14.1 The Importance of Early Learning

As you have learnt from the previous chapters, the baby’s brain, from the time of birth, is in constant formation and growth. All babies are born with an innate predisposition to communicate, socialize, and integrate with the world around them. Newborns possess a range of nonverbal cues for initial communication. At first, crying is their most effective way of communication, their very first exploration of the world of language. By means of crying, the baby is able to show the surprise caused by suddenly being beyond the confines of the womb, in a new and unfamiliar environment.

Since their first weeks of life, babies show different ways of communication. From their facial expressions with toothless mouths right through to their way of stirring and moving nervously. All of this falls within the communication process. And they need to do this, precisely because they are innately programmed to learn a language and respond to human voices since the moment they are born. They need and want to learn from that first very moment.



Martha Farah, a neuroscientist from the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study in 2012 exploring the way in which the normal range of childhood experiences may influence brain development. Farah took data from surveys of family life and the brain scans of 64 participants. These participants were studied since they were four years old. During the 20 years of study, the researchers visited their homes and recorded details of their lives to establish the degree of cognitive stimulation that they received including details, such as the number of children's books they had, if they had toys that taught them about colors, numbers or letters, or if they played with real or toy musical instruments. The researchers also took information from the family environment, such as the parents’ natures, how they supported their children and the type of stimulation and attention that the child received from his parents. The same survey was then conducted when those children were eight years old, and when they were between 17 and 19 years old, and their brains were also scanned.

Dr. Farah's results showed that the development of the cerebral cortex in adolescence is closely correlated with cognitive stimulation of a child at the age of four. The other factors, including the cognitive stimulation at the age of eight, did not show any effect. Farah said that those results were the evidence of the existence of a sensitive period early in a person's life, which determines the optimum development of the cerebral cortex. "It is really compatible with the idea that the first years (0 to five) are especially influential and the most important ones," concluded Dr. Farah.

14.2 Learning to Speak - Stages

Speaking and listening go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. It is through listening to those around him that the baby begins to learn how words sound and how sentences are structured. In fact, many researchers believe that this process of listening and learning already begins while the baby is still in the mother's womb. In the same way that the baby gets familiar with the rhythmic, constant sounds of the mother's heart, the baby will also became familiar with the sound of her voice. This is made evident by the fact that the baby is already able to identify his mother’s voice from a few days after birth.

By the age of three, most children will have learnt how to communicate with their needs and have a rapidly growing vocabulary. This process begins from the very beginning of life when baby begins to learn how to make sounds using his tongue, lips, palate and, eventually, his teeth as he begins to get them.

Language roughly develops as follows:

– 0-3 months. These early stages are marked by your baby learning that crying is his most effective way of drawing attention, and he quickly begins to make crying his best means of communication. Continuous cries of protest may indicate that you need to change his diaper, while more intense cries - and likely shouts - may mean that your baby is hungry or uncomfortable. As the weeks and months pass, he will begin to develop a creative repertoire of hisses, chirps, sighs and screams. It is that infantile babble that will teach your little one to use his voice to communicate with those around him. He begins to award his parents with toothless smiles and will respond to his parents’ smiles in kind. In terms of his ability to understand the language, linguists state that even four week old babies can distinguish between syllables like “pa”, "ma" and "na."

– 4 to 6 months. By the time they are five months old sounds will have become distinguishable words such as “Mom" and "Dad." These basic words then become the basis for learning new words, especially meaningful words that draw attention and praise. By this stage, your baby's laughter begins to convey his message of joy and satisfaction.

– 7 to 9 months. From the 6th month and on you will see a real change in your baby's ability for understanding and he will now be alert to the sounds of speech that he can hear around him. Your baby will be fascinated by the conversations of adults and you will notice that he can already recognize his name and pay attention when you speak to him directly. From about eight or nine months old, babies become real imitators: not only do they copy actions, but also the sounds they hear around them.

– 10 to 12 months. By 12 months, your little one will begin repeating sounds and gestures that attract attention and pleasurable consequences. The more you praise him and encourage him, the more likely he is to try and engage with you. You might find that he is starting to wave goodbye, enjoys imitating actions such as clapping and begins to pay far more attention when spoken to. You may even find that he begins to perform simple tasks when asked, or shakes his head to indicate “no.” He will babble with a certain intonation that, if you listen carefully, will probably closely resemble yours or your partner’s tone when speaking. He will also be using words appropriately, such as ‘mom’ or ‘papa.’

– 13 to 17 months. Around 13 months or later, you will notice another change as your little one begins to combine sounds in such a way that they seem like real words: «mama baby.» This stage is a springboard that leads them to start speaking the same language as you do.

– 18 to 24 months. At 18 months, the oral vocabulary of a baby may include between 40 and 50 words and even more. But you should know that your baby can understand far more than he can say. He can already understand around 200 words. By the age of two, your baby can probably use between 200 and 300 words and will be able to understand around 1000. When your baby actually reaches this stage, the process will be too fast for you to follow, and it is time to help him to attend kindergarten.

– 25 to 36 months. By this age, your child can follow instructions in two stages: "(1) Take your toy, and (2) Put it in the box." The baby is also beginning to learn how to use pronouns such as "I" and "you." Between the ages of two and three years old, his vocabulary will increase to up to 300 words and he will be able to join names and verbs to form full simple phrases, such as "I want to play ball". Babies will also be able to point to between 5 to 6 parts of their body.

– When a child turns three: Your baby will speaking in a more sophisticated way and can carry out a conversation, adjusting the tone of his voice, inflection and vocabulary to the person that he is speaking to. For example, your toddler will use simpler words with a friend of his own age, but he will try to be more verbal with you. He can already understand words indicating spatial location (behind, under, over, in, etc.), as well as being able to tell his name and age, and reply when he is asked about something.

– When children begin to speak: In the early days of speech, parents and close family tend to be the only people who can actually decipher what your little one is saying. Being able to make sounds that resembles what he hears takes practice, so it is a good idea to help him communicate by acting as an interpreter for people who are not used to listening to and understanding him. By doing so, you will strengthen his confidence as well as lessen the frustration that he may feel when his attempts at communication fail to make him understood.

