
I've know that he could recognize an impressive number of worlds for a few months. I've begun to suspect that he knew how to sound out words for a few weeks. So I decided to try an experiment and see just how much he really can do.
I asked him to read "Mercury", a book we had checked out from the library a few days previously. He read the whole thing; there were about 2 words he asked for help with.
The next time we went to the library, I checked out a few Berenstain Bears books, which are the least crummy early readers I could find. And he could read them, as well. There were a lot more unfamiliar words in those books; it was interesting to see what he did with them. At first, he would make an educated guess as to pronunciation based on the consonant sounds only. After a while, though, he started to get the vowels right as well.

We have just started watching the old "Electric Company" together on the recommendation of a friend. It is perfect for him; he is excited about it and he is learning a lot really fast. As a result, he is beginning to apply the rules of consonant clusters and diphthongs. I never thought I would be so excited about a television program but this one is really excellent.
It is so cool to see him become a part of the reading world. He has been aware of words and letters for as long as he can remember but very suddenly he can understand them at a glance. It's like a light has come on in his head and it illuminates the whole adult world! Watching that happen was one of the rewarding moments of parenting.
I'm so proud I could burst but I can't take the credit. This is something that has been driven by his own interest from the beginning. Now what do I do?
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