While the way a baby’s brain develops is largely a mystery, even to those who spend their lives studying it, one thing we do know is that a baby’s window of opportunity to learn language opens early in life. Using a baby reading program can facilitate that learning by adding letter and sound recognition and preliminary reading skills to your baby’s repertoire.
Your Baby Can Read!
Dr. Robert Titzer, Ph.D., developed this reading program for babies after researching infant learning and development. His philosophy is based on the idea that we miss the optimal window to teach our children how to read by waiting until kindergarten. He believes the natural window to learn language is between birth and the child’s fifth birthday. Titzer also believes that early reading leads to a greater affinity for reading later in life. A broad range of products support his “Your Baby Can Read!” system.
Little Reader
Brillbaby.com touts this method, which uses a quick succession of flash cards to focus the baby’s attention. The “Little Reader” method encourages parents to keep it fun while they work with their babies on reading (or memorizing) whole words. As children age, they learn phonetics to sound out words, something they should be able to do by kindergarten, when they can more easily identify letters and sounds.
Orton, Shichida, Doman, Montessori-Based Method
This reading method also utilizes flash cards. The first category babies learn is the phonic codes of the English language, followed by whole words. This method uses right-brain, left-brain and whole-brain learning strategies. Right-brain learning encourages the baby to learn words on sight while taking advantage of a baby’s photographic memory. Using the whole brain promotes the baby’s long-term learning objectives.
Hooked on Phonics
This classic phonetic system for teaching reading also has a version for babies entitled, “Discover Reading Baby Edition Deluxe.” This method employs singing and reading to enhance vocabulary and memory skills, excite the imagination and foster a love of reading for the 3- to 18-month-old. The program uses books, songs, rhymes and games.
About the Author
Lara Alspaugh is a freelance writer living in Michigan. She is a Registered Nurse and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Michigan State University. Her writing has been found in parenting and fitness magazines nationwide and the Internet, addressing health and fitness as well as wellness concerns of families.
