How To Teach Your Baby To Read (Flashcards)

1. » Introduction
2. » Why teach babies to read so early?
3. » Myths of early learning
4. » Teaching your baby to read (flashcards)
5. » Teaching your baby to read (multi-sensory)
6. » Felicity's mother's experience

The most popular teaching method for young children today is the flashcard system. This involves showing the child large flashcards with one or more words on them in a rapid manner while the words are read aloud at the same time.

More recently, a slightly different approach is increasingly being used, whereby a child learns words through several senses at the same time. For example, the child sees a word (visual), hears the word (auditory), sees and/or hears images and sounds that represent the meaning of the word (visual and auditory again), and even performs some physical action relating to the word (kinesthetic). This whole process is done at a more leisurely pace.

Each method has its pros and cons, and they are both discussed in more detail below.

Flashcard System

One of the first pioneers who popularized the flashcard method is Dr. Glenn Doman, Founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential and author of “How To Teach Your Baby To Read” which was first published in 1964 and has since become a best-seller.
This system primarily teaches children to associate words with how they are pronounced, e.g., learning that the written word “dog” is pronounced with the sound “dog.” However, the children typically are not taught the meaning of the words, though the child may begin to understand that the written word “dog” refers to that particular animal if on a separate occasion the mother points to a dog on the street and calls it a “dog.”

The advantage of this system is that it rapidly exposes the child to a large number of words (and their corresponding pronunciations). It is therefore very effective at enabling a child to be able to say and read words aloud. Furthermore, she is more likely to be able to pronounce even those words which she has never encountered before, as the large exposure to words and their sounds will have caused the child’s brain to decipher the pertinent rules of pronunciation and deduce what similar words must sound like.

In addition, it is believed that rapid flashing is more effective than other methods at enabling the child to remember the words (at least at a subconscious level) and is also less likely to become boring for a young child who already possesses the inborn ability to absorb information at an astounding rate.

The downside is that the child is often not taught the meaning of words, as parents and teachers do not often combine the flashing of words with the flashing of pictures corresponding to the meaning of those words. This is not too surprising given that many of the words being flashed are difficult to depict in pictures.

It is also much more difficult to assess whether or not the child has learned the words, since she is unable to provide feedback of knowledge. She cannot gesture the meanings of words at an early age if the meanings have not been taught, and can only provide feedback by methods such as letting her choose the correct flashcard amongst other flashcards, or to read aloud the words when she is able to speak better.

As flashcards have been used by many for a very long time now, there are numerous places from where you can buy or even download flashcards. Visit the Links section for some of these sources.

Dr. Glenn Doman’s products can also be purchased from the IAHP’s website – www.gentlerevolution.com. Please note that IAHP’s products also include excellent CD-Roms which flash both pictures and words.

1. » Introduction
2. » Why teach babies to read so early?
3. » Myths of early learning
4. » Teaching your baby to read (flashcards)
5. » Teaching your baby to read (multi-sensory)
6. » Felicity's mother's experience