Your Baby Can Read - Long Beach,CA

My sister in law is a teacher and advises families NOT to use that system. Apparently, it doesn't teach kids to read properly and they end up with a lot of reading problems when they start school. She is firmly against the whole program.

Im not really sure I believe it works at all but here is my logic (half baked as it may be) I have seen with my older kids, when thier bodies are growing thier brain developement slows, and when they take huge leaps in brain developement (as in talking single words, then sentences) thier body growth seems to slow.

The first few years is the time for thier little brains to be mapping for gross motor skills, if you redirect that mapping process and teach a child to read, what gross motor skills are compromised? Will that child be able to catch a ball or master the pincer grasp? How about walking?

With all of your education credentials you are not seriously considering use a crappy made-to-make-money dvd series that you can order off an infomercial... are you?

The whole thing is a money making scheme! That is all. Studies over studies have shown that plopping your infant in front of a TV is the worst thing you can do for their brain and language development. More studies show that early reading does not only not give them any advantage in school, most most of the time is useless because children that young lack the developmental capacity for true reading comprehension.

If you want to foster your child's language development, speak, listen and answer to her as much as possible. Read books to her, point to things and explain her how they work. The more face to face interactions babies have with their parents, the better for their language, brain, motor and social-emotional development.

If you have to teach her reading, because you personally think that what you need to do, get some flash cards and other "learn to read aids". There is nothing that the TV can teach her better than you.

Good luck!

It seems like a ridiculous concept to me. You can't teach phonics at that age. A baby can recognize a word, like they would recognize a picture, but what are they really learning? My daughter started "reading" words at a very young age, but it wasn't because she could truly read them, it was because she recognized them from us looking at/reading them so much, and from memorizing favorite books. Read to your child, and talk to her using normal, "adult" language, and she'll read and speak fine when the time is right for her to do it.

I could read before I started school. I don't remember exactly the age. My grandmother taught remedial reading courses for children with learning disabilities and my Aunt taught 1st grade. They both worked with me a lot so I'd be ahead of the game when I started school. They also did the same thing with both of my cousins. Sounded great in theory but when we started school all 3 of us were bored! My cousins were able to skip grades but my parents didn't think it was a good idea. I'm glad they didn't because I was a geek anyway....I didn't need any help!! My 'advantage' turned into a discipline problem because I already knew the things you would teach K thru 2nd grade. I also had a bad attitude because I felt I was better/smarter than the other kids. I think if kids show interest that it's wonderful to allow them to learn about what they are interested in but you have a fine line to walk. So much of the day the first few years of school is focused on reading and if a child is light years ahead it is unlikely that she will spend the time quietly contemplating the universe. She's more likely to sharpen her pencil a zillion times and talk to her classmates! All that being said I am also dyslexic. The method they use in that program is absolutely wonderful for kids who aren't able to learn to read phonetically.

I think the best headstart you can give your child is to read with her and to her every day. If there is a love of reading and books built in, then as she is ready, she will ask to be taught. I don't believe anything television related can help as much as following along with your finger as you read, and helping her identify the sounds letters make. Our daughter is 5, has been reading words for about a year, but was not either willing or ready to jump in till just a couple months ago. We didn't push, and now, she joyfully reads to me after I read to her. I'd rather she love it than have been pushed and possibly put off.

I am trying it right now. I started a month ago and now I am on month two. I have experience as an instructional aide in special education for 5years and a year as a sub dealing with preschool up to 8th grade. I make a game out of the flashcards by playing and acting out the cards. My son doesn't always get pay attention to the DVD so I stop it and play it later. He pays more attention to it while he is eating in his high chair. I can't see the changes yet. But I believe they will happen. I also use Leap Frog's Letter Factory DVD, he has been watching that and loves it since he was a month old. He has started copying the sounds way back in month 4 with that one. I would suggest "Your Baby Can Read" because I can see my son's expression as he concentrates on it when he watches. I watch it with him each time. I hope this helps.

this question has been asked a few times...here's a link with responses. you can also responded to that link (you can scroll down about 10 names..and you'll find my answer in further detail).

