The article explores the debate over the optimal age for children to begin learning to read, particularly focusing on the case of a three-year-old boy. Despite having access to phonics-based learning materials, experts like Susan Neuman stress that play and oral language development are crucial at this young age. Neuman suggests that building foundational language skills through songs and nursery rhymes is more effective than introducing formal reading too early, as children aged 3 to 4 benefit from engaging activities that foster language understanding.
"Can a child learn individual letters at 2½ or 3? Sure. But is it developmentally appropriate? Absolutely not," said Susan Neuman, a professor of childhood and literacy education at New York University. She emphasizes the importance of play and oral interactions over early reading.
"Oral language is the foundation of early literacy, and that's what we need to do at 3 or 4," Neuman advises, highlighting activities like singing nursery rhymes to enhance children's language skills.
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