3-Year-Old Teaches Himself to Read

LAMPANG: -- A 3-year, 2-month old Lampang boy stuns everyone with his amazing abilities to read both Thai and English despite not receiving any schooling.

Reporters were invited to house number 40, Moo 1 in Ban Mae Chang, Nasak Subdistrict, Maemoh District in Lampang to prove the genius of Thanwa Woratunkaew, who's 3 years and 3 months old.

Upon reporters' urging, the boy read a lot of different things including publications, name cards, identification cards although he still can't enunciate properly.

The boy was then taken to the Ban Mae Chang School's library to read the signs there, as well as the charts used to teach elementary school children.

A teacher at the school Pranom Chaichana said she met the boy when he visited the school with his parents earlier and he was able to read everything on the elementary school chart she was carrying. She was surprised at his reading ability which is superior for his age so she showed him off to her students to motivate them to study harder.

The boy's mother Bualoy said she has 2 children. The older is an 18-year-old girl and the younger being Thanwa. When he was younger, she became worried as he hardly emits a sound and never tried to talk until he was 2. He was still talking gibberish at the age of 2 and her relatives would tease that he's talking in Korean because she only watched Korean series while pregnant with him. He liked to open books and watch karaoke music videos.

About 3 months ago, his uncle, who is the village headman, brought the boy to the Mae Moh District Office on an errand during which the boy was able to read all the signs posted there.

Since then, the boy's been reading everything in sight. The mother added that he loves to eat fish but doesn't really like meat. She hasn't had his IQ and EQ tested as the family is poor.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-08

If he is very bright, please get him the proper education for his level.

If he is very bright, please get him the proper education for his level.

Why send him to another country???

My golden retriever can say "Pumpkin", although he still cant enunciate properly. He's three as well.

The kid knew he was going to receive a crap education, so thought he had better teach himself

My golden retriever can say "Pumpkin", although he still cant enunciate properly. He's three as well.

If he is very bright, please get him the proper education for his level.

This is the best proof that Thai children are just as smart as other children around the world - until they enter Thai local schools.

although he still can't enunciate properly

Verb:

• Say or pronounce clearly.
  
• Express (something) in clear or definite terms.
  

so how is he different from the other 70+ million Thais when it comes to English language skills...not many of them can enunciate either

The sad thing is, he came out swinging. As soon as they stick him in a public school he's screwed.

Poor kid. This one actually almost had a chance.

Wait till he gets an iPad.

Why not send him to the school for the gifted?

I have heard of such school......... . . . . . . . Xavier's school for the gifted, somewhere in the USA.

I would think the only schools for gifted children are in Bangkok and well out of reach of his parents' income

I would think that this little boy showed somedevelopemental problems then out of the blue can speak/read languages is odd. I would think more along the lines of: savantism, is a rare condition in which people with developmental disorders have one or more areas of expertise, ability, or brilliance that are in contrast with the individual's overall limitations.

The human brain is a mysterious organ and savantism capitalizes that mystery. Most likely the case with this child.

I would think the only schools for gifted children are in Bangkok and well out of reach of his parents' income

With more publicity perhaps someone would sponsor him, or some private schools might be willing to take him in so they can brag about having a superkid at their school.