– Praise and encouragement are great motivators for children and it is easy to motivate your child to do something he enjoys. In this sense, if you help your child to enjoy the process of learning to speak, he will want to learn more words and to learn to express himself better.

14.3 - When to Start to Teach a Child to Read?

As an average, children around the world learn to talk around the age of 2 to 3 years of age. Obviously the learning process begins from birth, but actual construction of understandable sentences and meaningful communication only really develops between the ages of 2 and 3. Careful review of the language learning process indicates that language simulation starts in the womb and many researchers believe that the process of learning to understand language begins this early. It is safe to say that children are innately programmed to learn language and they can respond to human voices from the moment that they are born making it possible for them to start learning from the very first moment.

Today, the practice of talking to your baby while still in the womb is pretty common as a way of communicating your love and fondness for him. Talking to your unborn baby is also an effective way to stimulate his brain formation. So it is from the early days in the womb that your little one starts to become familiar with the sound of your voice, enabling him to distinguish your voice from all others once he is born.

As we have mentioned, talking is directly linked to listening. So, when your baby listens to others' speeches, his brain learns how words sound and how sentences are formed. Indeed, not only are his ears stimulated, but his brain itself is stimulated, which is in continuous, exponential growth since the very moment of conception is until the age of 5.

We know that it is not your eyes that make sense of what they see, nor your ears that interpret what they hear – but it is your brain that takes the information from the eyes and ears and interprets it in logical and understandable ways. The brain of your baby, through constant stimulation, grows and develops in order to be able to perform this important task of making sense of the world through the 5 senses. It is in your baby’s brain where electro-chemical impulses are conducted and neural connections that allow for the development of intelligence are multiplied every day.

Just as the ability to speak, it is related to the ability to listen, so too is the ability to read related to the ability to see. So the question is: When can I start teaching my child to read? The answer is simple: seeing as your baby begins to learn about the world through his eyes from the moment he is born, you can start reading books from as early as a few weeks after birth.

This seems an exaggeration, but it is not. Remember that parents begin talking to their little one from before he is born, and this is not an exaggeration at all. In fact, this is one of the most natural ways of communicating with your little one that has been around since the stone-age. So reading from such an early stage is not a silly idea. The first stages in reading are about stimulating your baby’s vision and when he is still a new born, and this vision is limited. During the early days, books with bright and contrasting colors or patterns are really the best to use.

There are two sayings with wide general acceptance: "A picture is worth a thousand words" and "Everything comes by eyes." We do not doubt the validity of these popular assertions that are known in all languages. In fact, if you have ever tried to learn a second language, you will have noticed that it is easier to read it than to speak it. When we read, words remain static. They do not pass by quickly nor do they have an accent, as often happens with spoken words. It is much more reliable to understand what we read than what we hear.

The question now is: if it is easier to learn to read than speak, why does a baby first learn to speak than to read? The answer is also simple: the child does not learn to read before he speaks simply because his parents do not teach him to read at such an early age.

There are three main reasons for this. The first is that the spoken word is as old as the history of mankind (some 700 000 years), while written language is actually a relatively recent invention. In this sense, man has been speaking for hundreds of thousands of years, but only been reading for a few centuries. Moreover, reading books has only become popular about 6 centuries ago with the invention of the printing press (Gutenberg, 1444).

The second reason is that reading is always associated with writing. As a result, reading is taught at the same time as writing, and in order for a child to learn how to write, he must have developed enough fine motor control to hold and maneuver a pencil. This fine motor control only really develops around the age of 5 and 6. The logistics of this association may not be entirely correct, however, since the child’s physical and motor development is slow and continues throughout childhood into adolescence, while the capacity of the brain is accelerated exponentially from pregnancy and up to the age of 5. Remember, from birth the baby’s brain is absorbing large amounts of information and begins to learn to distinguish colors, faces, shapes, and sounds etc. By the age of 3, the child has already learned a language and has a vocabulary of more than 300 words! Many children who are raised in appropriately stimulating environments will be able to speak up to 3 foreign languages without a foreign accent in any of them. If this is possible then why not teach them to understand those simple 26 signs of the alphabet that we call “letters?” (Arabic= 28, Spanish=29, German=30, Russian/Cyrillic=33 letters)

The third (and the most common) reason why parents do not teach them to read at an early age is because they don't know how to do it!

It has been documented in many scientific studies that the smaller the child is, the easier and more efficient it is to help his brain absorb information and, thereby, develop his intelligence. When you teach skills before the age of 3, it is even faster and more efficient than teaching those skills between the ages of 3 and 6. This is because the child is far more eager to learn and can do it so easily in a concrete and lively way before the age of 6. Scientists have found that children who received greater mental stimulation, at the age of three or four, feature a bigger development in the areas of the brain involved in language and cognition in the following decades of life. In other words: they are smarter.

However, in most Western countries, including the USA, UK and Canada, reading is usually only taught to children at the age of 6 or 7. In other words, they are taught to read when it starts becoming more difficult for them to learn, and when the natural enthusiasm, for knowledge that a child has at an early age, has already begun to diminish. As a result, many children do not acquire a real love for reading, and do not achieve an adequate level of reading, so that by the age of 11 years old, they may face comprehension problems and apathy towards learning. Learning is a fantastic adventure that starts from childhood. All children are eager to learn, but, unfortunately, the educational system and the negative experiences in terms of learning suffered by parents and teachers end up drowning children's willingness to learn.

For a child to love reading, the act of reading should flow naturally and easily. In this way, your child will be able to read faster and with a 100% of reading comprehension. Probably no investment is more important and more profitable than the investment in teaching a child how to read correctly from an early age.

Without any doubt, reading correctly from an early age is the most important skill you can teach your child. Moreover, it is the one that will increase their intellectual and emotional intelligence. Reading correctly, fluently and understandingly what is being read is a hallmark of good students and successful people. This is the ability that will practically mark their success at school, at university..., and in life

14.4 Previous Early Reading Studies

In 1900, an Italian, Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952), as an outstanding educator, scientist, medical doctor, psychiatrist and psychologist, realized that ‘mentally disturbed’ children also had some potential skills that, although diminished, could be developed to a greater extent if they were properly stimulated in a favorable environment. She devoted her life to children and watched them at an institution for “non-educable” children while they played with scraps of food because there was no other object in the place. She observed that they wouldn't eat these scraps but would rather manipulate them, and she realized that what they really needed were objects to touch and handle. Man has a need for activity. In fact, all people have an innate need to cultivate intelligence and grow personality.

