Dr. Titzer, Your Baby Can Read Program--Experiences with It?

Haven't used the "program" with my children but I would be skeptical about a "reading program" for babies. I A. a teacher who has her master's degree in literacy. What I understand from experience and what I have read in research is that reading to your child is your best bet on getting a head start on the reading thing! And its relatively free... a trip to the local library is all you need! Beginning reading starts with lap reading with an adult. Then transitions to learning phonemic awareness skills (that is learning about the sounds of language without print... playing with sounds... rhyming, clapping words, etc.) Then children transition to phonics (understanding that sounds correspond to letters... learning ABCs and letter sounds, etc.) All this can be learned through play and interacting with your child in a fun way. Although I have never seen the DVDs you mentioned or heard of Dr. Titzer's research, I do know that since you are already thinking about your child's education you are on the right path to helping your child succeed! That is awesome! Do some research before you dump a ton of money into the "program." Just remember reading to your child every day is the key! Best of luck!

As a college professor and former literacy coach, I have to agree that it isn't the product that gets your child reading, but rather the interaction between the parent and baby. So, you can write the words "arms up" or "kick" or "sit" on paper yourself and just interact with it and your child.

My 5-year old is reading and it is because my husband and I have read to him from day 1. We visit the library frequently and have a special scrapbook that shows pictures of the family engaging in literacy activities (reading, shopping in bookstores, visiting the library, checking email, etc.) His first word was "stop" because we would take walks and read the stop sign. A lot of the words he first learned were his favorite (car, bus, train, yellow, house, the end).

So, ALL THE RESEARCH says that literacy is a community event and it happens in interaction with others and text, so just interact with your child. Use your love of the outdoors and write words with chalk on the sidewalk, use your finger to print in sand, etc.

That said, the website for the Dr. Titzer, Your Baby Can Read Program looks promising. My concern would be the DVDs because it's not healthy for babies and toddler to watch tv.

Best of luck,
F.

I agree w/ first 2 posts. My daughter was reading by age 2.5 yrs w/o a program -- just read to your son. My nanny (for whom English is a 2nd language) read to my oldest several hours a day -- always pointing to each word as she read it. First I'd start w/ the alphabet.

I'm going to join the chorus of responses and say that the best way to encourage reading is to do it in person, not with "edutainment" DVDs.

Let me ask you, what is superior, going out for a nature walk (seeing, walking, touching, smelling, feeling everything?) or seeing a nature DVD? Doesn't one far exceed the other? Yep.

http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/

Jim Trelease is an expert on the "read-aloud" movement (exposing young children to books, hearing the written word, letting them LOVE the experience of being read to...). Check out his website.

Jane Healy wrote a book ENDANGERED MINDS you may want to check out. The AAP based their recommendation of "no TV under 2" on her research and books. I was so grateful I found an article featuring her work in a baby magazine when my oldest (now 8) was a baby.

And... according to the book DISCOVER YOUR CHILDS LEARNING STYLE
http://www.learningsuccessinstitute.com/
there are 2 types of readers - PRINT learners and PICTURE learners. Some children are print learners and learn to read/recognize letters and words easily before they are 5. Others are not...

http://www.preschoolprepco.com/h/i/index.php
This company looks cool, but I would NOT introduce these videos before the age of 3. It's simply unnecessary. Please read Healy's book.

I have a 4 year old daughter and she is recognizing letters, and can spell her name (FOX) and read her first... all without "educational" videos. She does so because throughout the day she is exposed (books, conversations, her natural interest...) to the printed word.