Kids Know Best!

Question: Do you tutor 3- or 4-year-olds?

Answer: I work with preschoolers and children younger than that, not because I push it but because they love learning. The best way to decide if your little one is ready is to expose them to early literacy. My oldest daughter knew all of her letters and sounds by 18 months, all through play with puzzles. We were also doing phonemic awareness exercises during playtime. At 2.5, she decoded and encoded letters using puzzle pieces, both actual words and nonsense words. She read decodable books at age 3. My youngest daughter had a slower entry into reading. I have worked with other preschoolers; some are ready for decoding, and others are only ready for phonemic awareness and maybe letter names. When I tutor at that age, I leave time for play, socialization, and developing gross and fine motor skills. Long story short, every kid is different. Some are more than ready and highly interested. Ultimately, kids know best!