Maria then went on to apply her own teaching methods with this group of ‘special’ children and achieved excellent results. She had these children taken the state tests to evaluate their academic performance, and the results obtained were actually quite similar to those obtained by ‘normal’ children. This led to the conclusion that the mind of a child with special needs can achieve similar results to those of a ‘normal’ child when the ‘normal’ child is not stimulated. Consequently, if the ‘normal’ mind is stimulated appropriately under favorable conditions then it can yield extraordinary results!

Maria also worked with a special group of 60 children considered as “rebels.” Using her own methods, she was able to motivate these children and have them work on their own, as well as gaining a sense of satisfaction from what they were doing. Gradually, those “rebellious” children became friendly, respectful, and they would learn with interest and enthusiasm. Maria allowed them to develop a ‘free spirit’ as opposed to imposing rules and teaching straight forward information. When these children began learning to read and write at the age of 4 and 5 years old, the scientific community were amazed. It might seem difficult to understand the impact that her teaching methods had in the twentieth century. They were radical innovations that raised controversy among the most conservative at that era, whereas now these ideas seem obvious and successful.

Maria concluded that the child’s mind has a wonderful and unique ability to acquire knowledge, and absorb information that he is exposed to or receives from the environment through his senses. Children earn everything unconsciously, gradually, passing from the unconsciousness to consciousness. This mental capacity has been compared to a sponge with the only difference being that the sponge has limited absorption capacity while the child’s capacity is infinite.

Maria Montessori spread her belief that the child requires assistance to develop his full capacity and she worked on the development and publication of this theory for her entire life. The Montessori Method of education was, in fact, built from her own experience and beliefs and it has been successfully applied worldwide.

In 1961 Dr. O. K. Moore from Yale University began an extensive research study on how to teach reading to preschoolers. Dr. Moore found that it was easier to teach three year old to read than it was to teach ad four year old. He also found that it was easier to teach a four year old to read than it was to teach a five year old and so on. Consequently, it is far easier to teach a three year old to read than it is to teach a six year old.

The American therapist Glen Doman (1919-2013) was a pioneer in the field of child brain development and is the creator of the most popular methods of teaching babies how to read across the globe. In 1955, Doman founded The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia to work on the improvement and recovery of children with brain injury. His research and dedicated work on children with brain injury led him to discover key evidence about the growth and development of healthy children. Doman showed that children under 6 years old have a remarkable ability to learn, if encouraged and taught in an appropriate manner. Glen Doman lived, studied, and worked with children in more than a hundred different countries and in different cultural / economic environments, including countries in Africa, Central America and Asia. He is also the author of six books, and all part of the Gentle Revolution Series, including How to Teach Your Baby to Read and How to Teach Your Baby Math (SquareOne Publishers).

Doman showed that the brains of children between 0 and 6 years old are able to learn better and faster than those of older children. He also showed that this great ability to learn could be exploited in practical activities such as teaching them mathematics, languages, and other general knowledge at a younger age. Furthermore, teaching them these skills at a younger age promotes future learning and intellectual development of children.

Doman created several programs that allow parents to teach their children from 0-6 how to read in an easy, natural, fun and very effective way. Over the past 40 years, these programs have been successfully employed by millions of parents worldwide.

14.5 How to Teach Your Baby to Read - Glenn Doman Method

Note: The purpose of this Section is to make an overview of the aspects, features, and parts that make up the Glenn Doman method to teach reading at an early age. For a complete overview of the program, we recommend reading the book "How to Teach Your Baby to Read" by Glenn Doman.

The Doman method for teaching babies how to read is based on the stimulation of the brain through the visual information received by the baby (written words). The program consists of learning to read as naturally as learning to "listen to the language." For the brain, it is the same type of information: a symbol - either written or spoken – interpreted as a concept. The only difference between listening and reading is the sense used to acquire the information, either visual or auditory.

The method created for Doman is based on the use of flash cards with words and images. Traditionally, the flash method involves physical flash paper cards, which you either make them yourself or buy them. During the process, you will show rapidly the content of the cards to your child. Flashing cards, at a speed of one second per card, is an effective method of teaching babies for two reasons: br>
1. Information presented at speed is more easily apprehended by the right hemisphere of the brain. Unlike left-brain memorization which requires conscious, directed effort and right-brain learning is unconscious and effortless.

2. Children, and especially babies, learn at an extremely rapid pace - much faster than adults; much faster even than adults can imagine. The way to keep a child's attention is to move quickly.

The process initially uses cards with a single word, written in a large font. On a more advanced level every card may feature two words and a regular font size. Later, when the child is more advanced and can easily recognize the words, every card features a group of words (phrases and sentences) in a smaller font size. Finally, when the child is more advanced and is ready to use books created by parents, cards can feature a smaller font.

The programs, used to teach reading to children from the ages of 0 – 6 years old, are easy to carry out by any mom or dad and include simple games and activities that are fun and stimulating. Aside from being easy, they also allow for the effective reinforcement of the parent-child relationship, having a positive influence on selfesteem, assurance and the general emotional intelligence of the child.

14.5.1 Principles of Doman Method

The Doman reading method is based on the acceptance of the following assumptions:

1. Children under the age of 6 can easily absorb vast amounts of information. The younger the child is, the easier and more effective the learning becomes.

2. Children under 5 years can gain and retain information at high speed.

3. The more information the child gains under the age of 5, the more information he will retain.

4. A child under 5 years usually has lots of energy.

5. A child under 5 years usually shows a great desire to learn.

6. A child under 5 years can learn to read and wants to learn to read.

7. A child under 5 years old can learn a whole language, as well as other languages that the child is exposed to.

14.5.2 Basic Rules Needed to Apply the Doman Method Effectively

• Teach the child while he is young.

• Always be cheerful.

• Have confidence in the child.

