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"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding..."

Proverbs 3: 13 - 18
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Learning to Read

 

Most children progress through the following three steps in learning to read.  If we work along with them, progressing to the next stage when needed, reading will progress well. 

 

Step 1:

Beginning Phonics (Letters)  

Some children progress through this stage in days (informally through talking, or else with a book) and some take near to a year to master all the letters and their sounds.

Step 2:

Blending Sounds

Some children take 6 weeks to learn most blended sounds and get through most of a curriculum in a matter of a few months; some take 6 or 7 years to do the same.   

Step 3:

After a child knows the letters and can blend simple sounds, they need to read lots and lots of simple books to build up speed and confidence, to a point where they read easily enough to enjoy reading material that interests them.  The following books meet this criteria.

Easy Readers

 

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Here we have the key to reading. No meaningless combinations of letters…should be presented to him. The child should be taught from the first to regard the printed word as he already regards the spoken word, as the symbol of fact or idea full of interest.      (Charlotte Mason, Home Education, pp. 215 - 216)