Teaching Reading

Teaching reading to elementary students is not difficult, but it is daunting. It can be overwhelming because we are learning our children’s method of learning to read as much as they are learning to read.

I have taught 4 children to read. All with different levels of success, lol.

Teaching my oldest child to read: 

My daughter learned almost effortlessly. I used Abeka phonics curriculum to teach her the letter sounds. Before I finished the curriculum, she made the leap from reading short 3 letter words and silent e words to reading beginning level books. Fast forward to today, she has a degree in English, a minor in Spanish, and an MBA. She works as an editor and marketer, and is an artist in her spare time. Just as when she was younger, she loves reading. In fact, she married a young man who also loves to read. They love, love, love books.

Teaching my oldest son to read:

My oldest son didn’t learn as easily.  I used the same phonics curriculum with him, but nothing stuck. I gave up. So my husband who maybe read one book about homeschooling, picked up a children’s bible and read it to him at night. He asked my son to repeat the words after him. Which he did. That is how this kid learned to read. I later learned he’s a whole to parts learner. Last month he just graduated from college with a degree in computer science and is now working as a computer programmer. Today he mostly reads to find information he wants to know or learn–non-fiction just as he did as a young kid. His preference is to spend time playing piano, guitar, or video games. Last month he married a young lady who loves music as much as he does. They are having fun!

Teaching my middle son to read:

My middle son danced his way into reading. My middle son is a kinesthetic learner. If he was learning, he was moving. I taught him with the TEACH YOUR CHILD TO READ IN 100 EASY LESSONS book. It worked, but he jumped up and danced after every word he read. It takes a long time to cover a lesson when the child jumps up and does a jig after each word.

It was fun, and frustrating, teaching him to read. How can it not be fun to see a child excited about reading! I became frustrated because I worried that the lessons wouldn’t stick because there wasn’t a continuity of focus on his part. I worried a lot, but I should not have because he did learn to read. And he is a good reader, and an excellent writer. Today, 12 years later, he doesn’t love reading. Today, my kinesthetic learner is occasionally seen with a book, but only because he is working on improving his vision by training his eyes to read without glasses, or something like that. He is currently a sophomore in college, also majoring in computer science. His favorite past time is watching history documentaries and working on improving his vision–a 2 year process. He’s thinking of getting back into martial arts.

Teaching my youngest son to read:

My youngest son learned easily. My youngest son learned to read from the same book. He learned easily, partially because he is the kid that learns from watching other people. But by the time I taught him to read, I was also a better reading teacher.  I taught him phonics. Reviewed sight words with Dick and Jane books. Then I followed up with my own Charlotte Mason Writing Through History curriculum during the elementary years (teaching reading and writing through copywork, narration, and studied dictation).  My youngest does read a lot today. Not as much as his sister, but probably more than his brothers. He reads for personal improvement.  Mostly about religion and philosophy. He’s a senior in high school now. So it’ll be interesting to see what he decides to do. My guess is it’ll be computers too. By the way, his favorite past time is producing music on his computer.

 

What I wish I’d known about teaching reading before I started teaching reading.

• They will eventually figure it out.
• They may not learn via the same approach as everyone else or anyone else.
• They don’t all have to love to read.
• They’ll be reading later in life regardless of whether they love reading now or not.

If I had known the above, I’d have saved myself a lot of worry and stress.