Debra Bures

Frank Smith's _Insult to Intelligence_ is a powerful book about reading and
learning to read. No cookbook here-just some things to think about. His
Learners' Manifesto is food for thought.
My 8 yo dd is just becoming fluent in her reading--
we read all the time in our house. We had played some games--i would write
sentences(mostly somewhat goofy)--she'd read them and then illustrate them.
Then one dayshe said,"Mom no offense, but these are stupid. I want to read
books"
We went to the bookstore and she bought a book that she wanted to read.
Thenwhen we finished that one, we bought another. We take turns reading
these books--it's still not smooth for her--but we're having a blast!
Debra
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sue" <sue.m.e@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 7:57 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Children reading


> From: Sue <sue.m.e@...>
>
> >ANyone with kids who are learning to read?????I wonder if there might be
> some additional, cost effective activities, to progress in this are. My
> son, expresses the intentions....and reading , slowly , and sounding out
> words....is great ...what more can I do????Any suggestions???Many
> Blessings...Michelle~*
>
> Hi Michelle,
>
> Stephanie [4 next week] and Madeleine [just turned 6] are presently
> starting to read, I say they are reading, not learning to read because
thay
> can both recognize quite a few words and as with speech it doesn't happen
> all at once but is a gradual process, we don't stress when a baby doesn't
> talk fluently, so we need not stress oursleves or our children when they
> are starting to read... just go with it, read to them a lot, read to
> yourself a lot to show that it an enjoyable/informative pursuit and soon
> enough children will read. Maybe not until they are twelve years old, or
> even later, but without school's silly timetables getting in the way it
> really doesn't matter, when the child has a desire/need to read, he/she
> will do so.
>
>
>
>
> - Sue -
>
> The Winona Farm in Minnesota Welcomes Unschoolers All Year Round
> My website: http://members.xoom.com/sue_m_e
> Farm website: http://members.xoom.com/winfarm/
> Farm newsletter: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Winonafarm
> Mailing list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Unschooling_MN_WI_IA
>
> "To believe in something, and not to live it, is to be dishonest."
> -Mahatma Gandhi
>
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Sue

>ANyone with kids who are learning to read?????I wonder if there might be
some additional, cost effective activities, to progress in this are. My
son, expresses the intentions....and reading , slowly , and sounding out
words....is great ...what more can I do????Any suggestions???Many
Blessings...Michelle~*

Hi Michelle,

Stephanie [4 next week] and Madeleine [just turned 6] are presently
starting to read, I say they are reading, not learning to read because thay
can both recognize quite a few words and as with speech it doesn't happen
all at once but is a gradual process, we don't stress when a baby doesn't
talk fluently, so we need not stress oursleves or our children when they
are starting to read... just go with it, read to them a lot, read to
yourself a lot to show that it an enjoyable/informative pursuit and soon
enough children will read. Maybe not until they are twelve years old, or
even later, but without school's silly timetables getting in the way it
really doesn't matter, when the child has a desire/need to read, he/she
will do so.




- Sue -

The Winona Farm in Minnesota Welcomes Unschoolers All Year Round
My website: http://members.xoom.com/sue_m_e
Farm website: http://members.xoom.com/winfarm/
Farm newsletter: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Winonafarm
Mailing list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Unschooling_MN_WI_IA

"To believe in something, and not to live it, is to be dishonest."
-Mahatma Gandhi

[email protected]

In a message dated 02/15/2000 2:00:25 PM !!!First Boot!!!,
sue.m.e@... writes:

<< ANyone with kids who are learning to read?????I wonder if there might be
some additional, cost effective activities, to progress in this are. My
son, expresses the intentions....and reading , slowly , and sounding out
words....is great ...what more can I do????Any suggestions???Many
Blessings...Michelle~* >>


I don't think there's any big secret or one method that works particularly
well. Read to them a lot, then read some more, notice how many things there
are to read (especially things that mean something to them -- the TOYS sign
in KMart, for ex.), notice when they read (if you're playing a game and they
move correctly, maybe they did that because they read the spaces on the board
or whatever, point out to them that that is what they did and praise it and
point out how helpful reading is), then read to them some more, then get them
a library card, read for yourself for your own enjoyment, talk about what's
in the paper (the funnies are great!), use the PC -- there are lots of CDs
that are fun and sneak in some "educational" material and even if it's not
blatantly educational, following the directions and recognizing things in a
game (like the Barbia CD Santa brought here) -- that's all reading too.
Etc., etc.

Good luck. I think it will all click with time and lots of different inputs.


Nance