Doman Method Of Teaching Your Child To Read In Early Childhood

Reading and writing are the most important skills that distinguish humans from any other living being . These two activities are the most important tools with which we develop our intellect. Therefore, we will offer you a practical guide to the Doman method. You can use it to teach your baby to read, from the age of 8 months.

A baby may actually start to be stimulated by reading-related activities before their first birthday. This is the belief of Glenn J. Doman. The creator of the method. He has turned the world upside down and astonished parents when they see that their children are able to absorb hundreds of words in a short amount of time.

Other researchers even claim that babies’ vocabulary can be enriched from the first month of their lives, by reading them stories.

They may not understand the meaning of each word to begin with. But when they store the information, it will not be long before they can point out the corresponding relationship, between these words and the world around them.

Everyday items to teach your child to understand words

The Doman method is: to use everyday elements in the child’s life, to teach them what the representation of each of them is in words, through flash cards or small posters that will help them to form associations and to remember how they are written.

That sounds like an incredible task, right? The most skeptical people will think that this is impossible because of the norm of teaching the alphabet to children before teaching words. And there is the difference between the Doman method and other strategies in which abstract knowledge is a starting point for learning, such as words.

Doctor Doman’s approach to learning starts from the familiar what the child knows and then moves on to the abstract . This approach takes advantage of children’s learning speed, who are eager to absorb information, knowledge and new things.

Glenn J. Doman’s work is recognized worldwide thanks to the launch of a US-based network of Achievement of Human Potential institutes dedicated to encouraging children to take full advantage of their cognitive, emotional and physical abilities.

Let’s see what the Doman method specifically entails for our children to be able to learn to read at an early age.

Highlights of the Doman Method

Small capsules of knowledge. The method should be used in small sessions not exceeding 10 minutes. If the child is younger than a year, it is best to just spend three minutes teaching them. The idea is that they do not get bored, so they remain actively interested. Three sessions are performed daily and a new group of words is included each day.

These little details will make a big difference. If your child is under 18 months, the cards you use must be large (15 x 60 cm). The letters must be 12 cm high and 2 cm thick. The words should be printed in red and the cards should be placed 45 cm away from your baby.

For children over one and a half years old, the cards should be slightly smaller (10 x 60 cm). The letters now turn black. And they will have a height of 7.5 cm and be 1 cm thick. You need to place them one meter away from the child.

Do not treat this task as a commitment because the fun tone of the sessions helps your children to pay attention and makes them want to learn more.

Build quietly

Organization and discipline. Put groups of words by category (family, house, body parts). Each one must contain five words, one on each card. On the first day you will show your child a category. But on the second day you have to include another group and you will have 10 cards. On the third day you will add another category for a total of 15 words.

Next, add a group each day. Until you reach the fifth day, using 25 words during each of the three daily sessions. On the sixth day, discard the first group of words and add a new one, to keep the 25 cards.

This way, each group of words will be introduced to your child for five days, for 15 sessions, enough time for them to remember each one of them.

In the beginning you can make approx. 200 cards that you want as material for a month of sessions. Remember to teach three small lessons daily and make them fun. They can be done in any area of ​​the house while you are waiting at the doctor’s office or wherever you want.

You and your child need to have fun while learning.

Go from familiar concepts to abstract. Start by teaching your child the words that define their environment : bottle, father, mother, water, bed, hand, nose.

Start by reviewing categories that refer to your family environment. Then you can include other words related to other environments, such as the park, the school, and their grandmother’s house. Then their vocabulary will gradually expand to include your family’s names, colors, and anything else you can think of.

Each time they learn a new word, try to point out to your child which object you are talking about. This will help them make connections and it will be even easier for them.

The idea of ​​this method is to go from what is known so that they can understand how words are written, to the abstract. Here they will understand what is represented by the letters and sounds. Once your child understands what a word is, it will be easier for them to understand the name of each letter. And it will be easier to understand how syllables, words and sentences are formed.

If you use these instructions in practice, you will see that the Doman method will not only be an opportunity to get your child started with reading and writing , but it will also give you time to share and enjoy while stimulating their intelligence. Do not be afraid to try it, self-confidence will help you impart knowledge to your child.

So get started right away!