Is it normal for early readers to need to work on enunciation?

[Kfamily]

My dd (5 on Feb.23) has not started Kindergarten yet but is reading Little House in the Big Woods and Charlotte's Web on her own. She has exploded by going from not reading to this in about 6 months. She seems to have a natural sense of phonics and recognizes words quite easily. I am working through Alphaphonics and we have read many early readers but her phonics skills are a bit scattered still. I plan on finishing Alphaphonics orally just to be sure we cover it all. I have noticed that when she reads she slurs over a word sometimes. When I have her read it over she pronounces it better but I wondered if this is because she has moved so quickly. It is not a serious problem but enunication does matter to me. I also wonder if it is because she is still young enough that her speech patterns are still developing. If I continue to slow her down and pronounce words correctly is this okay? I am so unsure of this path because her ability keeps changing and moving up.

Thanks in advance!!

[Plaid Dad]

I'm not an expert on this, but I suspect it's that her eyes and brain are already on to the next word. Does she do better if you ask her to slow down?

[Mama Anna]

My 4.5dd tends to slur or skip some words. When I'm sitting with her and we're doing our phonics program, I correct her or have her read it again. I try to keep my mouth shut when she's reading independently because I don't want to discourage her. I've thought it might just be a case of the brain moving faster than the tongue.

 

Mama Anna

[Kfamily]

I agree, I do think her eyes are ahead of her because I've also noticed her eyes already on a word she thinks she might need help with before we get to it. I think that since she has had only unorganized lessons in phonics that sometimes she attempts to read something challenging and yet doesn't always know what to do with words new to her. She usually needs help with about 10 words or so per chapter. We are doing the summer reading program for Barnes and Noble and you are to read 8 books for a free book coupon. She is very motivated!! Little House in the Big Woods is the book we are reading now and the third one on her list.

Her instincts in phonics are good and often if I ask her to sound it out she gets it right. She reads so much that she has built up a huge vocabulary and I guess these two skills combined +huge motivation has been what allows her to read at this level. I will just continue to buddy read with her as much as possible and move through Alphaphonics orally. We also use Montessori cards and games to work on phonics skills. These are great because you can work on them without all of the writing.

 

Thanks everyone! I really needed reassurance as this is new territory for me.

[Sahamamama]

... except for when she is reading, then it's probably, as the other posters have said, a matter of skipping ahead down the line of print.

 

About "speech problems" in young children. I am not the speech therapist, but my close friend, Rowena, is truly an expert and a speech therapist. She and I have had many, many discussions about this issue in our work with young children, and Rowena firmly believes that, in most cases, nature will do its work. For example, my niece, Emily (6.5 now), could NOT pronounce her "sk," "sp" and "st" sounds. So spider was pider, and stop was top. This resulted in some interesting scenarios.

 

To her brother, who was sitting on her -- "Top it, Kyle, top it!"

 

To her grandmother, who wondered why Emily was dressed all in black -- "I'm a py, Grammy." "A what?" "A py." "A pie?" "Yes, a py. It's for cool (school)." "Oh, um.... I see."

 

Well, Rowena said to simply not draw attention to it, to inform the older boys to NEVER pick on her about it, and to model correct pronunciation of all words. Also, Emily was to blow bubbles, hold a Cheerio on the roof of her mouth (with her tongue), and slurp up pudding through a thick straw. These were all oral exercises designed to strengthen the muscles responsible for making "st" and "sk" and "sp" sounds.

 

One day, Emily said "spider" and "stop" and "school" with no problem, and hasn't had a problem since. When I asked her what had changed, she said that she just said the words and they "came out right." So...

 

Does your daughter slur during regular, non-reading speech? It doesn't seem from your post that she does, so this is not a speech issue, but reading-related. If you feel that you need to slow your daughter down, get a piece of stiff cardstock, cut out a window the size of a line of print (like a slit), place this window over the line you are reading, and place your finger to the right of the word she is sounding out. Your finger moves at the pace of your daughter's correct reading, but stops when she guesses or slurs.

 

You don't have to use the window card all the time, but during explicit phonics instruction -- and at some other times to train her eyes to move from left to right without jumping up, down, back, and forth -- I would use the card to limit where her eyes CAN move until good habits have been established.

 

It seems that your question is, "Is she slurring to disguise a guess/not knowing?" Probably, yes. Continue with the explicit phonics, because then your daughter really WILL know what to do with every word she encounters, and will not develop into a guesser.

 

It is GREAT that you have a motivated, excited, early reader! All the best to you both! Enjoy your summer reading! :001_smile:

[Mommy22alyns]

Becca was reading to me tonight and I noticed her slurring words together. She's always been a very clear speaker, so I just chalk it up to her mind working faster than her mouth can (which is, as I've said, quite a feat!).