<div dir="ltr">Interesting discussion. Anyone aware of studies in that area? I was discussing that topic intensely with my wife a few years ago. Our daughter is now 7.<div>In Germany for example school doesn't start until the age of 6 and only runs from 8 am to noon or 1 pm. So German kids learn reading later and spend less time in school but eventually catch up. So I'm not sure if starting age per se matters but I agree that if all your peers start learning with 4 and you don't you are naturally behind.</div>
<div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 11 June 2014 23:57, Richard Drake <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:rdrake98@gmail.com" target="_blank">rdrake98@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div>Great report.<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><br><a href="tel:07952130635" value="+447952130635" target="_blank">07952130635</a><br>
skype: rdrake98<br><a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/51971271/drake/index.html" target="_blank">blog</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/rdrake98" target="_blank">twitter</a><br>
</div><div><div class="h5">
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 11 June 2014 23:02, Ronny Ager-Wick <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ronny@ager-wick.com" target="_blank">ronny@ager-wick.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div>I just heard about Teach Your Monster
to Read via the original post, and immediately put my 5 year old
son in front of it. He's in exactly the right stage, knows most of
the sounds already, can read some words, and loves repetition! To
provide some real user feedback from someone in the target
audience, this is definitely a hit! He liked it right away, and
completely forgot that I closed his cartoons on YouTube to show
him this. This game is really very well made!<br>
<br>
To continue the OT discussion. My experience is that <i>when</i>
a child is mentally ready to start reading varies greatly, but it
doesn't matter. The final outcome is not given by the starting
age. The all learn it eventually, and because interests come and
go, an early start does not necessarily mean they'll be better 10
years later, and vice versa. But when they're ready, I see no
reason to deprive them of material. As they not only tolerate, but
even enjoy repetition up to around 6-7 years old, it's a huge
advantage if they start learning to read before that, as it
involves a lot of repetition. When the can play a game like this
and learn at the same time, why stop them?<br>
<br>
I totally agree with the balance sentiment. I have let my children
play with computers from a very early age, but I don't use them as
a way to keep them quiet (trust me, they're far from quiet!). They
cycle, play with sand/soil/mud, play games outside with the
neighborhood kids, etc. Computers and tablets and the like give
them something else to do when they can't play outside, as they
don't have TV (good riddance!). Plus, if you can manage to keep
them from watching YouTube all day (which is almost as bad as TV,
bar the passiveness of just sitting and receiving), they also
might just learn something useful!<br>
<br>
Other feedback; the generated passwords are a bit complicated for
small children to type by themselves.<span><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
Ronny.</font></span><div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 11/06/14 20:59, Rory Sinclair wrote:<br>
</div></div></div><div><div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="font-family:Helvetica;font-size:13px">I don’t see
why its an absurdity - many kids start primary school at 5, and
reading and writing are fundamental skills to learn in early
years. If the kid is ready to take on reading (even very basic
stuff, eg the word ‘Ball’ beside a picture of a ball, etc) then
why not?
<div><br>
</div>
<div>My eldest son was reading at 3, and is now 8 - his primary
school teacher says he’s reading at the level of a Primary 5,
although he’s in Primary 3. I don’t think there’s any sense
in trying to prevent development - if he’s ready, he’s ready.
My youngest is 3 now, and doesn’t have nearly the same grasp
of reading yet, but its absolutely not something i’m concerned
about. He does, however, have an intense fascination with
things like iPhones and iPads, which I think is something
perhaps to ration, though not actually prevent.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Cheers</div>
</div>
<div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>-- </div>
<div>Rory Sinclair<br>
</div>
<div>Head of Technology</div>
<div>ASMALLWORLD</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<p style="color:#a0a0a8">On Wednesday, 11 June 2014 at 12:21,
Hakan Ensari wrote:</p>
<blockquote type="cite" style="border-left-style:solid;border-width:1px;margin-left:0px;padding-left:10px">
<span>
<div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">This is off-topic, but do you want to teach
your monster to read at age FOUR? Do you even want them
to sit in front of a computer screen at that age?
<div><br>
</div>
<div>My son is in pre-school (Lauriston, anyone?), and
we're having to deal with the immense absurdity of an
public educational system that thinks it's priority to
teach five-year-olds to read and write rather than
have them play, make things with their hands,
socialise and generally get settled.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Sorry for flaming. Consider it customer feedback,
assuming your real customers are the parents who are
freaking out why their kids are not liking phonics and
have yet to make the leap to a Steiner school or some
other private refuge.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><br>
<br>
<div>On 11 June 2014 09:45, Antonio <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:antonio@teachyourmonstertoread.com" target="_blank">antonio@teachyourmonstertoread.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">Hi everyone,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div>We have developed a product called Teach
Your Monster to Read, a BAFTA-nominated
educational game which helps 4-6 year olds
practise the key first stages of reading. </div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a href="http://teachyourmonstertoread.com" target="_blank">http://teachyourmonstertoread.com</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>It's a free game, and has been funded by a
literacy charity founded by Peter Usborne (of
Usborne Publishing). <br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We're growing year on year, and we need
some support in keeping our Rails-based server
side component up and running as we scale up. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I'm looking for a small company or team
that has some specialism in supporting sites
in this way.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I've put further details in this Google
Doc. If you're interested, see my contact
details at the bottom of the document (please
do this rather than reply to all obviously!)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jh_PMIb8geFtQbTpn1GrD5oA8g3phRgTzqTIKDlpTTE/edit#" target="_blank">https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jh_PMIb8geFtQbTpn1GrD5oA8g3phRgTzqTIKDlpTTE/edit#</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>All the best,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Antonio<span><font color="#888888"><br clear="all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
Antonio Gould
<div>Producer: Teach Your Monster to Read</div>
<div><a href="http://teachyourmonstertoread.com" target="_blank">http://teachyourmonstertoread.com</a></div>
</font></span></div>
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