From as young as 4 months old, babies are capable of learning to read – and they do it by learning whole words. Whole-word reading describes the process whereby a person recognizes a word at sight, without sounding out the individual letters.

According to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, coauthors of Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, “[Whole-word reading] is simply memorization and has little merit beyond the performance.”

This conclusion is drawn at the end of an anecdote from Hirsh-Pasek about a reading toddler. The child read a set of words shown to him by his mother, but says Hirsh-Pasek, when asked to read some different words, he became flustered. Write the authors, “He had learned how to memorize words, perhaps from their shape… but he had not really learned to read.”

Critics of early reading tend to pit whole-word reading (”bad”) against phonics-based reading (”good”). Hearing their arguments, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a case of either-or. In reality, almost all children learning to read depend on both strategies. Whole-word reading is easier, so most children learn their first words this way, before they know the sounds letters make. Many kindergarten and lower-grade-school teachers teach some sight words before starting on phonics.

When children learn to read whole words at what is considered a normal age, no one criticizes them. But some people find it unsettling, “wrong” even, for a very young child to be reading – and so they attack the method in order to prove that the child isn’t “really” reading.

Whole-word reading is just the first rung on the ladder of learning to read – as we can see from an analogy drawn by another early-learning critic, David Elkind. Elkind compares reading whole words to understanding the concept of nominal numbers (numbers as names) – the first rung on the ladder of learning math. He compares reading phonetically (sounding out words) to understanding the concept of ordinal numbers (numbers as part of a sequence), and reading phonemically (recognizing that letters can be pronounced differently depending on context) to understanding the concept of interval numbers (numbers as abstract concepts).

There comes a point at which reading cannot progress without phonics – there are just too many words to rely on memory alone. Children must move on to phonetic reading followed by phonemic reading in order to become successful readers. But just as we do not criticize a child who reads phonetically but has not graduated to the phonemic level, so it seems unfair to pour scorn on the abilities of a toddler who simply has not graduated from whole-word reading to phonetic reading.

Another concern expressed by critics of whole-word reading is that children will not know to read words from left to right. When choosing a TV- or computer-based program for your child, be sure to select one that includes an arrow for indicating the direction of reading. If you’re using cards or books, it’s a good idea to run your finger under each syllable of every word as you read out words.

Amazingly, babies taught to read whole words often begin figuring out the rules of phonics for themselves – in much the same way as babies learning their native language spontaneously figure out grammar rules. A new teaching-reading system for babies includes a specially designed phonics program aimed at facilitating the young child’s natural ability at decoding words. More proof that when it comes to teaching reading, it’s not a case of either-or – you can teach whole words and phonics right from the get-go.

Please visit BrillKids.com to learn more about teaching your baby to read.

Let’s share with you our presents. According to daddy, the branded clothes or handbags there  are very cheap compare to Singapore and therefore we have “branded” gifts.. Hehee.. All Baby Moon’s clothes from Oshkosh and  the quality is good.

Very red colour shirt from OshKosh

Blue shirt, quite long but just fit Baby Moon

The dress very colourful and pretty but too long~~

nice pink short, girlish~

Baby Moon likes this, purple colour, but too big for now~

The orange colour is nice for skirt~

Wear her new clothes and play the new game - LeapFrog

Hohohoo.. so happy!

Mummy Moon's handbag~~

Coach Card Holder for Mummy Moon too~

Daddy also buys some sweets for Baby Moon.

While doing this post, Mummy Moon wonders why there is not gifts for the coming newborn??!! Daddy forgets about the little one?? Must ask daddy later~~

Below are some customize photos.

Are those photos cute? Go create your own and have fun with it!

I don’t know how to play piano and therefore I don’t know how to teach Baby Moon. Just want to show Baby Moon some songs, I ask my friend to teach me and give me some piano composition. Of course, those are the simplest songs and I manage to play it.

I’m wondering piano lessons help in child development and therefore I do some search. I found a post that listed the Reasons Why Piano Lessons May Be Critical To Your Child’s Success. Basically there are six main reasons and here’s the Points inside the post:

1. Piano lessons may help your child develop thinking skills
2. Piano lessons help with focus and concentration
3. Piano lessons help to build confidence
4. Piano lessons help your child overcome shyness
5. Piano lessons help to develop memorization skills
6. Piano lessons can be a lifelong asset to your child

Also, I found the 33 Tips for becoming a great piano player!

“There are at least 33 elements that contribute to becoming a good pianist,” says Duane Shinn, pianist and owner of Keyboard Workshop in Medford, Oregon. “There are probably more, but without these 33 principles a pianist cannot hope to rise to the level of his ability.”

Here are the few elements and if you would like to read all the 33 elements, you could go to their page – 33 Tips For Becoming a Great Piano Player!

1. Hand & Body Position — Should you look down at your hands? How to use “eye flips”
2. The key to productive practice — Spaced repetition
3. Attitude — how it affects your learning
4. How & when to pedal. Using explosive dynamics
5. Exposure: why it’s critically important

This is just a piano set for Baby Moon and I’m still not sure whether will send her for piano lessons in future.

Baby Moon’s Grandparents (Mummy Moon’s Parents)

Another Effects

Mummy Moon’s Family – Hardly have a complete family photo, this is the only one

Daddy & Mummy Moon

Moon’s Family

Baby Moon

How’s the photos? Go create your own at PhotoFunia.

Kiss my Baby Moon! Haa~~

Guess Who’s Behind The Bricks?

How you find the games? Interesting right?! Go create your own FREE games at Pictogame and have fun with your kids.. Enjoy yah!

You’re always very special
And you should know today
That you are wished the nicest things
That life can bring your way

Like warm and loving wishes
And happiness and cheer
And everything you need to start
Another happy year

Happy Birthday to you!

**********************************************

Baby Moon

She’s a little bit of sunshine
She’s a smile to light our days
She will steal our hearts and
Keep them with her warm endearing ways
She’s our precious little daughter
With a sweetness from above
Who will fill our years with laughter
And our lives with lots of love.

Her Birthday Gifts

Daddy also bought Mummy Moon a credit card holder and mummy loves it very much. The colour is very sharp and the design is very pretty.

See, I’m wearing my new cloths and reading the story reader!

Story reader is a very cool game, it can be played in three ways:
1. Educational Video Games - I can access fun learning games featured on the last spread of each book. They also included the controller which is perfectly sized for my little hands and promotes hand-eye coordination as well as fine motor skills.

2. Animated stories – wow, the stories come life on TV! When I turn the pages of the book, the animation of the book come life on TV! Spoken words are highlighted on the screen, and characters interact. Daddy says the animated story mode is great for developing and enhancing word recognition skills.

3. Magically read the story – The story reader will read the story aloud as I turn the page! It’s magic because it always knows what page it’s on and only reads the page. I can bring it along when travel in the car or visit to my grandparents.

I’m so happy when daddy and mummy teach me how to play my new game and they help to connect to my big big TV!
Ok, I want to play with my story reader. Bye bye!