Many of you may have seen the television news segment this week featuring myself and the families of three children under the age of two who learned to read as babies. They achieved this by using my multi-sensory learning approach, which is to employ as many sensory systems as possible while babies are experiencing the world around them. Today I will share how parents can apply these methods.

We will begin with the action word ‘clap.’ First, print ‘clap’ in lower case letters on a white board or piece of paper. Point to the word and move your hand from left to right as you say clap, then clap your hands. Now, encourage your baby to clap. If she is unable to clap, gently assist her, but only if she is in the mood. Because she sees the word, hears the word, does a physical action related to the word and learns the meaning of the word, there are more elaborate connections in the brain, giving her a deeper understanding of the word.

I strongly support reading to your children; it is one of the most important activities you can do. However, it is a common misconception that reading to your children teaches reading. Studies show that when a parent is reading to a four- or five-year-old, the child focuses on the text of the entire book for only approximately five seconds. Why? Because his attention is on the pictures, not the words.

In the books I have designed for my early learning system called Your Baby Can Read!, only the word appears on the page, and then a flap is lifted to see a picture depicting the meaning of the word. The two are connected, but do not compete for attention. They are ideal for teaching reading because the child can focus on the words.

Here are easy steps to teach your baby to read using one of my Your Baby Can Read! books, or others that have only a few words per page.

1. Point to the words in the book and say them. This draws attention to the word. Next, let the baby look at the pictures and talk about them.
2. Teach your baby to point to each word as you say it. Then discuss the pictures afterward.
3. Over time, some of the words will become familiar to the baby. While reading, pause to allow your baby to point to familiar words and read them.
4. Point to the words while your baby reads them.
5. Eventually your baby will be able to read most of the words in the book while you help with unfamiliar words.
6. In time, your baby will be able to read phonetically.

–Dr. Robert C. Titzer

As an expert in early learning, I utilize multi-sensory learning techniques to teach babies and toddlers throughout the world to read. Today, I am in Scotland for the Scottish Baby Show and preparing to be interviewed by Scottish TV News about early language development.

In my previous posting, I described the fundamentals of multi-sensory learning, which is to employ as many of a baby’s sensory systems as possible while they are experiencing the world around them. These methods have been used to successfully teach babies as young as nine months old to read. Studies show there are many advantages to early reading. In this posting, I am going to list some of the most important advantages.

The following are key benefits a child can derive from early reading:

• Early readers stay ahead of children who are taught later in life.
• Some research indicates that the gap between early readers and later readers actually increases over time. This is sometimes known as the “Matthews Effect” where rich learners get richer and poor learners get poorer.
• Studies from all areas of language (spoken language, second languages, sign language, receptive language, etc.) show that it’s easier to learn the patterns of language early in childhood compared to later in childhood.
• The window for learning language begins to close by age four.
• Reading is the most important skill a child learns.
• Reading increases learning skills and it helps children succeed both in school and later in life.
• Children who enter school with reading skills have higher self-esteem than children who cannot read when they enter school.
• Children who are taught to read earlier prefer to read more than children who are taught at age five or later.
• A Yale University study says “activating children’s neural circuitry for reading early on is key.”
• It’s likely the brain will develop more efficiently for reading when the child learns to read early in childhood compared to later in childhood.
• The current methods of teaching reading and the age where it begins are not working for hundreds of millions of children around the world.
• Teaching reading earlier may eliminate most reading problems according to a U.S. National Panel of Reading Specialists and Early Childhood Educators.
• Better readers are more likely to stay in school than poor readers.

– By Dr. Robert C. Titzer

I firmly believe it is not in children’s best interest to withhold written language while they are learning spoken language. That said, I have devoted my professional life to researching and developing valuable early learning techniques by utilizing what is called “multi-sensory learning.” Starting with my own children, who both learned to read before their first birthdays I have traveled the world introducing parents to multi-sensory learning, with thousands of babies learning to read using my techniques.

Here, I will describe the fundamentals of multi-sensory learning and how any parent, anywhere, can use them on a daily basis to help put their children on the path to early learning.

It is a scientific fact that babies learn more about many aspects of their world, when they learn through multiple sensory systems. Every parent knows that when babies are given toys they will look at them, shake them, and often put them in their mouths. This is how they acquire knowledge about toys and other objects in their environment. They learn through several sensory systems - looking, touching, listening, moving, and tasting.

Here are the key points about multi-sensory learning:

1. It is more fun than learning through one sensory system.

2. It is easier and more natural to learn through multiple sensory systems.

3. It is better for brain development. Infants have tens of thousands of new brain connections forming every second, many going from the different sensory areas of the brain. The more elaborate the connections made in their brains, the deeper their learning will be.

4. This approach works well for everyone, whether the person is a visual, auditory or physical learner.

The key to multi-sensory learning is to create situations where a child uses as many senses as possible during an experience. For example, if a baby is interested in flowers, let her see, smell, touch and feel a flower. Without any effort on her part, the infant will simultaneously process multi-sensory information about flowers, giving her a better understanding of them.

