When Do Children Begin to Read: An Exploration of Four Year Old Children's Letter and Word Reading Competencies

THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOUR YEAR OLD CHILDREN'S knowledge of letters and printed words was studied to determine if preschool children begin reading, and if so, how. Two classrooms of children were observed for nine-months while they attended a universityoperated preschool. The children's parents filled out questionnaires in which they described (1) their child's interest in, and knowledge about, letters and words and (2) what role they played in helping their child learn to read. Several tests and tasks were devised to measure children's conceptual knowledge of letters, printed words and the kinds of strategies they used to learn, remember, and spell words. The results indicate when, under what circumstances, and how young children begin to read. The results suggest a natural hierarchy of knowledge development in learning to read words. With considerable parental help, children realize that letters are discriminable patterns, that letters provide clues for reading, and that sounds in words are determined by letters. These three developmental levels describe more efficient approaches to reading. Specifically, as the child becomes more attracted to letters and to figuring out what words say, he/ she uses better strategies for learning and remembering words. Thus, children who are guided by parents to attend to letters, signs, and labels and are given opportunities to read, spell, and print words, learn some of the essential rudiments of reading even before going to kindergarten.