• Only teach in a good atmosphere.

• Have a good learning environment.

• If good is brief, twice good.

• Present new material frequently.

• Organization and perseverance are keys.

• Do not examine the child.

• Prepare the material carefully and in advance.

• Infallible law: if you're having fun then the child will have fun too.

14.5.3 Materials - Doman Method

The Doman method for teaching babies how to read is based on stimulation of the baby’s brain through the visual information that is introduced to the baby. Page 226 – Cards: The process initially uses cards with a single word, written in a large font. On a more advanced level every card may feature two words and a regular font size. Later, when the child is more advanced and can easily recognize the words, every card features a group of words (phrases and sentences) in a smaller font size. Finally, when the child is more advanced and is ready to use books created by parents, cards can feature a smaller font.

– Images, Pictures and Photos are used during the process to stimulate the baby’s brain. These visual materials should be related with the words on the cards to get better results.



– Block Letters. It is best to use lower case block fonts, also known as print-script, manuscript, print writing or ball and stick in academics. In most English-speaking countries (the USA, the UK, Canada, etc.), children are taught to read and write in block letters.

The size of the cards, the color and size of the lower case block letters must be according with the age of the baby or toddler. This information is detailed in each step.

IMPORTANT: You do not need always to make the cards with words and images on paper or cardboard. The presentations can also be done on a laptop, PC or digital tablet. Use presentation software such as PowerPoint or similar and make sure that you words and pictures, one per slide, are just as you did on paper. You also can buy these Power Point presentations on the internet (www.abcbabiesandkids.com).

14.5.4 Vocabulary

The words written on the cards, especially the ones to be used at the first steps of the process, must feature words that are nice and familiar to the baby, such as:

Names of your child, family and friends: mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin, child, baby, Robert, Rose, Mary, Joseph, etc..

Fruits and other foods: milk, bread, juice, cookie, water, egg, orange, banana, pear, apple, carrot, potato, tomato, avocado, melon, papaya, squash, peach, blackberry, cherry, etc. .



Colors: red, yellow, white, yellow, blue, green, brown, gray, orange, pink black, gold, silver, violet, turquoise, blue, etc..



Animals: lion, tiger, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, dog, cat, bear, dolphin, shark, fish, bird, snake, frog, kangaroo, ostrich, horse, camel, camel, hippopotamus, rhinoceros , deer, reindeer, seals, penguin, etc..



Actions: jumping, eating, drinking, smiling, sleeping, singing, running, walking, dancing, drawing, painting, clapping, talking, shouting, caress, touch, mourn, whistle, watch, read, write, cook, etc..



Body parts: head, face, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, tongue, teeth, forehead, cheek, neck, shoulder, arm, elbow, hands, fingers, toes, belly, belly, legs, thigh, knee, foot, ankle, etc..

Familiar objects from home: chair, table, bed, door, window, curtain, sofa, chair, armchair, carpet, TV, bed, wardrobe, table, bathtub, sink, shower, kitchen, fridge, washing machine.

Belongings and objects surrounding the child: doll, ball, rattle, pajamas, pants, dress, shoes, socks, jersey, shirt, diaper, crib, changing table, high chair, pillow, blanket, toothbrush, comb, soap, towel, shampoo, cream, cologne, bottle, cup, plate, spoon, fork, cup, bib, etc..

14.5.5 Basic Conditions for Sessions

• It is really important that your little one is in a good mood and receptive to learning. Trying to teach a grumpy child will have little success. Make sure that you are sitting near him, but not close enough for him to grab the cards.

• Make sure that you are in tune to your baby’s cues. If he is feeling hungry or sleepy then his visual ability, as well as his ability to learn, will be diminished. The best conditions are when baby is fed, rested and in a good mood.

• Show the card with each word by just 1 second. This rule is key and very important. You don’t want your little one to get bored and showing a card for more than a second will lead to boredom and the loss of attention. You will be surprised at how much your little one can learn, so show the card for less than one second. If he starts to look away, or is interested in something else then this is a sign that he is bored. He will be interested again when you show him a new visual stimulus.

• Make sure that you are in front of your baby when you show him the cards.

• Do not use the cards that have been already presented in another session.

• Do not ask to repeat the word. • Every five days, remove a group of five cards and introduce a new group.

• The full session should last for 12-18 seconds.

• The worst thing that can happen in this process of learning to read is boredom. While repetition and the temptation to show cards for longer is strong, make sure that you move to the next card quickly and that you are showing new cards to maintain attention and interest.

• Make sure that you finish the session positively, with a big hug and a kiss, showing your affection and love. You can tell your baby how wonderful and smart he is and how proud of him you are. With positive reinforcement you increase the chances that your baby will be interested next time and increases his self-esteem.

• Never bribe or reward with candy, cookies and the like.

14.5.6 Learning Reading – Steps

Reading is the ability to recognize words and understand their meaning. To properly develop comprehensive reading and the ability to read fluently, the following steps should be followed:

Step 1 : Learning Single words

Step 2 : Learning word duos

Step 3 : Learning Short Phrases

Step 4 : Learning Long Phrases

Step 5 : Reading "Homemade Books" with phrases learned

Step 6 : Reading Children Story Books (with parents)

Step 7 : Reading Children Story Books (Independently)

Comments: There is no need to teach “all” the words to a child in order for him to learn to read. In fact, teaching thousands of words would be a humongous chore and quite boring too. Just remember that you are teaching a little person and his capacity because learning is infinite. In this sense he will deduce the rules of reading from the words that you teach him all by himself.

Source: The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential

14.5.7 Step 1: Learning Isolated Words

Option A Babies of 1 to 12 Weeks old (Only) – Starting level

The program can even be started with newborn babies. The first step with newborns under the age of 3 months is actually more of a visual stimulation program than a reading program whereby the following is applied:

Materials

– Cards: White paper (medium or heavyweight paper recommended) 6 x 24-inch cards (15 x 60 cm). Letters must be lowercase, printed in red, 5 inches (12 cm) tall and at least 0.8 inch (2 cm) thick. This thickness is key to facilitate the baby viewing letters.

