EthiopianFood Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Do/can children learn to read sooner with the use of technology? I really don't like the idea of using tv, computers, etc., but I keep hearing people rave about Letter Factory, etc. for teaching their kids phonics. Do these types of materials hold a younger child's interest more than simply going through a phonics instruction book, say 100 EZ Lessons, etc.? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I will speak for my family personally. I used 100EZ with DD and no technology until recently and she is reading at a late grade 2 level and loves books. With DS he has had exposure to technology (educational stuff) for about 6m now and he is learning and retaining information from it. At times he does find it (computer) frustrating mostly when he is tired. The techno stuff has really sparked his interest and he has now asked to learn to read too and is happy to sit for 100 EZ. Personally i think it might spark their interest earlier but it isn't a thorough way of teaching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 We don't have a TV, and I'm a big fan of the letter factory movie for teaching letter names and sounds. It is really fun, and it made them love learning the letter names and sounds and be really excited about them. My children first watched it when they were around 2. It also helped my son's speech. My daughter already spoke clearly, so there was not change in her speech clarity after learning the letter sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiopianFood Posted February 22, 2009 Author Share Posted February 22, 2009 We don't have a TV, and I'm a big fan of the letter factory movie for teaching letter names and sounds. It is really fun, and it made them love learning the letter names and sounds and be really excited about them. My children first watched it when they were around 2. It also helped my son's speech. My daughter already spoke clearly, so there was not change in her speech clarity after learning the letter sounds. Don't you feel like allowing them to enjoy learning in this way makes "regular" reading boring? I don't want them to expect to be entertained in this way, you know? Also, how old was your dd when she started reading? And I'm assuming you used the DVD (is it more than one? I have no idea), then when she was interested, you started something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I don't think it makes regular reading boring because it opens up a whole new world for them. Also once they are old enough they will feel the letter intro stuff is babyish anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Hm. Both of my kids were "early" readers, and we didn't use technology in that way at all. Now, because of dh's career, we do have a fair amount of technology (games, etc) around, but I don't have a high opinion of most so-called "educational" games, and we didn't use them for learning phonics or reading. I don't think there's anything terribly wrong with using tools like that in moderation, but I absolutely don't think they're necessary or half so good as brief, consistent, interesting, encouraging lessons with a parent. (On the other hand, as a way to kill time in a doctor's waiting room, or a video to distract an active 3yo so an exhausted mom makes dinner, well, they can be pretty darn useful!)... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimber Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I have to say yes and no. I think it depends on the child. I have two learned to read without the aid of any technology. One of the two learned to read spontaneously, meaning she was reading and I didn't know it. The other took a while. He is a big picture learner and it didn't all fit together until he had been exposed to all of the needed information. My youngest two have been exposed to the Letter Factory movies. One of the reasons that I used the movies with the last two was simply to distract them. It's really hard to teach 4 children close in age when two of them are very active toddlers. But I definitely see the benefits to my younger two having been exposed to the Letter Factory movies. They weren't intimidated. I know that not all kids are intimidated by reading, but some are and fun movies like the Letter Factory make it far less scary. And they're fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in CA Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I think it depends on the child. I have one who who learns well using technology, but he would learn well without it too. My older ds does not learn well with computers because he gets very side-tracked with all the 'fun' included in most programs. He can use them as re-inforcement. The actually learning has to come from something very simple for him to stay focused. Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I don't know about for early learners, but my ds7 needed the letter factory silent e movie to click on the silent e changing the sounds. We used 100 EZ, starfall, BOB books, and letter factory for him. Once everything clicked, he jumped from Green Eggs to chapter books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) Don't you feel like allowing them to enjoy learning in this way makes "regular" reading boring? I don't want them to expect to be entertained in this way, you know? Also, how old was your dd when she started reading? And I'm assuming you used the DVD (is it more than one? I have no idea), then when she was interested, you started something else? We have all 3, but I mainly used the first one. I don't like the 2nd two as much. I tried teaching her the sounds myself first, it was a lot of repetition and she wasn't that interested. With the DVD, she was very interested. After learning the letter sounds and names with the DVD, we moved on to books, and she was even more interested in them than before. She did letter sounds at 2, then some spelling and games occasionally, then at 3 1/2 she started reading words as wholes by sight when I read aloud to her, so I started teaching her from a variety of phonics books that I own. I continued to do some games and spelling, as well. Then, in K, we did Webster's Speller with a lot of spelling, that was when her reading really took off and my mom went from not being a fan of the whole homeschooling thing to bragging that her 5 year old could read "War and Peace!" I also occasionally let her do Starfall.com and Read, Write, and Type, but those both counted towards her total screen time, and the main method of teaching was books (and whiteboard and written/oral spelling for Webster's Speller.) Also, when she was two, the only DVDs she got were an occasional Veggie Tale or Leapfrog movie while I was busy fixing dinner. Edited February 23, 2009 by ElizabethB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osaubi Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I use technology for exposure, but not for teaching. I like the educational games and tv shows for reinforcement or exposure. Even though my kids have this stuff on hand I do limit the amount of time spent on each, and what they watch/do. Between the Lions has been a great show for my ds. He learned about silent e and compound words from one of their shows. My kids are not fluent in reading yet, but if given the choice they would like to have me read to them more than watching a tv show. They also act like it is Christmas morning when I get back from the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 After watching the letter factory, my daughter "saw" letters everywhere, and would get excited about them and point them out to me. A "G" in the scroll of our fence, a "T" or "L" or "X" in the cracks in the sidewalk, etc. My son was the same way, but not quite as excited or intense, and a friend who's homeschooling 4 had the same reaction with several of her children. I tutor with phonics and enjoy the subject and was very excited at first, but I had to fake my excitement after a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I let my daughter watch some Brainy Baby DVDs and the Your Baby Can Read series, mainly for babysitting purposes. It has definitely not affected her negatively that I can see. She has always loved books, and she's now 3 and reading pretty well. I borrowed Letter Factory from the library once and didn't like it because it was too cartoonish. We don't do computer games or technology toys. My husband is a computer expert but does NOT want the kids doing computer stuff early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I am a big Letter Factory fan. It's only on intro, but a memorable one. Same with Starfall.com My dd was 2yo when Daddy was sitting with her saying "Daddy...Ella" wanting her to say that back to him. She pointed to his shirt and said, "/c/ /o/ /l/ /l/ /e/ /g/ /e/" :lol: He just about jumped out of his chair:tongue_smilie: This was after watching letter factory a few times - I had not even begun working with her. She's blending/reading 3 letter words now at 3yo. THAT came from working with me and eaves dropping in on her brother's lessons. These things can't take the place of irl learning, but they are a nice treat and a good tool for introducing and reinforcing. I haven't seen a problem with them thinking regular school is boring b/c I never tell them that the electronic things are school -it's a reward for picking up toys and eating vegetables:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 These things can't take the place of irl learning, but they are a nice treat and a good tool for introducing and reinforcing. I haven't seen a problem with them thinking regular school is boring b/c I never tell them that the electronic things are school -it's a reward for picking up toys and eating vegetables:lol: :iagree: My daughter asks permission to "play" Read, Write, and Type just like she would ask to watch a movie or play a video game. It took 8 months before she realized it was educational, then I put it away for a while and she forgot and now still treats it as a video game! (I'm not sure if she notices that I'm usually more apt to say "yes" than for regular movies or video games.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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