Three year-old reading prodigy

No. 130 Friday, August 20, 2010
By Okoye Henry
Many Jamaicans would agree we are a nation filled with extraordinary god- given talents that is hardly matched by any other country, whether in the Caribbean or elsewhere. This trend of thinking is formed through decades of personal exposure showcased by our people in education, dance, music or academics.

   Visiting the Western Mirror recently with his parents was a three year-old boy by the name of Clevon Irving from Paisley district in St. James, whose reading and auditory ability at his age leaves everyone in awe.
   Young Irving, during a personal demonstration, is able to identify all the letters of the alphabet, their individual pronunciation and words that begins with them. He evokes further admiration as he is able to read most infant or basic school books and recognizes the different shapes such as the triangle, circle and rectangle just to name a few.
   Also, young Irving is able to count to 20 in English and 13 in Spanish, and is familiar with the primary colours as well as other colours. Even though a bit shy, he is capable of reciting his prayers and even draws.
   He is the son of construction worker, Cleveland Irving and pre-trained teacher, Tamar Irving.
   Speaking to his mother, she said after Clevan reached two years old, she was at home one day when she heard young Irving saying the Our Father prayer she tried to teach him when he was a one year-old, as he developed the ability to speak then. This she said both surprised her and gave her the thought that the infant may be a fast learner, so she went and bought some books and letters which he quickly mastered.
   Young Irving turned three in November of last year and since January his mother began taking him to the school she teaches, Little Ease Basic School, in the said community, but this level of learning he quickly grasped as he is able to relate to every lesson.
   Come September, his mother will enroll him at the school, in the class for four year-olds as he knew the lessons for that of three year-olds.
   “What he does is not normal because it’s not every day you see someone at his age doing that,” expressed his mother.