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/3382508452969512961
But here's my quick answer for now:
Not a good program. Because reading is not word recognition (sight/picture memorization). Reading IS recognizing SOUNDS of each letter and putting the LETTER SOUNDS together to sound a word. Can a baby who memorizes "pictures" be able to break down the SOUNDS of the word..like ELEPHANT (el-uh-fuh nt)? And if she comes across a word that she's NEVER seen or had a chance to memorize...like MARSHMALLOW...will she be able to sound it out all by herself? You can't sit next to her for every word and tell her how it's read. BTW, if you had to..then she's really not reading.

btw, my daughter is 3.5 and can read. and she learned her letter sounds at 2.5 and by 3 was able to put together many 3 letter words. It wasn't by drill or anything. We watch various PBS..and had the electronic LEAP Frog alphabet magnets that we put on our refrigerator that gives the sound(s) of each letter. And she would just play with them everyday.
At this time, she is able to read many books, including Dr. SEUSS, like Green Eggs and Ham.

Don't do it! It is "whole word" memorization, not phonics. That age old debate has been won by phonics. That whole "flash card" thing for babies is over. It also requires hours upon hours of having your kid stare at the TV watching their DVDs! That can't be good. (I am dismayed that Dr. Phil had that kook on his show. Luckily, he was just in the audience and the show wasn't really about that, but still!) I agree that it is largely a money-making scheme. When I first heard about it, I went online and tried to order their trial version ($15), but they required that I pay the tax on the whole amount ($200), so tried to charge me $30 "up front!" I didn't like that, so I canceled. Their email said they were going to charge me anyway. Luckily, they did end up reversing the charges pretty quickly. I also didn't like that they tried to upsell me during the check out. They tried to sell me six different items! I thought I'd never get out of those screens! After that, I really started digging around to find out about it before I shelled out $200 and most of what I found was not good. The ONLY positive reviews were from people who had just gotten it and their baby had retained some words, so you can imagine that that could be very exciting. I couldn't find anything from parents of an older child who was breezing through books now, having learned this method.

I think it is far better that YOU read to her, talk a lot, and point out letters and words anywhere and everywhere you see them. Introduce letter sounds when she is a bit older. She will start sight-reading lots of things (Starbucks, Staples, Albertsons!) before you know it and YOU will have been her teacher, not some dopey DVD. Your love of reading will also be good modeling for her.

I just re-read the last line of your post. I wasn't going to go into this because I know my post is really long now, but if you want to foster her language development, investigate American Sign Language. The research shows that it spurs language development, not impedes it. There are a couple of different programs out there, including “Baby Sign” which consist of easier signs to produce, but we found that the one by Joseph Garcia was most like ASL. We wanted to give our son a leg up on a second language, not just ease communication in the pre-verbal year(s), so we went with that one. Either one will do what you are seeking, foster language development; babies can form concepts and express those concepts way before they will have the physical ability to speak. Those brain connections will already be getting laid down. Message me if you want further information on our experience with sign. Have fun with your baby!

I must agree with the others about putting your infant child infront of the TV to 'learn to read'. I have just read to my 22 month old daughter every day since she was 3 or 4 months old. We read before nap time. We read before bedtime. And we read inbetween. She loves books, and has quite the vocabulary for a child so young. I compeltely contribute it to reading to her. Didn't push it, force her to say words, count or such... she just picked it all up from my reading to her. So... my advice... buy some books instead of the video series. Go to the library and check some out... and read, read, read. Have fun!!!

I have known someone who swears it works for him and his sister. My other friends just returned the series. They said that what they were doing with reading and baby einstein seemed better suited for them. Being an avid reader and having your masters degree in reading I can see why you are curious. However, I would not spend the money. My daughter is 21 months old and knows so much. She is not reading but who cares? She is a baby! She loves books and various shows. Our little ones are like sponges if you work with them. The previous poster may have success with the program but it sounds like they are doing a lot to help their daughter on their own too. Good luck!

