A top Australian child care centre operator is taking the lead in teaching young children to read well before they begin school by using scientifically proven visual educational tools called Your Baby Can Read program.

In the last couple of months, Lucian Roncon, President of Childcare Centre Association Victoria, and owner of First Steps in Childcare, in Geelong, introduced the Your Baby Can Read DVD and book set in his Whittington child care centre and the results have been overwhelming, with many of the children already beginning to identify words, count and distinguish colours.

As President of the CCCAV, Lucian is hoping to use his childcare centre as a barometer so that all Victorian childcare centres may potentially introduce and embrace the Your Baby Can Read program into their daily regime.

As the name suggests, Your Baby Can Read is a tailored program of DVDs, videos, books and flashcards promoting reading and word acknowledgement for children from as young as three months.

The program is designed to combine images and words with varied forms of repetition, song and fun. For example, a child will be shown a word (like clap), hear the word, see images on the DVD representing the meaning of the word, and perform some physical activity related to that word. This multi-sensory and interactive method stimulates more detailed learning and teaches reading during the natural window of opportunity, as well as increasing other skills and unleashing potential for further learning development.

As a 14-year veteran in the child care industry, Lucian Roncon knew immediately the Your Baby Can Read educational resource was a perfect fit for his child care centre, after initially discovering and introducing the DVDs to his grandson, Lachlan, three, earlier last year.

"I was so impressed by my grandson's enthusiasm and their growing passion for reading that it seemed only logical to introduce these DVDs into my childcare centre.

"My daughter in-law Michelle, who is co-director at First Steps, was the perfect person to witness the reactions of her son using the program. As a mother and a childcare professional, she clearly could see the potential in implementing this program to First Steps.

"At First Steps, we pride ourselves in providing the children with a wide variety of non traditional programmes and activities which excite the children and build on their confidence. Your Baby Can Read is one of those programmes which helps enrich and stimulate the children and this is what makes First Steps so unique here in Geelong.

"When the Your Baby Can Read DVD comes on, the children literally jump out of their seats, eagerly anticipating the next word or phrase. Their enthusiasm for learning is clear and the results are already appearing after a couple of months," Lucian said.

Your Baby Can Read is also suitable for children with learning disabilities such as Down Syndrome, Autism and other developmental conditions, as well as, older children who are behind in their reading.

Developed by American professor and infant researcher, Dr Robert Titzer, Your Baby Can Read, has received critical acclaim in the US and is now creating astounding results in Australia with hundreds of families taking on the reading challenge.

To view the entire range of Your Baby Can Read products, visit www.yourbabycanread.com.au

Dr Titzer will be conducting two Early Learning Workshops at the First Steps in Childcare, 1 Regent St Whittington, Geelong on Monday 1^st July at 10:00am and 6:30pm. Tickets are $29.95 and can be purchased on line at www.yourbabycanread.com.au or call 1300 IREAD2