– Images: Printed images, pictures or photos (family photos, from magazines, internet, etc) glued on sheets of paper. For the images, initially you can use the paper sizes letter (8.5 × 11 inches), legal (8.5 × 14 inches), tabloid (11 × 17 inches) or equivalent sizes. All the papers with images should have the same dimensions.

Procedure

During the first week select 7 words, including the words "mom" and "dad" and display one word each day. Each day, a different word is displayed.

Your newborn can only see objects about 8 – 10 inches away (about the distance from your baby’s face to your face when breastfeeding). As a result, it is best if the card is placed about 15 inches from the baby’s face. The procedure is as follows:

1. On the first day (Monday), show your baby the word "mom" and say with enthusiasm, "This one reads mom!" The word is only shown for 1 second. Be extra sure that your baby is actually looking at the word and it is important to say the world loudly and with enthusiasm.

2. The next day (Tuesday), show your baby a card with the word "dad", and say enthusiastically - "This one reads dad!” Again, the word is only shown for 1 second.

3. It is recommended that you show the card around 10 times a day, but scattered throughout the day. And make sure that you wait at least 15 minutes between each session.

4. Keep going throughout the days of the week with different words on different cards, always saying the word with enthusiasm.

5. You will repeat the same 7 cards for 3 weeks and only change after the 3rd week.

6. You will notice that your baby is able to focus on the words much faster by the third week. You will notice that, not only does your baby see what you are showing him, but also understands and shows enjoyment of the experience as you show new cards.

7. Remember that a new set of cards are chosen and started on the fourth week. You can use cards with words and images.

8. Run the new words for another three weeks and change the words on the seventh week to repeat the process. This time, however, you repeat the cards for only one week.

9. So on the eighth week you will select another 7 cards to repeat the process and by the end of this week your baby will have been exposed to 28 new words.

NOTE 1: When the child has reached 3 months, the process continues with the instructions in step B with new cards (words and images).

 

Option B – Babies Above 3 Months Old - Starting level

The following procedure should only be applied if you are starting the first stimulation session and your baby is above 3 months old.

Materials.

– Cards. White paper (medium or heavyweight paper recommended) 4 x 24-inch (10 x 60 cm) written in lowercase fonts, 3 inches high and at least ½ inch thick. This thickness is key to facilitate the baby viewing the letters.

– Images: Printed images, pictures or photos (family photos, from magazines, internet, etc) glued on sheets of paper. For the images, initially you can use the paper sizes letter (8.5 × 11 inches), legal (8.5 × 14 inches), tabloid (11 × 17 inches) or equivalent sizes. All the papers with images should have the same dimensions.

It is recommended you have a stock of at least 200 cards with different words to begin the process.



In preparation for the following steps (pairs of words) it is recommended that you include words such as colors, fruits, animals and people’s names in the initial vocabulary. You could also include progressive actions such as playing, walking, singing, writing etc.

Remember, that the sessions should only be done when your baby is fed, rested and in a good mood. Makes sure you that are near to him, but not close enough for him to reach the cards.

 

Showing Only Words - Procedure.

1. To start the first week, select only 25 cards (words) including the words "dad" and "mom".

2. On the first day (Monday) choose 5 of those words to show your little one. Start with the first one, for example, showing your baby the word "mom" and say with enthusiasm, "This one reads mom!" The word is only shown for 1 second, and make sure that he is seeing the word. Remember that you need to say it loudly with enthusiasm.

3. Shortly after, and in a similar way, show the remaining 4 words. Remember the rule: 1 second per word. The session with these five words should be repeated 3 times during the day, remembering to leave at least 15 minutes between each session.

4. The next day (Tuesday), you choose a new set of 5 words and carry out the process as before, but include the words from yesterday. You will do three sessions with each set of 5 words. Your baby will have 6 sessions today.

5. The next day, you do the same with a new set of 5 words, but include the 5 words from yesterday and the 5 words from the first day. You will, again, do 3 sessions with each set of 5 words so that your baby has 9 sessions today. Remember to leave at least 15 minutes between each session.

6. For the fourth day, you now choose a new set of 5 words, include all the sets from previous day and have 3 sessions per set so that your baby now has 12 sessions on this day.

7. You do the same with the fifth day, a new set of words plus the words from before and baby will now have 15 sessions.

8. When you start the sixth day, you choose a new set of 5 cards and include the sets from the previous days EXEPT for the set from the first day. This set of words from the first day is eliminated so that you still have 25 cards with a new set of 5. You will, again, do 3 sessions per set and your baby will have 15 sessions in total.

9. This process then continues with a new set of 5 cards every day and dropping the 5 words from the oldest group. You will always have 25 cards and there will always be 5 new ones.

10. You continue having 3 sessions per set of cards so that your baby has 15 sessions per day.

NOTE 2: • Do not show 2 words starting with the same letter in a row. • The words should appear in a different order each day. • The session must be finished before the baby gets tired. If you notice any signs that your baby’s attention is diminishing, the session must be finished immediately.

Showing Words & Images. Procedure

 
Having cards with letters and images related is an intelligent way to teach specific topics, and improve not only the reading bases, but also the general knowledge of the child. If you have a set of images and words related, for example the cards with the words for colors and images of the colors, you can do the practices following the next procedure:

1. To start the first day, select only 9 cards: 1 with the word “colors” to use as introduction, 4 words of colors and the 4 images of these colors (“blue,” “red,” “yellow” and “black”).

2. ONLY IMAGES. On the first day, start showing your baby 5 cards: the word "colors" and the 4 images-cards of colors. Each card is only shown for 1 second and make sure that he is seeing the card with the color. Remember that you need to say each word loudly with enthusiasm.

3. Shortly after, and in a similar way, show the remaining 4 words: “blue,” “red,” “yellow” and “black”. Remember the rule: 1 second per word - color. The session with these five cards should be repeated 3 times during the day, remember to leave at least 15 minutes between each session. The sessions should be repeated for 3 days.

4. ONLY WORDS. For the fourth day, start showing your baby the word "colors" and the 4 cards with words of colors: “blue,” “red,” “yellow” and “black”. Again, each card is only shown for 1 second. The session with these five cards should be repeated 3 times during the day, remember to leave at least 15 minutes between each session. The sessions should be repeated for 3 days.

