Reagan loves to read out loud at 23 mths!

Another milestone we've reached!  Reagan is beginning to read out loud from 23 months old onwards . Click the video which was taken when he was 24mths. He may not be able to pronounce the words very well yet, but I'm glad he is trying really hard to read the words and sentences.

When he was a baby, reading books together is one of our favourite past-times. I would point and read the words out loud before describing the pictures on the pages. Gradually when he is older ard 1year+, I made him point to the words while I read out for him. And when he turns nearly 23 mths, he began to read out the words he points on the books. And then his reading just takes off from here! I really love to hear him read, his cute babyish voice sounds so squeaky high-pitch hahaha!

Reagan is extremely obsessed with books (as usual). He buries himself with all his books everynight, or carries his books around, looking for anyone at home who can read them together with him.  

This is the first book he can read out all by himself. 

Brown Bear Brown Bear, What do you see?  by Eric Carl. I've been reading this book to him since he was a baby and till now, it's still his all-time favourite title! I used to make him point to the different animals, while I describe to him one by one,like the colours and the sounds they made etc. He finds it so amusing especially when he was still a baby.

After he succeeded reading out his very first book, I began to search for new series of storybooks that we can use to practice his reading. I ordered the Spot series storybooks online and he loves them very much! I bought like 8 different titles, and below 4 are what we've began to read together. 

The pictures are cute, bright and colourful. The sentences are not only short and simple,they are also bold, dark and clear too, which makes reading easier for him. 

Reagan enjoys reading every adventure of Spot,the puppy. He can recognise and read most of the words by himself and able to relate them to the pictures. Therefore I knew I've made the right choice of books for him. 

I guess soon, I need to search for more new titles. Well, I hope he continues to enjoy reading as much as I enjoy listening to him read hehe!

Goal reached: Baby Reagan "reads" 50 words/phrases at 18 months

Baby Reagan has accomplished the goal of "reading" or identifying 50 words/phrases at 18 months. He can't say the word out vocally but he uses baby signings or actions to demonstrate the meaning of the words that are shown to him. Click HERE for the video.

 

Baby Reagan is picking up words at a faster speed now. As I continue to teach him more and more new words, he is able to successfully learn the cards after flashing to him in less than a week time.  

 

Besides flashing the cards to him, sometimes I write the words on the whiteboard for him to identify ,or place the cards on the floor and get him to find and pick up the word that I read aloud to him.

A baby's brain is much powerful than we thought. They are absorbing like a sponge and the more you are willing to teach, the more they absorb. Our reading activity is just like a fun game to him and he is still enjoying every session we have together.

Baby Can Read - How I teach my baby

After the video of baby Reagan recognizing words at 16 mths was posted  (click VIDEO), I've received private messages from other parents, asking how it can be done. Once again let me emphasize that ALL babies can do it. Parents just need a little time and effort to do the teaching. If you do some research online, there are many methods that can be used to teach baby to read. However I followed a little of the Glenn Doman flashcards method combined with my own schedule and method of fun teaching. So here to share...

The Preparation

First I prepare the cards I want to teach baby Reagan to read. The words have to be large and clear and be either red or black in colour. You can also write the words yourself using a bold marker, but because I don't really have nice handwriting, therefore I print them out instead. I started with most of the body parts words, action words or words that I've been teaching him to baby sign, so he can relate to them easier.

Step 1: Flash the words FAST (less than 1 sec per card)

I started off with 10 cards and since baby Reagan is comfortable with this quantity, I continue to stick with 10 and change the words every month.  You can also begin with lesser cards like probably 5 instead. 

 Flash the words card FAST and read out loud to your baby everyday. Eg. Flash the card "clap" and read "clap", flash the card "ears" and read "ears" and so on. The key here is to FLASH FAST and also, NO explanation is needed. After flashing all the cards, always shower your baby with hugs , kisses and praises. Continue doing this for 10 days.

Step 2: Show the word on the cards and do the action

This is probably the step that babies may enjoy. Show the word, read the word while pointing to it in a left to right direction (as though u are underlining the word with your index finger), and do the action (using baby signing or just by pointing to it). 

Eg. Show and read the card "clap", and you clap your hands, show and read the card "ears" and you pull his or your ears, show and read the card "nose" and you point to his or your nose. If your baby is older, encourage him to do the action with you, otherwise you just let him watch you "perform". Now the key here is REPETITION.Continue doing this for at least the next 10 days, and not forgetting more hugs, kisses and praises after every session. 

