TeaLady's CM Homeschool

Jan. 18, 2008

On Reading

I have muddled my way through SWR for a few years now, and although I think it is a wonderful program, I just have never been able to keep it all straight, especially since I'm teaching 2-3 children phonics at different stages at the same time. Our children are 18-20 months apart, so when one gets through "The muddy dog sat on the stoop.", the next one is not far behind.

I found a lovely little learn-to-read program from Tanglewood School called Really Reading. The best part, is that it is free, but it also uses many of the basic concepts from SWR! It is 22 lessons with intensive phonics, but very manageable considering our age distribution among children. Our 6yo DD just finished it yesterday and is ready to start reading easy books with me every day. Our 4yo DS is chomping at the bit to get started with Really Reading. He already knows all of his letter-sounds (as per SWR style phonograms).

Because I lean toward CM & Ruth Beechick styles, I like to get through the skills and get
them reading on their own, for learning & enjoyment. All of us are big readers. I keep reading to them after they can read on their own, and narration isn't nearly as difficult as it may seem. I plan to keep reading aloud until they are ready to move out on their own. :-)

-the TeaLady

• Send to a Friend!

Comments

Jan. 30, 2008 - Reading out loud...

Posted by RDFLEMING

I am so glad you said you were going to continue reading out loud! Our children are 12-22 yrs. and we still read out loud every day...sometimes a couple of times a day. We are all readers--which is amazing to me in some ways as several of our family members (who will remain nameless) would be placed on ritalin if they attended our public schools. We have found reading out loud to be one of the BEST ways to homeschool as it gives us rich times of input and discussion of the material being read. For the last 8-9 years we have read a Charles Dickens book every winter. This year we have so many other good things we have chosen not to. We read a lot of biographies also. The children talk very positively about the books we have read in the past. In fact our older children sometimes ask us to reread a book because the younger children don't remember or weren't born then! I can't encourage you enough. We try to read at lunch (because Daddy usually can leave our textile business--at the bottom of our drive-- to come up to eat with us) and also after dinner and or right before bed time. We also take a book along when we have to go anywhere in the van. Keep on keeping on! :-)
Grace and Peace,
Ruth

• Permanent Link

About Me

Welcome to the ramblings of TeaLady as we learn about CM methods.