Warsaw Library: Teaching Your Baby to Read
By Amy Mann
Warsaw Community Public Library
It was the middle of the 1960’s. A young mother named Evi had just been told that her little boy, Larry, would never be “normal” and that she and her husband should put him in an institution and never lay eyes on him again. She did not listen to that advice.
Evi wasn’t able to access the internet, but somehow, she found out about a system by a physical therapist named Glenn Doman called “How to Teach Your Baby to Read.” A large box came into the house, and out of the package came flash cards, some with familiar images, such as packages of favorite, well-known foods. The printed words were large, bold and in red. With the help of Larry’s older sister, the work began.
Larry is now 58 years old, and lives in Colorado with a host family. He can read and write, and he loves to draw. He rides his bike and visits the library near his home. Learning to read through the help of the Doman system provided enrichment in his life.
Many parents today still use this method of teaching very young children to read. It is a system that may be modified to fit the family’s resources. Flash cards can be constructed from materials from the local dollar store. It is a sight-word method, which doesn’t help with all English words, so many parents add phonics when the child is developmentally ready.
A varying school of thought says that learning organically, using everyday experiences, is the way to go. The teaching of reading at age two hasn’t been proven to turn a child into a genius, but it doesn’t hurt.
Regardless of the method chosen, Warsaw Community Public Library has plenty of resources to share with tiny learners. There are many advantages to reading to babies, including bonding, developing visual and listening skills and promoting language fluency.
For resources, visit the Warsaw Community Public Library, located at 310 E. Main St., Warsaw, or visit their website at warsawlibrary.org.