There is a lot of dissention among homeschool parents about when a child should learn to read. Some parents are all for early education, others think it is best to wait. So, what IS the right age to start reading?
Let`s take a look at the pros and cons of each age group.
Early Readers (3-5 years)
Pros:
Kids this age are already in super learning mode and may pick up new things faster than older kids.
They will have a head start on other kids going into the school years.
Reading isn`t looked at as a chore at this age, but something fun.
Cons:
Young children rarely have the attention span to sit and study something as complicated as reading.
Very small children will still be learning normal speech and it may confuse issues to start working on reading skills.
It`s easy for parents to push too much at this stage, wanting their child to be a genius.
School Age Readers (5-6 years)
Pros:
At this age, most children are considered to be developed enough to understand the concept of reading.
Writing can also be integrated, making it easier to learn reading at the same time.
School books and readers are usually geared to this age group.
Cons:
Some children may not be ready to read at this age.
Reading might be looked at as a chore, since it is part of school, particularly if the child has a dislike of all things scholarly.
Late Readers (7+ years)
Pros:
Leaving reading until the child decides he wants to learn means he will be more dedicated to the task.
Reading will take on more meaning when the child finds that she cannot do some things without knowing how to read.
Cons:
Delayed reading can hold up other areas of education.
The child will be far behind his peers, though late readers do tend to catch up fairly quickly.
It can send the signal that reading and writing are not important skills.
In the end, it all comes down to what is best for you and your family. Look at your kids. Are they interested in reading? Can they speak clearly? Are they taking an interest in letters or trying to read on their own? Then you might need to start teaching that skill soon.
For example, my 3 1/2 year old, Dorian, has been sounding out letters on his own and asking what sounds different letters make, so we`ve started working on some very simple lessons from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Would I recommend this to all parents? No, because each child is different and you need to make the decision yourself based on their level of interest and abilities.
Tags: age, homeschooling, reading