There are some articles and sites that may help you, though I don’t see a reason why you should teach her to read at this age. She has a whole life full of schools and studying ahead!

Anyway, you know best, so all I can do is suggest some sites!

http://www.ldonline.org/article/6253

http://www.preschoolentertainment.com/html/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=593

http://www.preksmarties.com/reading/index.htm

http://www.valeriemates.com/writings/early_reading.html

http://www.askthepreschoolteacher.com/ques10.shtml

http://www.time4learning.com/learning-to-read.shtml

Also, as far as the articulation problem you mention, take a look at these, though I don’t think you should worry too much about it.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-15538210.html

For speech, disabilities may occur in articulation, voice, or rhythm. Articulation disorders refer to difficulties in producing correct speech sounds. One sound may be substituted for another (wabbit for rabbit), a sound may be omitted (ba for ball), a sound may be distorted (shad for sad), or errors may be a combination of the above types. Articulation disorders are most common in children and usually are due to a problem in learning one or more speech sounds or classes of sounds. However, articulation disorders can also result from hearing loss; paralysis, weakness, or incoordination of speech muscles caused by neurological disease; or structural damage to the tongue, palate, or other parts of the body used for making speech sounds.

http://www.kidsource.com/ASHA/articulation.html

Do children learn all sounds at once?

Sounds are learned in an orderly sequence. Some sounds, such as “p,” “m,” and “b,” are learned as early as 3 years of age. Other sounds, like “s,” “r,’ and “l,” often are not completely mastered until the early school years.

At what age should a child be producing all sounds correctly? Children should make all the sounds of English by 8 years of age. Many children learn these sounds much earlier.

http://www.helpforkidspeech.org/articles/detail.cfm?ID=460

http://www2.esu3.org/esu3/index.cfm?action=service&dept=sped&id=35

The sounds most likely to be problems are:

S, Z, L, R, SH, CH, J, AND TH. Most children in kindergarten will not qualify for help with articulation unless they are very difficult to understand because of the “age guidelines. Articulation problems are easily fixed, but help is also needed at home. The “new sound” must become a habit in the child’s speech.

http://www.abilitiesinfo.com/faq.html

I just wanted to comment that unless the speech problem continues for a while I wouldn’t worry about it. If it does, then you can think about paying for a speech pathologist – a lot of kids talk that way. If it becomes necessary, then do it. In the meantime, just keep showing her how the words are SUPPOSED to sound – something that a speech pathologist would also do and that you can do yourself.

repetition was used at my kids’ school. When they were in 1st grade they were always sent home with little, 4 page ‘books’ that only used about 6 words. for example: pg. 1-See the cat; pg 2-See the cat run; pg 3-See the cat play; pg 4-Happy cat!

Also, I used to date a guy whose mother was a speech pathologist. She was quick to tell me that my (then 3 year old) daughter’s “lazy S” and “lazy R” were quite normal and would most likely grow out of it. She said that those were ‘common’ mistakes often made by children, and that I should not worry about it. And she was right! My daughter outgrew those ‘impediments’ by the end of her kindergarten year!

The earlier you get her to a speech pathologist the better it will be for her. She must learn the phonics and before learning how to read, there are some great online things and you find materials in the Public Library.

it can be done. my 4yr old reads at a second grade level. she started to read at 27months.

first off, does she know the letters, as in recognize it or does she know the letter sounds? letter sounds are more important. If she doesn’t know them I’ll suggest you buy the leapfrog video “letter factory” and let her watch it until she knows all the letter sounds, practice this in everyday life.

once she knows all the letter sounds, you can proceed to find out if she understands how blending works. it’s better to blend the last 2 letters first and then put the first letter in front of it…like a – t makes at…then once she can do and understand that…you put c in front to make c-at cat etc…do that with all the possible -at words, then -an words and all other a. combinations etc. (only short vowels at this time…the a as in cat, e as in net, o as in ostrich, u as in up and i as in ink)

Ok, if she doesn’t understand how to blend yet, don’t give up, all is not lost, you can start her off on sight word readers. We used the “Now I’m reading” pre-readers by innovative kids..it’s usually sold in a set of 10 or 20 books at sams club or barnes & nobles. Start out with pre-readers, then level 1, level 2, level 3, level 4 and then the independant readers.

Some people like the Bob Books (my daughter thought they were boring, the pictures aren’t colored) so they never worked for us, but if your child gets distracted by colored pictures you may want to try that 🙂

hope this helps

PS. i have at least 3 phonics books, but I never used them.

portion of analyzing is memorization. Neither you nor I are consciously sounding out each notice as we study by using each others’ question and answer, magnificent? in some unspecified time interior the destiny all of us learn how to correctly known that particular varieties of letters kind particular words – as quickly as you memorize that trend you already know and can ‘study’ the notice. additionally, diverse procedures artwork for various babies – some babies do extra efficient gaining expertise of their alphabet phonetically and sounding out words on a similar time as others do extra efficient gaining expertise of the sounds then progressing to sight words (an entire-language approach). try assorted issues at the same time with your son and notice which approach works ultimate for him additionally, i think of you have got responded the 1st portion of your question with the 2nd section. You point out that your newborn isn’t yet 4 and which you found out to study once you have been 6 or 7. on a similar time as there does look some rigidity to get babies analyzing before and before, each newborn will clearly learn at their own place. Forcing a newborn to ‘learn’ some thing before then they’re waiting or in a position to will oftentimes in user-friendly terms create frustration and dislike of the problem. ignore concerning the critics and don’t stress approximately it, artwork somewhat with him each couple of days – you will see while he’s waiting. Make it user-friendly and relaxing and you’re able to create a later reader, yet you will additionally create a existence-long one!

I learned how to read before i started kindergarden. My mom did hooked on phonics with me and then taught me to read with nursery rhymes, and i think it was very valuable. Kids enrolled in Montessori schools learn how to read by age 4. I think the speech therapist is a good idea, she will probably have to see one anyway and that way she wont run into any problems at school with other children.

Encouraging your child is great but don’t go nuts with it. You are worried because at four she isn’t saying everything clearly…that’s going nuts with it.

Kids all develop at different levels and from my experience most moms/dads think their child is the smartest ever. (my wife runs our childcare facility and we see it ALL the time) This is your fist and normal for first time moms/dads.

One family has my wife record whenever their child takes a dump. I call it the dump log but that is freaken insane. Please tell me you don’t do this.

Everything you do should be in a balance. Because your child is smart don’t go crazy cramming books and reading. Being a well rounded person will make them more successful than anything else. Teach social skills and your child intelligence with grow despite your efforts.

I think people are a little insane rushing a child to speech therapy. Give her time and enunciate for her. It will clear out.

But if she knows her letters and the sounds they make, by all means start with spelling and reading. Children will show you when they are ready.

start with books that have the letters and words starting with each letter. just keep practicing with the S,SH and CH. you might want to look up online helpfull hints to pronounce words with those letters.