5. IMAGES and WORDS COMBINED. For the seventh day, you will use the 9 cards: one with the word “colors” (introduction), 4 words of colors and the 4 images of these colors (“blue”, “red”, “yellow” and “black”). You must show firstly the image and then the card with the written word. To start the session, first show him the card with the word of “colors”, then the image “blue,” then the word “blue,” then the word “red,” followed for word “red,” etc. Again, each card - image is only shown for 1 second. The session with these nine cards should be repeated 3 times during the day, remember to leave at least 15 minutes between each session. The sessions should be repeated for 3 days.



NOTES 3:

• According to the results, you can increase the number of cards and images. Initially, you can start with 3 pairs of words-images. But you can increase gradually to 8, 10 or 12 pairs, if your child is learning fast.

• On the other hand, if the baby’s attention is diminishing, you should reduce the session to only 2 during the day and keep a low number of cards-images. If you notice any signs that your baby’s interest is diminishing, the session must be finished immediately.

• You don’t have to create images for every word. Sometimes is not easy to create or find images, for instance, for adjectives, articles and verbs, etc.. However, the baby needs to learn all these words. In this case, you only need to create the cards with the words and teach him, by following the procedure showing only words.

COMMENTS: When the child has acquired a basic vocabulary of single words (between 60 and 120 words), you can start Stage 2. While implementing stage 2, teaching pairs of words, you still continue with stage 1 to teach new words and expand your little one’s vocabulary. Once you have taught around 60 pairs of words, you can then begin stage 3 (simple three word phrases) while continuing with stages 1 and 2. Your baby is still very young so there is no real hurry to move along the stages. Moving onto new stages is more important than older stages as they often lose interest in just learning single words.

14.5.8 Step 2: Learning 2-word Phrases

Once your child has acquired a basic vocabulary of single words (between 60 and 200 words), he will be ready to join the learning of word pairs.


Source: The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential

Materials

- Cards: White paper (medium or heavyweight paper recommended), 4 x 24-inch cards (10 x 60 cm). Letters must be lowercase in red color, 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) tall and at least 0.5 inch thick. This thickness is key as to facilitate the baby viewing the letters. We recommend you have at least 100 pairs of cards with different words to begin the process.

- Images: Printed images, pictures or photos (family photos, images from magazines, internet, etc) glued on sheets of paper. For the images, initially you can use the paper sizes letter (8.5 × 11 inches), legal (8.5 × 14 inches), tabloid (11 × 17 inches) or equivalent sizes. All the papers with images used in the same session should have the same dimension. The paper sizes should be chosen according to the age of your child. To achieve better stimulation we recommend that you show pictures and familiar objects from the environment to illustrate the concepts.

Vocabulary:

Make sure that the words you use in pairs are words that you were using individually so that they are already familiar. Here are some examples of 2 word phrases that could be used.



The step 1 (simple words) should continue along with step 2 (2-word phrases). As you start teaching the phrases with familiar words, you can continue teaching new single words to use in phrases later.

Include the present simple of the verbs "to be" and "to have" (is, are, have, has, etc.). These words will be used in the following step. It is also recommended to include some verbs in the progressive form, such as reading, writing, rising, falling, crying, etc.

Procedure

1. The process occurs in much the same way as the last part of stage 1 does. You will include a new group of 2 word phrases every day leaving out the oldest group so that you have 5 groups every day. Again, you will carry out 3 sessions per group leaving a minimum of 15 minutes between each session.

2. At the same time, you will continue with stage 1. Make sure that the words in the two word phrases are words that have been eliminated from older groups.

3. In the same way, the procedure for showing two or more words and their corresponding images should be followed as it was described before. There is not difference.

When the child has acquired a basic vocabulary of two words (between 100 and 200 double words), you can start the Stage 3.

NOTE 4: You don’t have to create images for every 2-word phrases, but you just need to create the cards with the words and teach him, following the procedure showing only words.

14.5.9 Step 3: Learning Short Phrases

Now that your child has acquired a basic vocabulary of single words (between 100 and 200 words), and knows some 2-word phrases, he is ready to be taught with some short phrases. This is a very exciting step. The words that had been left out from older groups are now used to make shorter and meaningful sentences.

You can start this step when you have removed around 60 simple words and have used them in 2-word phrases. You now use those same words in making 3-word phrases.

Materials.

 
– Cards: White paper (medium or heavyweight paper recommended), 4 x 24-inch (10 x 60 cm) printed in red lowercase letters, 2 inches (5 cm) tall and at least 3/8 inch (8 mm) thick. Please prepare a stock of at least 60 cards with short sentences.

– Images: Printed images, pictures or photos (family photos, from magazines, internet, etc.) glued on sheets of paper. You can use the paper sizes letter (8.5 × 11 inches), legal (8.5 × 14 inches), tabloid (11 × 17 inches) or equivalent sizes. All the papers with images used in the same session should have the same dimension. The paper sizes should be chosen according to the age of your child.

For better stimulation, it is recommended that you also show a picture of their familiar objects to illustrate the idea.

Vocabulary:

The cards should feature the words that have already been taught individually. The following are some examples of short sentences:

Procedure.

 
1. Choose a group of 5 phrases and carry out 2 daily sessions. You may want to include new groups of single words and 2-word phrases.

2. With each new day you will add 2 new phrases and leave out the oldest ones so that you always have 5 phrases. The new words should be placed at the end of the group of 5 phrases to keep the child's eagerness to learn.

Use the single-word and the 2-phrase cards to make short sentences. (Please refer to the picture)



Because these are set phrases with words the child already knows, it's not necessary to show them to him for 5 days and 3 times a day. You can show them for 3 days and 3 times a day. Add 2 new phrases every day and leave out 2 of the oldest ones by placing the new ones at the end of the group to always keep the child's attention

14.5.10 Step 4: Learning Long Phrases

Once your child has acquired a basic vocabulary of single words (between 100 and 200 words) and knows some 2-word phrases and 3 word phrases, he will be ready to move onto longer phrases. This is a very exciting step and the words that have been used in previous exercises are now used to make longer phrases.