I have effectively applied multi-sensory techniques to learning language. In order to teach reading skills, I suggest adding the written word to the activities a baby is doing. I use this approach and more in the early learning system I designed called Your Baby Can Read!

In my next post, I will provide a list of simple, but effective, ways to utilize multi-sensory learning to begin to teach your baby to read. -Dr. Robert C. Titzer

Every father wants the best for his children. I have two wonderful daughters: Aleka, age 16, and Keelin, age 13, both excellent students and well-rounded teenagers. One reason they have achieved so much in their lives is that they had the advantage of learning to read while still babies.

When Aleka was born, I was a teacher for San Diego California Unified School District and had already been accepted into the Ph.D. program at Indiana University. My research was focused primarily on how adults learn, but I had acquired knowledge about brain development. When Aleka was three months old, I wrote words on paper plates and showed them to her. Encouraged by her attention, I designed a home video for her to watch and interact with. As her interest and development grew, so did my commitment to this exciting new early learning system I found myself creating.

Aleka’s progress was extraordinary. At the age of nine months, she could read thirty words; at one year, 400 words. By the age of two, she was able to read twenty books a day (mostly first-grade to third-grade level) and at age four, possessed the phonetic ability of a twelfth grader. However, as a scientist, I needed to replicate this success in order to be certain that Aleka wasn’t a unique case.

When Keelin began recognizing words, I knew that my multi-sensory approach to teaching reading would work with other babies. That realization set me on the path to share this educational breakthrough with parents everywhere. I have since devoted my professional life to the study of how infants learn, and have helped thousands of babies around the world to read.

Watching Aleka and Keelin grow up and excel in school has made me very content. They have both maintained 4.0 GPA averages and each has skipped at least one grade. And they are typical American teenagers—except that they can read at a level most people cannot unless they are taught as a baby

I can assure you that the best time–and the most natural time–to teach children to read is when they are babies. My own children, and thousands of others I have taught through my baby reading DVD system, Your Baby Can Read!, continue to enjoy the great gifts that early learning can bring. –Dr. Robert C. Titzer

We have all seen the recent flurry of news reports featuring a baby under the age of two who can read. The media may have treated this as a singular event, but I can assure you that thousands of babies as young as nine months of age can not only read, they can actually comprehend what they are reading. More to the point, it is perfectly natural for them to read while they are learning to talk.

As an expert in early learning, I have been teaching babies and toddlers–both in the U.S. and abroad–to read for over a decade. My research has shown that the natural window to learning language and reading skills starts to close by the age of four; yet, we currently wait until age five or older to begin formal reading instruction. In a time when literacy is critical for all children, both in school and throughout their lives, I believe it is essential that we take advantage of this natural early learning window.

Just as it is easier for babies to learn other aspects of language at a young age, such as speaking and signing, it is also easier for them to learn written language. This is because the brain develops faster during infancy than later in life. During this period, the brain can adapt more easily and develop a higher level of skills.

Reading is one of the most important skill sets a child will acquire. Studies show that the earlier a child learns to read, the better she reads and performs in school. She will also have a higher level of self esteem, and is more likely to stay in school than children with lower reading skills.

Parents who have used my teachings and taken advantage of this early learning curve have witnessed extraordinary results. This is even true in my own household: I started teaching my daughter Aleka to read at the age of three months. By the age of four, she had the phonetic ability of the average 12th grader. My younger daughter Keelin also learned to read as a baby. They are now sixteen and thirteen years of age, and I look forward to sharing their successes in more detail in another posting. The techniques I utilized with Aleka and Keelin, and parents worldwide, are available to anyone through the early learning DVD system I designed called Your Baby Can Read!

It is clear that the best time, and the most natural time, to teach language skills is during infancy. Knowing this, I believe we should not withhold written language from babies and toddlers. Soon, it will be considered quite normal to see a baby reading in the home or on the national news–all the better for them and the society they will one day help to shape. –Dr. Robert C. Titzer

Dr. Titzer was featured on KUSI News San Diego to explain how you can teach your baby to read using the Your Baby Can Read program. View Dr. Titzer’s segment on teaching babies to read.

Dr. Titzer and two young children that learned to read using the Your Baby Can Read program were featured on the show In The Loop with iVillage. Check out the clip!

Here is a clip from the KUSI news program that featured some local children who also learned to read using the Your Baby Can Read! program.

Graham’s parents started using the Your Baby Can Read! program with him when he was 6 months-old and he began reading words at 14-months! Now at 5 years of age and in Kindergarden, Graham reads at a 6th Grade Level!

Graham was invited onto the Ellen DeGeneres show to read out of her new book. You can watch the video clip here.

Dr. Titzer just got back from the Hong Kong International Baby Expo, which took place Saturday, August 4-6, 2007.

The video clip shows Dr. Titzer and Alastair who is 23 months-old. Alastair is demonstrating his reading skills when Dr Bob Titzer visited Singapore in May 2007.