlers will not only look at the pictures but may also follow the words that the daddy is reading.

Another important thing to note is that bedtime stories are the last thing your child will hear before falling asleep and will play in the subconscious part of their mind all night.

Reading Bedtime stories may also be considered as a form of hypnosis, in a good way. All kids stories has values and lessons to learn from it. Reading them these kinds of stories and poiting to them the good values that the stories have will retain it and will be a big help in their mental and emotional development years.

During the age of child development, and of course the young age of toddlers are the time when they believe in magic, Wizards, Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy, you have a golden opportunity to program them for maximum success. You can boost their confidense and build their self esteem.

Perhaps, the best way to understand the importance of bedtime stories is to look back and recall some of your own favourite stories from childhood. I remember when I was young, my mother used to tell this story about a young boy who is mean to his mother. He then was turned to a lizard.

I will never forget that story.. I love my mother and I don’t need to be told of that story but honestly, I think it somehow made me what I am today, the loving son. And I want my sons to have that same feeling towards us, their parents.

“As an adult, you may even notice that some of the messages in your favourite stories have played out in your life in some instrumental way.” — Exactly!

What becomes clear therefore is the need to be very aware of the suggestions we are giving our children that will have an effect on their adult life. Are you for example through bedtime stories, suggesting to your children that the world is full of opportunity or a scary place?

Here are some other benefits of reading bedtime stories to kids according to the experts:

Bedtime stories aid in speech and language development
Bedtime stories help in the development of healthy sleep patterns
Bedtime stories help children develop listening skills
Bedtime stories help boost a child’s IQ
Bedtime stories help calm the crying
Bedtime stories help children develop a love for books

Do you know of other benefits that reading bedtime stories can do to children? Please share them in the comments below.

Sean’s First Few Letters

Jacaranda — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:58:39 +0000

Sean, the youngest of my two sons is starting to learn his alphabet! I’m really excited and very much looking forward in his journey in learning his ABCs. He can already say and distinguish letters C, E, O, H and A… and probably more. We started noticing this a couple of days ago when we saw his older brother, Matt, teaching him the alphabet song and both of them in from of the PC watching a video of it in Yutube.

Sean will be celebrating his 2nd birthday this coming February 26, 2010 and Matt will be turning 4 on March 1, 2010. I remember when Matthew was 2 years old, he can recite the whole alphabet and he know each one by heart.

Now, it’s Sean’s turn to learn his alphabet. He’s a little late learner, but that’s alright. We are individuals and we are all unique. Sean can’t even speak yet but he is trying to recite and learn ABCs already. When he sings the alphabet song, he can barely say the words and just hum along with the tune but you can know distinctively that he is singing the alphabet song.

My classic tips in teaching toddler alphabet will be a big help for now on. When Sean can talk, we can start applying the technique we used to teach Matt the Alphabet. But sean is learning in his own pace. I am also very proud of him.