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[quote=Anonymous]I was goig to make similar suggestions.  Stop viewing it as learning OR gross motor.  He should be doing both simultaneously, duh!

Reading books is not the ideal way to teach pre-reading skills or love of language, so stop fixating on that.  Pick a letter of the day and look for it everywhere--spot it on signs, comment when you use/wear/eat an item starting with that letter, draw pictures of it in any medium available, play word games by thinking of words that start with the letter.

Speaking of which--play word games generally.  He doesn't like books?  Fine.  YOU read and memorize poems and nursery rhymes and song lyrics (especially action songs) and sing and talk with him all day.  When you are playing, start to play rhyming games.  "My teddy is taking a nap.  Then he will sit on my lap.  I hope he doesn't give me a slap!"  Use and savor language daily and you will be amazed at how his interest in language improves.

Another non-obvious pre-reading skill is symbolic thinking/play.  When he picks up a block and pretends it's a cell phone, he is preparing his brain to understand that a certain image can symbolize a phoneme.  Encourage this type of play and let him enjoy it without pulling him away for something more "educational."

His gross and fin motor skills are just as important as mental capacity, because he will learn to read as he learns to write, and he won't be able to do either if he doesn't have skills like a strong pincer grasp, experience with tasks that cross the centerline of the body, etc.  Know that water play, fingerpainting, playing in a sandbox are pre-writing skills.  Stop focusing on the learning milestones you expect and start building up the boy you have in front of you.[/quote]

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