Summing Up

Whole language is often pitted against phonics – but that needn’t be the case. You and your child can enjoy what each have to offer. Since your child will naturally learn her first words by sight, you can take advantage of the time when her memory is at its most powerful to teach her a large numbers of sight words. You will be amazed at how smart your baby is, as she begins showing that she can read, even before she is able to talk.

At age two or even younger, you can introduce your child to phonics. Play letter games with him, building words and asking him to see if he can. Sound out any real as well as nonsense words you each build. Most toddlers love word games of this sort, and find the sounds of the nonsense words particularly hilarious!

Once your child becomes a skilled reader, she will naturally blend her knowledge of spellings and sounds to make reading most efficient. The strengthening of the neural pathways for reading, and knowledge of whole words gained in babyhood will always be an asset.

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