Hey Homeschoolers and teachers! I have a ?

[Mouse House Mama]

Okay- so I of course try to teach my kids everything I can. We do not baby talk them or give them kid answers to just about everything. That's just a little backround. Anyway- our DD (just 4) is really picking up spelling and reading on her own. I would like to help her with this but am not sure how to. We of course read all the time and she asks me to spell everything under the sun which I do but what is a good way to introduce phonics? Our DS who is in K learned sight words etc. and they are also learning phonics (he can read very well btw). I just want to encourage her because I really think she is on the cusp of being able to read. So do you have any fun resources that I can use to move her to the next step? Thanks so much!

 

[packofjedis]

Not exactly a "fun" resource, but both of mine learned to read with a book called "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." You do it for 15 minutes a day, and if you get to lesson 100, they'll be reading on about a 2nd grade level. I made it with both to about lesson 70 something and by then they were ready to be reading books that interested them instead.

You should be able to find it in your library to give it a try. I have friends that it didn't work for their children. I think it's for a specific learning style.

 

[anabelle]

My kids really loved the Explode the Code series. I know they have a beginner series now.

 

[averysmom]

As lame as it sounds, ny ds learned the letter sounds (phonics) after watching the leapfrog letter factory DVD about 3 times.

It only deals with the actual sounds - no blends, etc. but it was what we used

We also have the leapfrog fridge phonics set and he would play along with those when he watched.

It also helped two friends who I loaned the DVD to to help their dc.

 

[Gillian]

There is also the Leapfrog talking word DVD for after the letter factory one.

I've used that 100 days book with DD 4. After just a few days she started to learn how to sound out words. That's as far as we got, LOL. It's rather dry.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Thanks so much! I will look into all of your suggestions. She is really great with sounds and knows all her letters. She amazes me because she just spells stuff sometimes. I just want to really encourage her as I love to read too.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

.....

 

[bumbershoot]

As someone who started reading (out loud) at 2, and learned phonics YEARS later, I say if she's doing so well without anything like that, why start the phonics now? Seems she's doing well with what is happening now...

 

[dis-happy]

My oldest was a self-taught reader. I was on bedrest for a difficult pregnancy and she entertained herself for hours on end (no TV!) with book tapes from the library. Between listening and following along, she picked up how to read. I didn't even realize it until she started reading things she had never seen to me. Anyway, I highly recommend going to the library and borrowing book tapes!!! You could also pick up one of those fun and colorful workbooks from Wal-Mart or Costco that has beginning reading activities. Phonics is important to learn, especially when it comes to spelling as they get older. It sounds like she is well on her way to becoming a book lover.

 

[Pamlur]

My daughter found a little thing that is a refrigerator magnet, with a hollow in the middle. There is a set of letters, and when the child puts a letter into the hollow, it sounds out the letter. If you want, I'll ask her what it is called; her youngest loved it and taught herself to read really fast. She's supposedly in kindergarten this year, but 2nd grade level books are very easy for her.

 

[SmallWorld71]

As someone who started reading (out loud) at 2, and learned phonics YEARS later, I say if she's doing so well without anything like that, why start the phonics now? Seems she's doing well with what is happening now...

You hit the nail on the head!

The best way to help young children become readers, is read to them! Involve them in stories, ask questions about the books, make sure there are lots of books in your house: easy readers, beginning chapter books, non-fiction books etc...

 

[Disneymommy2006]

There's a really cool interactive website- called Starfall.com and it is great for beginning readers...

 

[aribelle]

The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Spalding. By far the best I've used in my dozen years of homeschooling.

http://www.spalding.org

Edited to add: Oh, and be sure that you get the new book, published in 2003 I think (not the early 90's). The older version really requires some training in their method which I went through because their headquarters is located in my city....but the 2003 revision really makes it user friendly.

 

[SmallWorld71]

There's a really cool interactive website- called Starfall.com and it is great for beginning readers...

Thumbs up for starfall. It has great things for all levels. From children learning letters to those who are reading independently. Great for PreK - Grade 1.

 

[wdwdasiy]

I also like Starfall and use it at home and school. I do a lot with rhyme and word families. Seeing the word patterns really help my students who struggle with phonics.

 

[jinthaalor]

I second the Writing Road to Reading! This is what my mom used for me and she swears by it (she's in elementary ed and is an elementary school librarian now). Definitely give this one a good look.