Materials

Two different types of cards are necessary for the long-phrases reading activities:

– Long Cards: White 4 x 24-inch cards (10 x 60 cm) written in red lowercase fonts of 1.5 inches (4 cm) high, written with a marker. It is recommended to prepare at least 25 cards with long sentences.

– Rectangular Cards: Legal size (8.5 × 14 inches) or tabloid (11 × 17 inches) white paper cards written in lowercase, although they now include the initial uppercase letters such as proper nouns (as found in children's books). The font itself should be reduced in a 0.8 inch or 1.0 inch (20-25 mm) and must be written in black. It is recommended to prepare at least 25 rectangular cards with long sentences.

Vocabulary:

The cards should feature the phrases that have already been taught individually and in 2-word phrases. The shorter sentences from the previous stage can also be used. The following are some examples of longer sentences:



As you combine the words left aside in pairs of words and new phrases, you can teach the child new words and expand his reading skills.

Procedure.

1. Choose a group of 5 phrases and carry out 3 daily sessions. You may want to include new groups of single words and 2-word phrases.

2. Add two new phrases and leave out the oldest ones every day. The new words should be placed at the end of the group of 5 phrases to keep the child's eagerness to learn. Use the cards with a single word to make long phrases (please view the chart).



They are set phrases with words that the child already knows, so it's not necessary to show them to him for 5 days and 3 times a day. You can show them for 3 days and 3 times a day. Add two new phrases every day and leave out two of the oldest ones by placing the new ones at the end of the group so that you always keep your baby’s attention.

Keep on doing Steps 1, 2 and 3 to teach new single words and 2-word phrases throughout the whole process to steadily increase the child's vocabulary.

14.5.11 Step 5: Reading “Homemade Books”

This is a fun way to encourage children and to play with them. Your child will love the story if the star is himself, so that you can take photographs of your child to begin with. On the first page, write, for example, "Robert is sleeping," then, when you turn the page, let him see a picture of himself sleeping. On the next page, write “Robert is eating,” and then turn the page to find a picture of him eating, and so on.

Each book has just several pages. Each page has a single phrase on it, and the next page is a photo depicting that phrase. Do not mix the phrases and the pictures on the same page set, as your little one will be far more interested in looking at the pictures than he will be in reading the words. So make sure that there is only one thing visible, either the phrase or the picture depicting the phrase.

Materials.

– Rectangular Cards: Rectangular legal size (8.5 × 14 inches) or tabloid (11 × 17 inches) cards written in lower-case though they now include the initial upper-case letter as in proper nouns (as found in children's books). The font itself should be reduced to a 0.8 inch or 1 inch (20-25 mm) and must be written in black. This is done because black offers a better contrast with small fonts and the page will be easier to read. It is recommended to prepare at least 25 rectangular cards with long phrases.

– Images: Photographs of your child performing a number of activities like sleeping, laughing, playing, eating, taking a bath, etc. Also include some pictures of mum, dad, siblings, animals and objects in the child's environment.

It is very important that your homemade books are prepared with care and attention. Again: do not mix the pictures with the phrases, making both visible at the same time. Ensure that there is only a phrase visible and then a picture on the next page. Your book can have around 12 pages in it with 6 phrases and 6 photos. Prepare and read as many books as you can (8 to 12), before continuing the next step.

Vocabulary:

The phrases used in the cards should be related to the child's daily activities and must have words that have already been taught. Short sentences from the previous step may also be used.



– The Step 1 (simple words) should continue along with steps 2 and 3. As you combine the words left aside in pairs of words and new phrases, you can teach the child new words so as to expand their reading skills.

Procedure:

1. Allow plenty of time for your child to view the picture. This is a very interesting thing to him and will add to his enjoyment of the process. Once the picture has been looked at, you can read the phrase at a normal pace. You may read this phrase to him several times during the following days.

2. You will keep on doing steps 1 and 2 to teach new single words and 2-word phrases throughout the whole process to steadily increase the child's vocabulary. Try to ensure that your little one’s hands are clean to avoid dirty cardboards and books. This is a good way to start teaching respect for what will later be stories and books.

NOTES 6: You do not need always to make hard copies on paper or cardboard. The presentation can also be done on a laptop, PC or digital tablet. Use presentation software such as PowerPoint or similar and make sure that you sandwich phrases and pictures as one per slide, just as you did on paper. You will see how easy it is to make a digital book for the baby!



14.5.12 Step 6: Reading books and stories for kids (with parents)

This is a step that you can really enjoy by providing the right books for your child to develop their intelligence and to become a great reader.

Materials.

– Homemade books.

– Commercial children’s books.

Once your child acquires a basic vocabulary of up to 200 words you can begin the next step. It is important that you look for children’s books appropriate to your little one’s age and vocabulary. These first books must meet the following characteristics:

1. They should be clear and large print (greater than or equal to 0.8 inch - 20 mm).

2. They should be exciting, fun and colorful.

3. The text should be separated from the illustrations.

If the child reaches this stage at 2 years old or younger, the letters need to be 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm). It is quite hard to find ready-made books of this nature and the solution is that parents make them with instructions from the previous step (homemade or digital books in PowerPoint). Note that you will need a book every week or every 2 weeks.



Vocabulary:

– Make sure that you review the vocabulary in the books you choose. It is important that the vocabulary is familiar to your child so, if you find new words, make sure to teach them separately using step 1 and step 2 before reading the book.

Procedure:

1. Sit with your child and read the book. If you find that he wants to read some of the words himself (depending on age) allow him to do so. Bear in mind that a child under age 3 should simply follow while you do the reading.

2. Read at normal speed, with enthusiasm and with a very expressive voice.

3. Read the book 3 or 4 times a day for 4 days. After that, shelve the book for a while. By doing this you increase the chances that he will want to read the book again and again at a later stage.

Even if your child already knows how to read, do not rush him! You can continue reading aloud and letting him follow along with you. By doing this, your child gains confidence and it also increases their own speed of reading and enjoyment in the task. There will come a day when he tells you, on his own, that “you don’t need to read for me mom, I’ll read it myself.”