Step 3: Have fun practicing

For the last 10 days of the month, you may have realized that your child is already recognizing some or even all the words! You show them the word card and "underlined" it with your finger and before you read out the word, your child is already showing you the action or pointing to the correct body part. Spend the next 10 days practicing with him. 

Every individual baby is different, some may have yet to develop the motor skill to do certain actions (Eg, you don't expect a 6 months old baby to walk when you teach the word "walk"), some may take more days to master all the words, and some may even take shorter time to learn them. Some babies do not like to be tested too many times as well, so if they refuse to show you, it doesn't mean that they do not understand the words. Reagan too have his good and moody days. On some days he can demonstrate ALL his word cards like a pro, and on some days he got bored of being tested and wants me to show him the actions instead. Parents need to be consistent, have lots of patience and trust for their baby. Their brain is absorbing like a sponge at this stage, which is the best time to INPUT!

There is also no hard and fast rules over the number of words to teach or the number of days to practice. I used 10 cards and 10 days for each step as it is easier for me to monitor the number of words and time I take to teach my 16 months old. So in average I know he learns to read 10 new words a month

Final step: Plan fun games to reinforce the words he learnt.

Even though you have moved on to teaching him the new words, don't forget to bring back the old words and practice with him occasionally. Invent new games or activities that can help to reinforce the words he had learnt. Eg.Sometimes I placed all the cards on the floor, and get him to Hi-5 or bring me the correct card that I'm looking for.

Or else I print pictures or use real-life objects and get him to match them to the correct cards. Sometimes instead of showing him the card, I wrote the letters on a paper ,whiteboard or writing board and get him to read them (as shown in the video). Be creative, think of fun ideas and interesting activities to practice with your baby! Most importantly, have lots of fun playing the games together! 

Transiting from cards-flashing to words reading

An update from the previous post here, when I discovered that at 16 mths, baby Reagan began to recognize the words that I've been flashing to him. I've added another 10 new words and at 17 mths old now, he can "read" a total of 20 sets of words. He can pick the correct card when I read him out the word, or do the actions for each word I write or show him. (click video HERE.).

I began with daily pictures cards flashing first when he was an infant, then gradually move on to pictures + words flashing, and slowly I start to show him the words one by one with actions or signings. After much repetitions, he is able to recognize the words he see and relate them to the actions. ALL babies can do it !!! I've witnessed more impressive results from other mamas and their babies.

 Baby Reagan enjoys this activity very much, and almost everyday he will bring me his writing board and wants me to go through the words with him.

Words he learnt to read last month
-clap
-head
-eyes
-mouth
-fingers
-tongue
-toes
-bellybutton
-raise your hands
-wave hello

New words he learnt to read this month
-nose
-ears
-hair
-kick
-sorry
-thank you
-milk
-baby
-close your eyes
-shake your head

My Baby Can Read too!

Today is the day that my 16 months old baby is successfully able to "read" 10 sets of words which I've been practicing with him the for last 2 months. I show him the word on the card (without reading the words out), and he is able to look at the word and point or do the action of it.

The ten words
- clap
- eyes
- mouth
- fingers
- head
- tongue
- toes
- bellybutton
- raise your hands
- wave hello

I'm still trying to find a chance to record it on video, hopefully other parents can be more motivated and convinced that all babies are really genius and they do can read !!! I witnessed my boy's success with my very eyes, not only me, but my hubby and my mom were totally amazed too. Well, hubby was skeptical and thought I was exaggerating baby's boy ability, UNTIL I proved it to him right in his face. He was blown away and was totally impressed. He even commented how unbelievable it is to witness a baby recognizing written words.

 Many times I watched the beginning of the YourBabyCanRead DVD when Dr Tizer flash the words cards to his baby and she was able to "read" and do the actions for all the cards. I always wonder how true is that and if baby Reagan can do it too. And now I'm truly convinced that ALL babies can read and IT IS TRUE ! It is up to the parents how determined they are to put in effort to teach.

Probably in the next couple of days I try to catch it on video. It is not easy as most of the time I'm handling baby alone and need someone to help me with the recording while I demonstrate the cards with him. I'm truly excited and maybe next week I can come out with another 10 new words to practice with him !