Hooked on Phonics - San Antonio,TX

As a teacher, I suggest just reading to her and talking to her about her world around her. My kids learned to read right along with their classmates but were in the top half of their class since they had been read to daily (by me) and nightly (by their daddy). If you plan to send her to public schools, she will be bored if she is so far ahead of her classmates.

Be sure to encourage her to learn to entertain herself. Give her things to do that require her to put things together, etc. Don't teach her that you will always be there to entertain her. We get too many of those kids in class who think school is boring because we don't have all the electronic sounds and fast-paced images to entertain them non-stop.

What you are doing with her now is WONDERFULLY age and developmentaly appropriate. Just continue doing what you are doing with her and she will benefit.

THere is no reason to spend money on a program.

Just me opinion from an early childhood educator.

I am using a terrific book with my 4-year-old called Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. The writers suggest all 4yo and advanced 3yo could complete the program. My daughter resisted doing it for a long time, and I didn't push it--I never wanted reading to become something she hated doing! My oldest (now 7) was reading on his own by the time he was 4, and we didn't do any kind of program or "formal" lessons at all. More important than a reading program, I think, are "games" that incorporate phonics. When driving in the car, I'll talk to the kids about letters that go together (t-r says tr--like train, truck--can you think of more words that begin with tr? etc.) They love typing in a word document on the computer, so I'll ask them to look for particular letters (can you find the letter that says b [the sound]). Fridge Phonics (by Leap Frog) is also a great learning tool. My 2yo loves playing with it and has learned quite a few letter sounds already.

Every child is different, I should know! I used Hooked on Phonics with my triplets. One loves it and cruised right through. The other thought it was fun if there was nothing better to do. The last one hated it. I think it is helpful if you have the patience to sit and do it. But it definitely required parent supervision. It certainly didn't hurt anything to try!

www.thosecrazybeans.blogspot.com

Go to the library and check out the "BOB" books. See what she thinks of them.

My mom taught me to read at a very early age using Dr. Glenn Doman's book called _How to Teach Your Baby to Read_. I don't remember it (I was too young) but she absolutely swears by it. It suggests things like taking old business cards or index cards and using a red marker to write words of things around the house on them in big, bold letters so that kids can physically match words to objects.

Hello R.!

I have used hooked on phonics for my oldest son and he was reading at three. I use it for my now three year old in conjunction with Your Baby Can Read and I LOVE IT!! My oldest one was able to read the story books, in his class, to his class when he was 4 and in pre-school. I homeschool both my children now because the oldest one was getting bored and it was causing trouble in class.

I hope this is helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions...