Age of Learning to Read

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  • #608374
    Torah613Torah
    Participant

    How old were you when you learned how to read?

    Do you think the average age of learning to read is higher in the Orthodox Jewish communities than in other communities?

    #933621
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    16

    #933622
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Well, if popa is average, then I would say it is higher in our community.

    #933623
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    That’s the first time I’ve ever been called average.

    #933624
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    he said ‘if’

    #933625
    akuperma
    Participant

    I believe most babies start trying to figure our reading after a few months when their eye start to focus properly, though it can be a few years before they tell us about. Of course, if the parents try to stop them, such as by having the kid watch television a lot, they can probably postpone reading for a while (with enough TV, video and internet – the kid might stay illiterate for years or decades).

    #933626
    Sam2
    Participant

    Akuperma: Internet probably speeds up literacy, not hinders it.

    Google “African kids learn to read, hack android” for an absolutely amazing story about humanity’s capacity to learn.

    #933627
    akuperma
    Participant

    If the internet is limited to reading text, it’s no different than a book. But most internet use for small children is similar to watching television or videos, and it discourages the kids from learning how to sit down with a book. If you compare the writing and popular reading from 100 years ago (when video was introduced) to today, it’s clear that most westerners have seriously lost a lot of language skills. Since frum Jews watch much less television and video than goyim, our kids tend to have better reading skills.

    Even for something small like, say, “Curious George”, offering the kid a video rather than a book is like offering a kid candy instead of vegetables – the calories may be the same but one is a lot healthier than the other, and when he gets used to sweets, he won’t want the veggies.

    #933628
    thehock
    Member

    Actually, most children are farsighted in their early years so it may be best that they start reading in first grade.

    #933629
    The_Cool_Jew
    Member

    I taught myself how to read when I was only 4 in kindergarten.

    #933630
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    HI MOISHY!!!!!!!!

    #933631
    MorahRach
    Member

    No babies can read. At all.

    #933632
    ari-free
    Participant

    I gave my sister my copy of Siegfried (Ziggy) Engelmann’s “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” It worked so well for her kids that all of her friends have asked about her ‘secret’ and they are now using the book for their kids, as well. Her oldest daughter is now in 3rd grade and can read at the 8th grade reading level. She even has her own Kindle with over 100 books on it.

    #933633
    jbaldy22
    Member

    my mother taught me how to read when i was 4 – probably because she was tired of reading the same books to me over and over again

    #933634
    ari-free
    Participant

    I learned to read when I was 3 years old. My mom used phonics flashcards. I remember ough as one of the tricky ones…

    Engelmann’s DISTAR system (for example, see his 100 easy lessons) is much more thought out because it addresses every step in the reading process and not just phonics.

    #933635
    haifagirl
    Participant

    I don’t remember how old I was, but it was definitely before kindergarten. I learned with Dr. Seuss books. The first book I was able to read was Hop on Pop.

    #933636
    ashmorris613
    Participant

    I learned to read in the first grade in public school in America. My 5 year old son has just learned to read. He attends a Chardal talmud torah in Israel. They are expected to read by the end of Gan Chova (kindergarten) so that they are able to learn Chumash and daven from a siddur at the start of first grade.

    #933637
    🍫Syag Lchochma
    Participant

    The public school district I am at now expects the kids not only to read in kindergarten, but they have to write journals and book reviews too! It has gone from crazy to ridiculous.

    #933638
    benignuman
    Participant

    The age one learns to read (within reason) is not that important. What is important is the ease with which they read and love of reading.

    #933639
    PBT
    Member

    I was three. As a college professor once told me when I was feeling down about something, “If you could read at age 3, you can still read today.” I’m glad to have gotten that early start, especially as I went through the first couple of grades in school and saw kids age 6, 7, and 8 who could not read.

    #933640
    SaysMe
    Member

    a lot of people are focused on the positivity of early reading. Just to keep in mind, if a child learns to read at home, he may find himself bored in class- which can lead to misbehaving, not enjoying school, etc.

    #933641
    🐵 ⌨ Gamanit
    Participant

    I guess everyone here learned young… I learned how to read at age four from a computer program made by Microsoft- My Personal Tutor. I don’t think they make it anymore. It was great. It taught the ABC’s, phonics and writing in a fun way.

    #933642
    benignuman
    Participant

    I didn’t learn to read until I was six. But throughout my years growing up, I read more than anyone else I knew.

    #933643
    ari-free
    Participant

    Well, teaching my niece to read effectively before kindergarten was just the first step. We also bombarded her with tons of books and she carries her Paperwhite Kindle with her at all times (on weekdays)

    #933644
    rebdoniel
    Member

    I read English at 2 and Hebrew at 3-4.

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