Learning to read

Learning to read is big thing in a child's life. Its almost like an initiation into the world of the BIG KID. Reading creates the transition from preschooler to BIG KID.
Every child learns to read differently, there is no one way to learn to read. Many believe that learning the alphabet is the start of reading and for my children it has been. Learning the phonetic sounds of the alphabet would be step two. This can be a difficult process as not every child achieves this part successfully. As a trained teacher in the phonetic way to learn to read, it has been difficult to let go of this method. But for my son, it just doesn't work.
So I skipped it, we'll come back to it later. It is very important at this point, to really know the child you are working with. A child's readiness to learn anything, maths, language,science etc is half the battle won. Their eagerness to learn propels the experience forward in amazing ways.

So we skipped the sounding of the letters of the alphabet and moved him on to identifying sight words. It's no point hanging around an activity if he just won't get it.
Using the montessori 3 part presentation method, I introduced two new words - one, two. I also teamed this with a sight words book, that highlights these words.
The 3 part presentation allows you to isolate the learning.
Firstly I introduced each word separately. This focuses the attention to what you want the student to learn.

Secondly place both words in front of the child. Ask the child to "Show me......... Do this a few times, moving the words around.

Thirdly (and this may not happen straight away) ask the child to" Tell me what is this" .

We then read the book together to reinforce the words. This is not Montessori, this is a Mz Bel thing. Firstly I read the book, then we read together.

The absolute explosion of excitement and sense of achievement that my son experienced in a such a short activity was the reason I became a teacher.



It doesn't stop here. We will continue to read the book until my son can read it by himself. Essentially we are working towards knowing this book by heart and being able to apply this knowledge to other books but for the time being , learning by memory will suffice.