 

[Keara'sMom]

You hit the nail on the head!

The best way to help young children become readers, is read to them! Involve them in stories, ask questions about the books, make sure there are lots of books in your house: easy readers, beginning chapter books, non-fiction books etc...

I agree completely! Our dd (now 11) started to read on her own at about 3 1/2, and I was so excited about this, I pushed her a little (only a bit, but yes, it was one of those really bad mommy decisions). I think it stopped being quite so fun for her at that point. Now, she wasn't "ruined" or anything, but, while she continues to be a very strong reader, she doesn't love it like I wish she did. She can get caught up in a great book, but she'd choose many activities over reading. Is this because of early reading "instruction?" Who knows. She's REALLY social, so this might have been her natural tendency anyway. If I had it to do over again, though, I would have just let her develop as she could without intervening.

Good luck, and happy reading!

 

[aribelle]

Wanted to say that I agree with the other posters about not forcing any child to learn to read....but, the OP wasn't asking "should" she teach her daughter, though, she was asking "what should I use". Hence my recommendation of Writing Road to Reading.

Gentle guidance is what homeschooling is all about. With such a small ratio of teacher/kids you can tell if she's ready and wanting to move on, and if so then there is no reason to stop simply because she hasn't reached a particular age. If, however, you meet with resistance or frustration, then it's time to stop, no matter what her age. A child's love of reading....of learning really.....is the goal. I always use the "love of learning" test ......if they're miserable about any aspect of school, we drop it and try again later. That's not to say if they don't get it the first time, I drop it.....I know my kids so well that I can tell when it's just a processing and figuring it out problem, and when it's a "I'm not ready for this yet" problem. The very last thing I ever want to do is squash that love of learning.....sadly my method is not possible in public school settings so many kids "hate" school. My kids just don't get it when their PS friends say that...it's a foreign concept to them. When I tell my kids we aren't doing school today because I have to do something else....they very often will go teach each other. WHen they were younger I thought it was cute....ahh look she's playing teacher and her sister is the student. Now, I realize that some days that's the best way to get over a hurdle and have been known to "find" things I have to do before I can help with school so that they pick it up on their own and teach each other. Shhh, don't tell on me!

We school "year round" because I don't think any of us could take off a couple of months just because tradition says we're supposed to....instead we take a relaxed approach all year round....we take a lot of time away from books to do things, like go to WDW, lol.....but even then we find ways to make it educational. If any of you don't know about the YES program at Disney (both DL and WDW), be sure to check it out. Definitely a great way to combine learning and WDW at the same time! We got lucky and our already planned vacation to WDW fell at the same time as WDW's homeschool days....what a great experience! Here in Arizona the summers are brutal and you really don't want to be outside...so we tend to do a lot of our "sit down and do school" time while the nighttime temps are 100, don't ask about the daytime temps! Then during the fall/winter/spring we have more time to get out and travel, take in museums, go on hikes, and spend wonderful weeks in Disney.

Homeschooling is the journey....not the destination.

 

[sammyteach]

oral blending out loud is a great way to tune any child in.
get my c oa t please
I f ee l s i ck
do you want some t oa s t
etc This strategy works great with pre readers.

 

[npmommie]

I bought the Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten edition for DS (almost 4). I think it makes both learning AND teaching really easy. It comes with flash cards, workbook, like 20 little books, Audio CD's, a CD Rom with games, and progress charts and stickers... very awesome. I got it on sale from Amazon, and I had free 2 day shipping cause of Prime.

another vote for Hooked on Phonics, its fun and my dd loved it....its inexpensive on amazon too

You could also pick up one of those fun and colorful workbooks from Wal-Mart or Costco that has beginning reading activities. Phonics is important to learn, especially when it comes to spelling as they get older. It sounds like she is well on her way to becoming a book lover.

Mine love these workbooks too.

The best way to help young children become readers, is read to them! Involve them in stories, ask questions about the books, make sure there are lots of books in your house: easy readers, beginning chapter books, non-fiction books etc...

yep, we read everyday, and at bedtime, reading reading reading to them is key

We also use Starfall, my 4 yo loves doing it, my 4yo sounds like yours, he knows all the sounds, letters, and even some simple words, he is on the cusp of being a full "reader"