A friend asked me about my thoughts on the relationship between literacy and reading, a topic that’s been discussed for years. Below I’ve compiled a few Q&A sessions and discussions, the oldest of which dates back five or six years.
I used to be very insistent on urging adults not to teach their children to read too early, but in recent years I’ve become less insistent. I’ve discovered that overly impatient adults might temporarily put their children off from learning to read, but they might find something else to torment their children the next day. By comparison, training children to read isn’t the most painful process; more importantly, it provides adults with a strong sense of accomplishment. Therefore, if adults can’t find peace and composure during the parenting process, it doesn’t really matter whether they train their children to read or not.
The following questions and answers are selected fromFAQ section of the Hongniba website.
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Q: My daughter is 1 year and 10 months old, but she can’t really read and doesn’t like listening to us teach her how to read. However, she absolutely loves storytelling. Many children around me already know some words, so what should I do? I’d also like to buy her some storytelling CDs, but there are so many options on the market. Could you recommend some?
A: You can tell the parents of the children around you that they are probably walking on the wrong road. If a person is walking on the wrong road, the faster they walk, the more dangerous it may be.
Reading is not the same as literacy. There are so many people who can read, but so few who truly love reading. Do you know why?
But there’s no illiterate person who loves reading. For children, it’s simply a matter of early or late. Children aren’t our racehorses, and life doesn’t have a sprint finish line. Even Liu Xiang, too eager to reach the finish line, could injure his foot. Perhaps we can appreciate life’s joy more by taking it slow.
Regarding children’s reading, adults are recommended to read:
100 Key Questions About Children’s Reading – Parenting Series
Reading Manual
Naoki Matsui’s Picture Book: Seeds of Happiness
My Picture Book Theory
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Q: What’s the best way to teach children to recognize Chinese characters? A relative of mine who’s a teacher started using flashcards with her child right after the baby was born. Now he’s three and knows hundreds of Chinese characters. Is this necessary?
A: Hongniba has always maintained that literacy and reading are two different things. Children generally recognize most common Chinese characters by fourth or fifth grade. However, not only children, but many adults lack the habit of reading. What’s truly important is cultivating a love of reading in children, not just the number of characters they recognize.
If there is any method of recognizing words that is most effective for reading, it is the “reading literacy method”, which allows children to learn through a lot of reading and by being exposed to a real language and writing environment in life.
But how can young children read if they don’t know how to read? This is the crux of the matter. If children can’t read, adults can read to them or guide them through picture reading. The most powerful thing about excellent picture books is that they instill a deep love of reading in children.
There are no people who love reading but cannot read, but there are too many people who can read but do not love reading. Which type of people should our children become?
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Q: My child is 4 and a half years old and knows over a thousand Chinese characters. He often encounters new characters while reading and stops reading when they encounter them. He also likes to use me as a dictionary. Should I let him learn more characters before reading?
A: I believe this isn’t a child’s lack of literacy, but rather a lack of reading experience, leading to a lack of enthusiasm and motivation for reading. Literacy and reading ability shouldn’t be equated; they are two separate things. How do children begin to read? Words or pictures? My answer is “ears.” Reading aloud to children during this early childhood stage isn’t simply about making up for a child’s lack of literacy; it’s more important to instill a passion for reading and demonstrate how to read. This is also crucial when children begin to learn to read independently.
Adults often forget their own initial struggles with reading, assuming that children, once they’ve learned a few words, can naturally combine them into a text. Imagine a beginner reading a text. Even if they know all the words in a text, extracting meaning from it requires forming words, segmenting sentences, and then constructing a complete meaning. This happens unconsciously for experienced readers, but for beginners, it’s a gradual process. The best way to overcome this initial difficulty is through extensive practice, built on engaging content. On the one hand, we need to persist in reading aloud to children to keep their passion for reading. On the other hand, we need to prepare materials that are as simple and engaging as possible for children to read independently. Simple reading materials, such as picture books or richly illustrated books, can help children gain experience through repeated practice of vocabulary and sentence structure. Even if a particularly engaging reading material exceeds a child’s current ability, they may still be able to “take the plunge” and read, even if they just blunder through the material.
In short, to help children read, you can accompany the reading process with literacy, rather than the other way around, reading through literacy. The latter will get half the result with twice the effort.
——Excerpt from “100 Key Reading Questions Chinese Parents Should Know”
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Topic: How many words does a child need to know to read independently?
Copyright: lce968 Original submission time: 18:53:40, September 20
I’m a lurker here, but I rarely post. My daughter is five years and two months old and knows about 1,000 words. She always asks me to read to her, but she’s not very willing to read independently, at most reciting the title of a book or story. I’m not sure how to get her to read independently as quickly as possible.
Discussion: Some ideas for reference
Copyright: Xiaoyin Dad Original submission time: 22:54:19 November 13
I think knowing how to read and being willing to read on your own are two different things, and there’s no need to necessarily connect them. Elementary and middle school students all know how to read, but many don’t like to read on their own. And even children who don’t know how to read can still be willing to read on their own.
Reading is not only a skill, but also a habit and a way of life. Good habits don’t develop overnight. Furthermore, children at such a young age may prefer the warmth and atmosphere of reading with adults. Some children even refuse to learn to read, fearing that adults will abandon them once they learn to read. Reading with children is a joyful experience; don’t deprive yourself and your children of this joy too early.
On the other hand, anything a child can do independently is worth encouraging. So it’s worth thinking of ways to help children read independently. My usual methods fall into two categories:
First, I wanted to make sure my child understood that I would enjoy reading with her, regardless of whether she could read independently. It was important to reassure her.
The second approach is to guide children through demonstration and habit. For example, let them see me and other family members regularly reading books or newspapers. Set aside a dedicated time for “all-people” reading. For fun, you could make a sign that says “Reading Time Do Not Disturb.” During this time, no one is allowed to come or go, no phone calls are allowed, and cell phones must be turned off. This time doesn’t need to be too long; 10 minutes to half an hour a day is enough. Adjust the time based on the child’s age and patience. The key isn’t the length, but consistency.
During the continuous silent reading time, everyone reads their own books, but there is no need to restrict the child’s behavior too much. Even if the child is not concentrating on reading, there is no need to care about her, as long as she is concentrating on reading.
There’s no need to expect children to be silent while reading. In fact, children love to mutter to themselves while reading. Xiaoyin once asked me, “Why don’t you mumble while reading?” This is a great question. My answer is, “Because I enjoy it. I sometimes like to read aloud, too.”
Everyone can have their own personality when reading, and children are no exception.
Subject: A few more words
Copyright: Xiaoyin Dad Original submission time: 22:59:51 November 13
Xiaoyin is now over four years old. She can barely read, but she’s a master at reading pictures. She’s also quite adept at telling completely unrelated stories based on a picture book, and her ability to make up stories is truly impressive. She often sits quietly flipping through a book, occasionally giggling at what she’s reading. One experience worth sharing is our frequent trips to the library together. Reading with other children may also be a good way to cultivate independent reading habits in children.
A few more words:
This discussion was over five years ago. Xiaoyin is now in third grade. She reads long fairy tales and novels like Charlotte’s Web, Harry Potter, and Cool Ant Ant on her own, but I’m the one who reads picture books like Dancing and The Sky Under Your Feet. Listening to someone read is a real pleasure, and I’d love to keep doing that with her. :)
