TEACHING YOUNG CHILDREN TO READ AT HOME

Smethurst insists that he would ""never, never"" try to persuade any parent to teach any preschool child to: read -- yet the first half of his book is a review-of history and research pointing up the feasibility and desirability of doing just that. Similarly, Smethurst insists that the project should only be undertaken if the child himself shows interest and asks questions on his own, but much of the second half (the how-to section) is devoted to arousing his interest. Still those parents who are determined to go ahead -- and there are many -- might as well follow his course, which is less programmed and manipulative than the Doman method mentioned here and which combines suggested games and activities for each of 21 graded lessons with constant warnings against pushing, emotional pressure, extending lessons after interest wanes, or showing off the child's accomplishments. Let's just hope that the parents he reaches are more successful than Smethurst in avoiding the double bind.