I certainly learned by sight-reading at a very young age, but was taught phonics in kindergarten and first grade (ages 5-7, roughly). It was a bit of a slog, es

I certainly learned by sight-reading at a very young age, but was taught phonics in kindergarten and first grade (ages 5-7, roughly). It was a bit of a slog, especially at first, when I was asked to sound out simple words when I already knew them. But it paid off in the end; my mother had also learned to read prior to formal education, but never had formal phonics instruction. She struggled throughout her life with pronouncing more-complex words that she had never heard before (though she was comfortable with their meanings). I largely don't.