Reading Between

I think the first word I have ever read and understood is the very same word that I had learned to say first: Mama. It's not at all that surprising really. I first learned and understood that word with the help of a kitchen magnet alphabet, which my mother would use to teach us the letters. She would spell out words and read them to us slowly, enunciating each sound and asking us to repeat it. And I remember the joy when, one quiet little morning, I looked up from my cereal as a three year old child and read “Mom” right on the refrigerator. I never felt prouder of myself that day, and soon enough, I made it my personal mission to learn to read as fast as I can – because I wanted to be just like my dad at that time, who read our children's books to us with funny and strange little noises and different voices. I wanted to know how words sounded in a person's head when they are read – and they sounded very good when I finally DID learn how to read.

As I grew older, I realized that reading is a skill that I am better at than most other people. More than simply knowing what the words mean, I have recognized the value of contexts in order to truly understand a word and how it is used. And whether you'd like to believe it or not, reading has turned out to be more helpful to me than anything else. Thinking, for example, has become quite easy and structured for me because my exposure to different kinds of texts make it simple for me to digest certain concepts and situations. It gave me a broader perspective in life. By learning how to read, I eventually learned to read between the lines – and it is something that I definitely want to share with people.

I think the first word I have ever read and understood is the very same word that I had learned to say first: Mama. http://www.learntoread.com/