Meet child prodigy Lethu
TWO-YEAR-OLD Lethukuthula “Lethu” Bhengu is making waves on social media after videos of her being able to read fluently went viral on Tiktok.
With more than 700 000 followers, the child prodigy has captured the hearts and minds of South Africans, commending her for her super reading skills. Her mother, Ntombikayise Bhengu, said she began teaching Lethu shapes and phonetics in January, just after she turned 2. Four months later, she was able to read.
“I love to teach. I understood that the time had come to begin adding something extra when Lethu was playing a game on my cousin’s cellphone that expected her to co-ordinate the image with the word.
“I have also taught her how to count, the names of different shapes, and more. I believe in making learning fun and learning through play.”
Bhengu, who holds a BSC in Chemistry from UCT and Chemical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, said she has started a group for young mothers who wish to teach their children how to read and write at an early stage.
“When I realised that Lethu was quite impressive and she could remember most of the things I have taught her, I then joined a group on Tiktok on how to teach a child to memorise.”
Bhengu said teaching a toddler is not as hard as many expected.
“I know there’s a misconception that only a 6-year-old can be able to read, which is not true. I encourage parents to start reading to their children as early as possible in order to improve not only memorisation but also their vocabulary. They shouldn’t be rushed.
“If they are willing to learn, then teach them,” she added.