Why teach reading BEFORE math?

[kizudo]

Hi All,

I'm hoping someone out there knows the answer to this one...  I've only been at this (early learning) for, well, today it's been three weeks...

On several occasions I've read/heard that reading should be taught BEFORE math.  Is this really what you are to do?  I've been alternating math & language (general concepts in English) powerpoints with my son for the last week...am I going to "mess him up" by doing so?  I show about 5 maths & 5 languages (free downloads from BrillKids) at each session.

If you are to teach reading first, when are you to start the math dot training?  What's the "marker" to watch for?

Thank you.

[jdhanota]

i would like to know the same.  math seems to be a harders subject for my son.

[choloboy]

I recently attended the Parents' Course at IAHP and the reason they gave was that of the two, reading is the more important skill.  So, when a parent is just starting to implement any sort of program with their child(ren), they recommend that they start with reading and be sure that program is going well before adding another program. However, for a parent who is already in the swing of things and their program(s) are going well, both can be done simultaneously - in fact, several programs can be done simultaneously.
HTH!

Kathy

[mooncake2]

I started off with Reading for about 1 month before I started Math.  Nowadays, I'll typically show words then followed by the dot numbers and equations.  Does anyone know if the child will be confused? Should we allow say 30 mins interval between Read and Math?

[kizudo]

Good question Mooncake - that's what I was wondering but you phrased it more coherently!  I've just started with a learning program and am just so keen on giving my boy every opportunity I can - but, of course, I don't want to mess him up if I can help it!  I'm also feeling like I'm a little slow on the draw as I only started when he was 13 months (he's now 14mo)...I'm bummed that I didn't know about this earlier...

[trinity papa]

I did both together ..... but maths slower because i have to do up all the equations which takes quite some time to set up due to number of cards or the number of sets of cards you have ..... this means certain numbers cannot repeat in the same day ......

If given a choice i would have like to do maths first. Because quantities are what all babies are good at at birth .... there is a documentary that shows babies instinctively knows how to add and subtract .....

[trinity papa]

woo forgot to mention why i think they say teach reading first.

I think the success rate for reading is higher than maths, and for some working parents it could overwhelm them. Also since reading is more important in the sense if your child is not mathamatician he can still be a writer etc .... the other reason i can think of is maths in a way is harder to teach than simply reading because math you need a system and a rough schedule .... so once you teach reading and you get the hang of it, you may get organised and this will gradually make teaching maths easier .....

However, if you have practiced and have done it before, like i did for my first child, you would find that subsequently like me, doing maths first would be better. In fact i might do math from 3-9mth as the first subject to complete some reading in between but not the priority followed by signing at 10m and then by 12 mth or so i might do a more purposeful reading, because signing would have introduced some words to them already .... subsequently adding more words would make her go .... wow .... and so on ..... but math would have to do on a continuous process

[psalm34one]

Hi! I am new here and am a new grandma. I taught my son to read, at his insistance, when he was four. Now that my granddaughter is trying so hard to read, a gift from her mom who reads to her all the time, I don't want to make the mistake I did with her dad.
Which do you teach first? reading or math? My answer? Both! I feel we should let our children lead. I started my granddaughter around 12 months and i felt that was late compared with how thirsty she was to learn. Now that I have made better cards, have her mom on board, I am going as fast as I can to keep up with my little granddaughter. I have started the dot cards of math and decided to just order the cards because I could not do any more dots 
We are playing and having fun with our babies. (Remember?) We don't need to fall into the trap of "what do I do first?" or "If I do it wrong, will it hurt my baby?"
The only "wrong way" I can see is if we rob them of the fun of learning and turn it into work.
Otherwise, let the "play time" begin! :-)
Enjoy!
Deveney

[tina]

Oh no.. I have started off math first because I have all 100 dot cards ready!!  I guess I may need to hold off and show words first then?  I have already started for 2 weeks or so...

[trinity papa]

Nooooo Tina ....... continue doing the math ....... i belive she will catch up with maths very very quickly ..... you can add words along the way ....... i do find that at younger age teaching math is easier while above 10mths or so teaching words is easier .... especially if they have learned signing they do know how to relate words subsequently with the spoken words and signing ..... i followed most of the post and find that most who started around 1yrs of age tends to find better results in teaching reading ..... compared to maths ..... but there is no harm adding reading subsequently at 6m ..... just that after completing the words you might have to do it all over again at 1yr++ and ....  she may follow or she may not ....

[Sundae]

Hi, psalm34one, I also like to start teach but I holding off as I would like to find the right way in case I have done anything wrong.

what you said is correct and I should start teaching my little one tonight, so that she can enjoy the fun of learning earlier.   

[kizudo]

I'd also like to say thank you to Psalm43one.  I have so much anxiety about doing things right.  This will be our only child and I just don't want to mess up my only chance!  (mind you, I'm sure if we had more than one child, we'd want the absolute best for each of them, anyway..."only chance" or not!!!)  Anyway, what you said calmed me down (for the moment anyway!)...I DO need to just do what I know my son connects with and follow my instincts.  I'm somewhat of a rule follower and really like having someone "hold my hand" for a while until I get my footing.  I SOOOOO appreciate BrillKids for creating this site where we can learn from and encourage each other!

[Kappasweet]

I'm probably wrong about this, but I feel for some reason math should come first.  Yes, reading is a more important life and survival skill, but reading is easy to learn and easy to teach even if the baby is a bad student and mom is a bad teacher.  I am starting our math program before reading, reading is important but I see the young toddlers starting to read at age 2 or 3 and they are brilliant to me and that is all I want for reading.  He will become proficient at some point, I'm not sure it improves intelligence at all in the long run to read early, because there is a proficiency ceiling that most people reach where they have access to adult reading levels and comprehension and once you have that there is nowhere to go.  That might be blasphemy on this web site, but like I said, I might be wrong.  I believe early proficiency in math and music is key to shaping the brain a certain way.

[nohayo]

I thought i read somewhere here that you should actually teach math before reading because if the kids get introduced to reading first they think the math is boring...

[Anna Panna]

I do agree very much with what Kappasweet said about reading and proficiency level, but math is endless. That is why I started with math first. I am pretty sure that my baby will learn to read and will be a great book lover, because we all in the family are and it is not SO VERY important to me if she will start to read at 2,5 or 3 or 4y. I know she will read, but I am not sure if she will be a great mathematician, because we in the family  are actually quite poor at math and other exact sciences. That is another point why I started with math.

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