How Children Learn to Read

• 1). Introduce the child to letters. Show the child the letter and explain that it has not only a name but also a sound. The child's brain will start to store this beginning information for literacy.
  
  
• 2). Teach small words to expand the memorization process outside of letters. In the beginning stages of the reading process, the child does not yet understand the function of letters. Continue to work with memorization. Teach the child how to memorize the spelling of small words. In doing so the child will begin to build a vocabulary before the brain is ready to process the function of letters.
  
  
• 3). Introduce the child to flashcards with diacritics so the child can begin to learn how to manipulate the sounds of certain letters. At around 5 years old (although this can vary from child to child) the child can begin to learn the function of letters. They can begin to understand that letters under different circumstances can have different sounds.
  
  
• 4). Utilize phonetics. In order to fully grasp the language the child must eventually learn that the English language can be broken into different segments. Once the child learns that words can be broken into phonics sounded out and then reassembled into many different orders, then they will be able to read words that were once outside of their capability.
  
  
• 5). Practice. Once the child understands the previous concepts the child can begin to read words that have not been introduced to them before. The child will get better at reading these new words with speed and sound accuracy through practice and reinforcement, which we all know can be a lifelong learning process.
  
  

How Children Learn a Language

• 1). Listening. A child primarily learns the basics of language through listening. They listen to the sounds that a person makes and then attempts to mimic the sound. Children with hearing impairments or total hearing loss can experience significant delays in reaching the following steps because of their inability to listen properly.
  
  
• 2). Mimic the sounds. Children will then mimic the sounds (words) that are expressed to them. This stage may come at different times for different children, but most children are born with the capability to say over 40 different sounds. After listening to the sounds that are spoken to the children and after the child has processed through different brain and muscle growth then the child will begin to express the same words or sounds by mimicking.
  
  
• 3). Memorize and express. Once a child begins to speak through mimicking he will begin to learn that the words have meaning. Once the child begins to express the words for things that he needs or wants, he then will be able to move into the final stages of language learning. Memorization is closely coupled with expression since the child's vocabulary will grow during the expression process.