How to teach 3 year old to read...?

[ladybird11]

I've found those really repetitve books like 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see, I see a yellow duck looking at me' type books, anything that rhymes - DD has picked up so much by ready 'predicatable books'...

[Indadhanu]

I like the idea of words around the house. Maybe make some simple books with her, draw the pictures with her, if she can remember the relation between the written words and the pictures, she might remember the words by sight. Make up some cards and laminate them, that say things like "fork" or "spoon" or "milk" and when you're in the kitchen say "can you get me one of these" and give her the card, it'll take a little while but eventually she'll pick it up. Does she have a little kitchen? Or a toy set? You could make some simple cards up and 'label' things - not literally, but lay the cards out and get her to get the toys that are written on the cards. Eventaully you'll be able to move to two and three word sentences like "find ___" and then "find two ___". etc. If she wants a BOOK and not just cards, make a book out of it.

Match or snap with words on cards instead of pictures can be good too. How is she with letters? Does she want to READ or is she interested in individual letters and writing too?

Hope this makes sense! Biggest thing is use it all in context, rather than just flash cards on the lounge room floor. Do it when she wants to do it, and stop once she's bored

[LimeSlice]

Thanks girls!!

She is fab with letters, knows the whole alphabet and has since about 18/20 mths. I downloaded an app for the phone she loves where she traces the letters and they use the sounds of letters as well as the names, and she has that down pat (the sounds relating to each letter) and will happily play is for 30 mins lol... But she wants to be able to read.
I can get her to try and make up the story by looking at the words and she babbles off making up all kinds of things, and I know she remembers the stories by heart a lot of the time, as she will repeat them almost word for word from just us having read them so often, but she has no comprehansion (I don't think?) of linking the words she is saying to the actual written words on the page. Although I can go through each word and she will spell it, she doesn't know their sounds etc to read them.

I have no problem with her learning words initially by memory rather than phonics etc, as I think she will combine the two anyhow once she starts.
I don't think she is particularly interested in writing them yet, she doesn't have the fine motor skills I don't think to grasp writing them yet.

Will be looking at those websites and get some cards made up for around the house, and look around the library for some old school prep readers like "Look!" and "Dark Dark Wood" lol I can have a trip down memory lane too

[~Jayne~]

LIMESLICE _ Congratulations on having such a bright & competent young lady on your hands! She is a product of you & you should be very proud of her achievements. I was going to suggest ensuring she knows the 'sounds' of the alphabet first & then go from there. I have the ABC Reading Eggs program on my computer for both of my girls & they absolutely love it! Not only is it teaching them to read, but also to navigate their way around the computer & it keeps them so entertained. Even now that they are both in school, they still both use the program at least 4 times per week.

You can also 'label' items around your house. Such as 'fridge', 'light switch', 'oven', 'door', etc...

There are some great flash cards that teach the sounds of the letters as well as the sounds of 'oa' 'ee' 'ou' and things like that.

Best of luck with everything & most of all, have fun with it!

Love Jayne xx

[CrazyLady]

Mem Fox is also a repetitive author and has smaller words. She also has lovely illustrations (Helen oxenbury is the illustrator). Dr Seuss is recommended as well for the repetitiveness but you might want to check which ones look like they have few enough words. Hop on Pop is a story that jumps to mind.

[LimeSlice]

Thanks Jane She is so smart sometimes it is scary, fascinated by learning anything.
I was reading at 3, as was my mum and cousins, I taught my little sister the alphabet and the sounds etc when she started grade 1, no idea how though pmsl.
I want her to stay all little, but clearly she has other ideas! And given she is starting school next year I really don't understand why I wouldn't go where she wants to with the reading.

CL - I just bought her a box set of Dr Seuss for Christmas, about 20 books lol and she loves them, so will read some of them more often with her.

[CrazyLady]

Pixie is OBSESSED with Dr Seuss!! It's a good thing DP likes them too

[Cherished]

You've got lots of replies so I haven't read them all. We intend to make story books out of DS's paintings/drawings. A friend works with kids over seas in 3rd world countries and she believes that drawings are a chidls 1st language. She said that when they do a drawing/painting ask them what it is and the story behind it. Then in big letters you can simplify the story and write it on a page that goes with the drawing. Because the child already knows the story they will be able to identify the words easier kwim. So we will laminate the drawings and in colorful crayon write the story. then we bind together a dozen of them and then we'll have a book which DS essentially has made and they are his stories

I forgot to add that she does this with the kids to teach them to read, not just for fun (although it is fun) she said that the kids who did this with their won stories learnr to read quicker than those who didn't.

[Muffy]

Great thread Lime, ive been wondering the same thing!!
DS is obsessed with books and reading and i havnt had a clue where to start!

[tellytubby]

Repetitive books will work a treat
Nusery rhymes, that she already knows, but can pretend to read the words, ITMS.

We're big fans of Dr Seuss here too. "Hop on Pop" is a good'in. I also love "I can read with my eyes shut". They can often predict the word for you by looking at the illustration.
Words around the house is a fabo idea - Nice one Sunshine

Chose her fav books, the ones she knows, because they've been read so much. Begin the sentence, and let her finish it -
Example
Mum - Roar went the cranky bear, roar roar roar, he gnashed his teeth and stomped....
DD - his feet and chased them out the door.

She will slowly pic up words! Very clever humans our wee ones!!

[sneakysparkle]

I'm doing the same thing with DD#1 atm (although she is nearly 4!) and Ive found that teaching her to sound things out is really helpful - she has known the alphabet, and the sounds each letter makes for ages - so sounding each letter out in a word, then putting it together is like the final piece of the puzzle!
Im sure your clever girl will be reading in no time

[Shanti]

I've found those really repetitve books like 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see, I see a yellow duck looking at me' type books, anything that rhymes - DD has picked up so much by ready 'predicatable books'...

Yep same here!!