Guest cmunoz Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I have an 18 month old who needs to learn. She listens intensely during her older brother's homeschooling lessons - particularly math (counts with him on the abacus) and reading (wants to see the book). She's getting bored and restless and playing mind games with her older brother. She is already highly interested in counting and writing letters. She is strongly visual and tactile, but I'm wondering how to reach her with sounds. She has already memorized half the alphabet (letter names only) and can count to 10. She knows her colors and I'm going to start in on shapes. She's also bilingual. The problem I have is that she does not have any interest in sound. She barely wants to talk, and mumbles when she does, yet has an extensive vocabulary that she clearly knows and understands. Her hearing is fine. She loves listening to birds outside. Other than this she has no interest in sounds. How do I start getting phonics and letter sounds through to her? If there are any suggestions, I would really appreciate it! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatashainDFW Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Keep doing what you are doing. Go ahead and introduce the sounds of the letters just don't expect any output yet. My dd was the same way and at 3 will still shut down verbally if she isn't in the mood but oh my when she is there is no stopping her. She has absorbed a lot of her brother's schooling and is sounding out words and I have only taught her the difference between s and z sounds. I honestly think the similar shape was throwing her off a bit. At her age I wouldn't stress about output instead just keep providing the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Keep doing what you are doing. Go ahead and introduce the sounds of the letters just don't expect any output yet. My dd was the same way and at 3 will still shut down verbally if she isn't in the mood but oh my when she is there is no stopping her. She has absorbed a lot of her brother's schooling and is sounding out words and I have only taught her the difference between s and z sounds. I honestly think the similar shape was throwing her off a bit. At her age I wouldn't stress about output instead just keep providing the input. I agree. The output will come, possibly all in a rush, when the cognitive break-through for that hits. Just keep doing what you are doing. Make sure it's still †play†for her. Do you sing to her? My little one adores music. You could make up little songs and rhymes for her, similar to the ones they use on starfall.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Just keep singing songs, reading books, and talking to her. She'll talk when she's ready. If you haven't already, you might consider teaching her to sign. It's easier for kids to express themselves physically than verbally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceman Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I read an alphabet book to my youngest daily since almost birth. She knew her letters and sounds surprisingly early (before 15 months, I believe). I actually hadn't really intended to teach them to her and had to retroactively figure out how she learned them all. But, of course that type of exposure would eventually yield results! I agree with the others to just focus on input and don't stop. She'll eventually spew it all out and you'll wonder where it all came from! You can spell out CVC words with letter magnets or blocks, or just write them to sound out as input-only. One day she'll surprise you. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 I have an 18 month old who needs to learn. She listens intensely during her older brother's homeschooling lessons - particularly math (counts with him on the abacus) and reading (wants to see the book). She's getting bored and restless and playing mind games with her older brother. She is already highly interested in counting and writing letters. She is strongly visual and tactile, but I'm wondering how to reach her with sounds. She has already memorized half the alphabet (letter names only) and can count to 10. She knows her colors and I'm going to start in on shapes. She's also bilingual. The problem I have is that she does not have any interest in sound. She barely wants to talk, and mumbles when she does, yet has an extensive vocabulary that she clearly knows and understands. Her hearing is fine. She loves listening to birds outside. Other than this she has no interest in sounds. How do I start getting phonics and letter sounds through to her? If there are any suggestions, I would really appreciate it! Thank you! Sounds like my youngest. Don't worry about phonics sounds until she seems interested. Just like the alphabet names, colors, abacus, and interest in books, it'll come when she's ready. No worries! :D And :iagree: with the suggestions for lots of singing and music. You could sing songs/read books that include sounds animals to imitate. Just make sure she's enjoying it. If it's all fun and games for her, she'll be interested sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Yes, I agree - nursery rhymes, songs with hand motions, dancing to music, and any kind of interactive activities with music - like hand drums, etc. Ultimately it will serve a child well to have this foundation for hearing language before being taught phonics or letter sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 The Leap Frog letter factory DVD worked here for learning letter sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iucounu Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 DS2 is similar: large receptive vocabulary with an expressive speech delay. At one point last year, out of desperation, I bought "Baby Babble" DVDs, which did indeed get him vocalizing more almost immediately. There are also books on early language development, such as this or this, which contain useful speech-facilitation techniques, some of which I used. In the end if your doctor suspects everything is fine, I'd try not to worry too much. Late expressive speech development in gifted children is not so uncommon; it even has a popular name, "Einstein Syndrome". In addition, she can easily continue to build a strong phonics foundation without speaking a word-- you just won't know most of the time how well she's picking it up. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy_of_4 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 DS was the same way. We read a lot and played games. He really liked music so I bought some nursery rhyme and other kiddie cds for him and played them in his room all day. He would sit in his room all day at that age and just look at books. He didn't start really talking until he was about 2 1/2, before then it was just "Momma and Daddy" One day the letter sounds just clicked at about the same time he started talking good. I would just expose her to the sounds using the leapfrog dvd and playing games with her. They will eventually click. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 The Leap Frog letter factory DVD worked here for learning letter sounds. :iagree: We didn't let our daughter watch any TV until around that age. We started allowing a few dvds but the only one she had any interest in was Leap Frog. She asked to watch it over and over. Once she knew her letters she starting watching the Word Factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 DS2 is similar: large receptive vocabulary with an expressive speech delay. I would stop short of suggesting that an 18 month old who doesn't talk much yet has a speech delay. You might get her hearing chekced. She may hear very well, but the mumbling *could* be symptomatic of a slight hearing loss (which could even be temporary, like with fluid pressing against the ear drums from repetitive ear infections or upper respiratory congestion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 You might get her hearing chekced. She may hear very well, but the mumbling *could* be symptomatic of a slight hearing loss (which could even be temporary, like with fluid pressing against the ear drums from repetitive ear infections or upper respiratory congestion). ... it seems conservative to check this out ... Button learned his letters around this time, but not their sounds, and he did not speak at all until 2+. We had some art blocks with letters on them and he insisted on being taught their names; then we'd ask him to point to specific ones, and he could. So I guess I'm weighing in on the keep-at-it-if-it's-fun trend! best of luck. It's a demanding but sweet age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 The Leap Frog letter factory DVD worked here for learning letter sounds. Yep! DS started watching it at 18 mo. and knew 19 letter sounds by 19 mo.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 ... it seems conservative to check this out ... Not all that conservative. Getting hearing checked is the first thing recommended for children evaluated by Early Intervention in our area who are delayed in speaking with normal receptive language and cognition. Quite a few kids end up having fluid in their ears without the typical ear infection symptoms and once cleared up many begin picking up language rather quickly. There are always stories of kids who develop language later but on the other hand there are some who take the "wait and see/give them time" approach then have a 3 year old who needs speech therapy. It seems fairly easy to have hearing checked out to make sure that is not an issue then wait and see if you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Not all that conservative. Yeah... not really too conservative. I have worked in a number of schools for the deaf. I have seen a LOT of kids who didn't get checked for hearing loss until they were 3 or 4 b/c it really did seem like they could hear just fine. It's REALLY common to miss hearing loss in babies and toddlers. Nowadays many kids are screened for hearing loss at the hospitals. Many have ABR testing (brain stem response on the sleeping babes). Because this tests the brainstem directly, the results are specific to sensorineural losses and not conductive losses. Conductive loss can be temporary and a mild, temporary loss (like fluid on the ear drums) is actually really common. It can impact speech clarity. I have a 2 year old who is going to be tested soon. She understands *everything* but isn't clear or complete in her expressive language. I wonder if she's got chronic fluid or something. The unclear speech may be nothing, and just a normal developmental variation (which happens all the time), but it can't hurt to test. If she*did* happen to struggle with something related to hearing and I did nothing to find out, I would have a hard time forgiving myself for her missed access to language. (Just me here. Not judging anyone.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahnDavidMom Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I love www.1plus1plus1equals1.com 's Tot School for this age. She has added a lot more educational things since her daughter is into letters and sounds and stuff. she has some worksheets but tells you how to do it all in fun, playing way for your Tot. Check it out. It might be just what you're looking for. I know my son loves it. It's very arts and craftsy and fun. Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The Leap Frog letter factory DVD worked here for learning letter sounds. It's kinda brilliant, really. Seconded. Or should I say, "Okie-dokie, artichokie!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teeniebeenie6 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Starfall.com is what worked for my daughter. She knew all her letters and sounds when she was two. I was using Starfall with her sister but she loved it and would waddle over and participate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 ... it seems conservative to check this out ... Yeah... not really too conservative. Not all that conservative. I'm sorry I was so unclear ... I meant "conservative" as in prudent, careful, sober and cautious; the least risky course of action, and very very desirable in dealing with a child's health and hearing particularly. Thank you for catching my unfortunate phrasing, and especially for encouraging the OP to be sure the little one is hearing well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm sorry I was so unclear ... I meant "conservative" as in prudent, careful, sober and cautious; the least risky course of action, and very very desirable in dealing with a child's health and hearing particularly. Thank you for catching my unfortunate phrasing, and especially for encouraging the OP to be sure the little one is hearing well! Ah! Yes, sometimes difficult to catch the right meaning over the internet. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Ah! Yes, sometimes difficult to catch the right meaning over the internet. :001_smile: :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.