We got Your Baby Can Read for my son when he was about 2 1/2 and overall he didn't have very much interest in it but sometimes he would watch for awhile. However, he started talking at 7 months old and his second word was book (after dada). He loved books from the very beginning and we would read to him all the time. (He's 7 now and the only way we can punish him is to take away books at bedtime). When he was a year or 2 old you could talk about something and he would go find the book where we read about that subject. Around the same age he could tell my husband when we had to get off the freeway because he recognized the sign. When he was about 4 he said "Let's go over there where it says "Diagonal Crossing"". I didn't know he could read the Diagonal Crossing sign. We got him Reader Rabbit toddler and preschool programs for the computer and we worked on those with him. So, since you're a reading teacher, I think if you just read to your daughter all the time and work on the alphabet with her and show her things - she'll learn to read pretty quickly without the expense of those videos. Let her watch Noggin or Sesame Street occassionally - they do a lot with letters and sounds. Get some "Reader Rabbit" toddler and preschool programs. My niece did "Head Sprout" on the computer when she was about 3 and learned to read with it. So there are lots of things you can do on your own to get your daughter reading.

Hope this helps!

If you believe that flash card training works with babies and is a positive experience for you child then go for it. Personally, I believe snuggle time, playing, singing, and reading books to your child is a better and more positive experience.

Also, the "your baby can read" program develops a part of the brain that is not the same part of the brain that is used for reading development. You have your masters degree in reading development (as do I) and you are a teacher (as am I), and I suggest you read the studies about brain development and the research that supposedly supports this program. Since you have your master's degree I am assuming you know how to read research and you know that there are MANY variables and if those variables are not written into the research I would find it highly questionable.

Babies learn through play. I suggest spending your money on building a language rich library. Also, join some music classes. My daughter just started the Music Together class. Learning language and rhythm through singing and play does wonders!

I wish you all the best! :-)

A reading program like that teaches reading through memorization rather than phonics. I have heard (not a study or anything, though) that it can have a negative affect on reading comprehension in older readers. I have also heard that it can be difficult for the reader to read similar words if they haven't memorized what the word says.

My biggest problem with programs like this is looking around at the billboards and the magazines at the supermarket and the graffiti written on bathroom walls are ALL filled with words and ideas that my 2 year old is not mature enough to understand, nor do I want to attempt to explain them to him.

I have no first hand experience though...

Hi, L.,
We have been using "Your Baby Can Read" with my 15 month old daughter since she was 5 1/2 months old. My husband and I are both teachers, too, with masters' degrees. The video portion of the program is only about 20 minutes a day. We don't watch any other TV, except for the occassional Sesame Street or sporting event (my husband can't help himself). By the way, we don't just sit her in front of the TV, either. We sit with her and say the words right along with the video. Also, now that she's walking, she doesn't necessarily sit and watch the entire video most of the time. She plays, reads, and does other things while the video plays. She'll often stop what she's doing to sign along with the songs, though. There are also books and flashcards. Just like any good parents, we also read other books and talk with our daughter a lot, so this is just something else we've put into our daily activities. Our daughter recognizes and can say over 100 words! The average number of words that a child her age can say is 3 to 6. While it's true what some of the other moms have said, that she has just memorized the words, what's wrong with that? Where did some of these people get their information? That's the best way, as I'm sure you know, to begin to read, by knowing whole words. She will learn phonics soon enough. She has also made so many synaptic connections, with this time in her life the best time for that. Another mom mention American Sign Language. That's great, too. We've been doing signs with our daughter since she was born. You don't have to choose one or the other, do all you can. We've also done some baby music classes, as another mom on here suggested. That's also a good thing. You can and should expose your daughter to as much as possible.
Good luck with your decision. I suggest you get it. It won't hurt.