Pre-readers

I was checking out the BRAINtastic program that I linked to a couple of posts ago (I'd never heard of it, just loved their explanation of phonemes) and discovered a pet peeve of mine. While I'm sure they have a fine program, although I'm not a big fan of programs because each child is an individual, they talked about teaching phonics to your "pre-reader." Let me explain why this rubs me the wrong way by using an analogy.

I am not a knitter. I haven't ever knitted. I can't say I have any desire to knit. But I could probably learn. It just sounds like a lot of work. It would be really hard to learn a brand new skill. I would probably be really bad at first. It would be a big job to make something really worthwhile.

Now replace knitter with reader, the words knit and make with read. Imagine what not being a reader feels like to a child. To a pre-reader. To me as a pre-knitter. By the way, that's is really, truly how I feel about knitting :)

On the other hand, consider a child who has been reading since she could talk. Since she could say "moo" while reading that farm book with her daddy. Recognize the McDonald's sign and ask for Old McDonald's. Fill in the rhyming word in a story only to hear her momma say, "thanks for helping me read" or "you're becoming such a great reader." She has always considered herself a reader. Then comes a magical age when she realizes she can't decode all the words. But by this time, she probably knows some letters, some sounds, has memorized some books, can use the pictures in books to help her with unfamiliar words, and really is ready to become a true reader.

This is why I will never call a child a pre-reader and will always tell the children in my life that they are readers. Until they believe it themselves. And I'd like to ask you to do me a favor. If you ever see me holding knitting needles and yarn, please encourage me by saying, "Wow! You're becoming quite the knitter!" Thank you.