Once in a while be sure to stop the teaching process and simply take stock of the wonderful time you are spending with your little one. Notice how wonderful it is to be able to devote this precious time to him, paying attention, praising his efforts and noticing his incredible ability to learn. By giving him your time and sending this quality time together, you will be giving a greater gift than simply being able to read!

14.5.13 Step 7: Reading Books and Children's Stories (Independently)

Once your little one has the hang of reading it is important to simply maintain that love. Especially with 3 and 4 year olds, make sure that you keep their enthusiasm levels high as they can get bored easily. There is probably no investment more profitable than the investment you’re making into the quality of life for you and your family. At this point, the program will assist your little one in learning to read, learning new words and increasing his intelligence.



Materials.

– Homemade books.

– Commercial children’s books.

Now that your little one is entering the 6th stage and is ready to read books independently, make sure that you choose books that are appropriate in terms of length and vocabulary.

1. The books should be clearly printed in large fonts (greater than or equal to 0.8 inch - 20 mm).

2. They should be exciting, fun and colorful.

3. The text should be separated from the illustrations.

Vocabulary

Make sure, again, that you check the vocabulary used in the books and that all the words there are words that are familiar to your child. If there are new words, teach them to your little one using steps 1 and 2 again and refer back to the book once all the words are familiar.

Procedure.

1. At the start, sit with your little one and help him read the book if you notice that there is any difficulty. Give him a chance to read the words by himself (depending on his age, of course), and continue helping him until he no longer requires your assistance. At this stop allow him to read at his own pace and on his own.

2. Your child will discover with delight that the book is talking to him.

3. As your child begins to discover that words have meanings, he will begin to deduct for himself the meanings of other letters, words and writing standards. The program for learning to read independently does not mean you should just leave your child alone. You have to continue to be there, beside him. He is small and he wants your company more than the books, no matter how interesting these books may be. If the child notices that his new capacity means losing your company, probably he will leave the book and will go after you. Your child is still young and he wants to have your book, but have his mom (or dad) first.

By the end of the process, you will see that the reward of teaching your child this valuable skill is something that money simply cannot buy. Your little one will love and respect you for having given your time and attention to the teaching

14.6 Benefits of Stimulation to Learn How to Read Early on

– Really, at the end of the day, reading is one of the most important skills that you can teach your child, and that will increase his intellectual and emotional intelligence.

– Reading is the ability that will mark their successful arrival at school, college, university and in life in general. Reading well, fluently and with understanding are the hallmarks of successful people, almost without exception.

– The love of reading is directly linked to your ability to read well and fluently, and to understand all that you have read. Teaching your child to read fosters a natural love of reading.

– Early stimulation of reading always works to one degree or another. Even if you do a poor job of teaching, your child will still learn more than if you had done nothing. This is a win-win situation. You will always develop his intelligence to a greater extent than if choosing not to engage with your child at all.

– Stimulation is a game in which everyone wins, both parents and children. However, the better we play the game to teach our child, the faster and better they will learn.

– A love of reading naturally leads to higher self-esteem and security. Your child will feel capable and in control. This will only be reinforced when he realizes that he is doing well at school too. Perhaps he will be the first in his class in learning.

– If a child does not acquire a real love of reading from an early age, he may not achieve an adequate level of reading at the age of 11. By this stage, the child may face reading comprehension issues and a lack of interest in learning how to read.

14.7 Learning Two or More Languages (Bilingual Children)

In order to take advantage of the ability of children under the age of 5 to learn language, the Glenn Doman system also allows you to teach a second language at the same time. We recommend that you start the steps described above and only start the second language after about 3 or 4 months. It is also recommended that one parent teach the mother tongue while the other parent teaches the second language. Usually it is better for mom to teach the mother tongue as the emotional connection between her and the baby is of utmost importance.

It is important to prepare the program in both languages in advance and carry them on without interruption. A program that has many discontinuities will not work well. If one parent is away, it is alright for the other one to continue with the reading lessons in that language, rather this than inconsistency. Always make sure that you tell your child what language you are going to be teaching in.

But to start, just begin in the language you feel comfortable with, and when you feel confident in your teaching ability, you can move on to the next language. It is normal for your child to mix some of the words up between the two languages. This is all part of the process of learning and it does not matter.

14.8 Other Special Early Learning and Stimulation Programs

In The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, Glen Doman did not only create the process of stimulation and teaching reading to children as described above, he also divided stimulation programs to develop children's intellectual, social and physical abilities. Below are some of the stimulation programs for children 0 to 6 years that use similar techniques with pictures, letters, numbers, cards, etc.:

• Exercising - appropriate physical development to age 0-6 years.

• Reading • Writing • Mathematics (see Chapter 15.12)

• Languages

• Good behavior

• Special Stimulation Programs - General knowledge For more information: http://www.gentlerevolution.com

The list is as long as you want it to be. You can teach your child anything. Perhaps you find yourself wondering how you will teach your child all these things. It is quite simple. By using a well-organized early learning program and following one activity everyday with discipline, motivation and confidence. Then, when your little one finally turns 6, you can enjoy all his achievements with him and you will notice that he has become a bright and happy child who will fondly remember the happy years of childhood spending time learning and playing with his parents.

Remember: Intelligence is the most valuable human resource and you can develop it in your children.

Summary · The love of reading is directly linked to your ability to read well and fluently, and to understand all that you have read. Teaching your child to read fosters a natural love of reading. · For babies, reading language is a brain function exactly as hearing language is a brain function. · Babies are innately programmed to learn language and they can respond to human voices from the moment that they are born making it possible for them to start learning from the very first moment. · The method created for Doman is based on the use of flash cards with words and images: information presented at speed is more easily apprehended by the right hemisphere of the brain. Unlike left-brain memorization which requires conscious, directed effort and right-brain learning is unconscious and effortless. · Reading is the ability that will mark their successful arrival at school, college, university and in life in general. Reading well, fluently and with understanding are the hallmarks of successful people, almost without exception. · If a normal mind is stimulated appropriately under favorable conditions then it can yield extraordinary results. A child under 5 years can learn to read. · Stimulation is a game in which everyone wins, both parents and children. However, the better we play the game to teach our child, the faster and better they will learn.