Intro + Reading Q
Barbara Chase
I'm new to this list, and I don't think I've posted an Intro yet. My dh
and I have a daughter who is 4-3/4. I've always planned on homeschooling,
and then when I read John Holt I was convinced that what I really wanted to
do was unschool (this is what *I* really wanted as a kid.)
We live rurally with *very* few homeschoolers nearby, and we're now
starting to run into frustrations with all her friends being in school
during the day. This is a tough one, because my dd is very social and
loves to play with other kids. She gets lonely, and at times I really
don't have any ideas to solve this problem. What do other families with
only one outgoing child do??
I plan to be part of our school's homeschool program when my dd turns 5 so
that we can participate in some of the school things if we want to (like
after school art classes, plays, etc.) The homeschool coordinator is
great; when I met her 2-3 years ago she introduced me to John Holt and the
whole idea of unschooling!
So far it's been easy to unschool. We live our lives, my dd helps when she
wants to, she is almost always with me, and we find lots to do. She
currently has gymnastics, music, and dance classes. These classes were
originally my idea starting about 2 years ago, but I never had any
expectations that we had to stay and finish them -- it was just
exploration. Now she wants to be in all of them, and has even asked for
more (ballet, art, flute, and swimming!!)
So here is our reading situation. My dd has told me numerous times that
she wants to learn to read. I'm starting to take this as a request from
her for me to help. Even though she is in several classes, none of them
"teach", so I don't think she has the notion to ask me to "teach" her; in
fact, I expect that for her a teacher is someone who gives you fun
resources to play and explore with. So, since she wants to learn to read I
could give her fun resources to play and explore with. But, I am at a
total loss as to what this would look like!! I must admit that I did have
an image that she would just pick up a book one day and magically start to
read it, perhaps after asking a few questions. My dh taught himself to
read at a very early age, and I was the kind of kid who, if I had not been
in school, wouldn't have been bothered to read until a very late age - and
then would have been reading voraciously overnight. She seems to be
somewhere in the middle.
I think I have an understanding of what works better for her. She seems to
be a sight word reader, learning whole words. I don't think she'd be that
keen on phonics. On the other hand, she loves sounds and often recognizes
words because of some of the letters/sounds she sees (like "it must be open
because there is a P in the sign") - so what do I really know. Perhaps
she's just learned the words she knows because of sight and context and
phonics would fill in some missing pieces for her.
Any advice? Do I get a reading workbook to see if she likes that? Do I
try phonics in some fun way to check this out? My initial reaction is to
avoid anything like this... that's what I've been doing for over a year
now. But she continues to bring up the desire to read, even more so
recently. I don't want to ignore her request, even if it isn't explicit.
Don't get me wrong... I am not in a hurry. If she didn't start reading
until she was 12 (or whatever) that would be fine with me. I love reading
stories out loud; we love to listen to books on tape together. What I
don't want to do is miss her request for some specific resource to help her
explore. If she were older and had more experience/exposure I expect she'd
be able to say "Mom, I want to know all about whats-it, could you find me
some things to help."
I'm really starting to ramble now, but I just thought about our experience
with art. We collect all sorts of stuff from art stores, crafts stores,
nature, even the trash. We have so many boxes and cupboards full of art
materials to explore. There is no right or wrong way to explore the paint,
glue, glitter, stencils, pens, paper, beads, feathers, pine cones,
acorns... oh you get the idea. She creates art, and loves it.
So other than reading lots of stories, or seeing signs around us when we're
out and about in towns -- what do we do to have lots of stuff around to
help with the exploration of reading? Like with the art, there must be
lots of ways to explore reading (I just can't think of any - LOL!) On the
other hand, it isn't anything like art in that you can't really do it until
you have some additional knowledge. Like telling time... it doesn't make
sense until all of a sudden - click; then there is some knowledge and now
you can do it.
Well, sorry for the rambling. It is helpful to put my thoughts down in an
email; thanks for reading ;-) I'm glad to be part of the list and
connected with others who know what unschooling is and don't ask me the
"socialization" question! I look forward to learning more about what
unschooling looks like in your lives, and seeing it unfold for us in ours.
--bc--
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
and I have a daughter who is 4-3/4. I've always planned on homeschooling,
and then when I read John Holt I was convinced that what I really wanted to
do was unschool (this is what *I* really wanted as a kid.)
We live rurally with *very* few homeschoolers nearby, and we're now
starting to run into frustrations with all her friends being in school
during the day. This is a tough one, because my dd is very social and
loves to play with other kids. She gets lonely, and at times I really
don't have any ideas to solve this problem. What do other families with
only one outgoing child do??
I plan to be part of our school's homeschool program when my dd turns 5 so
that we can participate in some of the school things if we want to (like
after school art classes, plays, etc.) The homeschool coordinator is
great; when I met her 2-3 years ago she introduced me to John Holt and the
whole idea of unschooling!
So far it's been easy to unschool. We live our lives, my dd helps when she
wants to, she is almost always with me, and we find lots to do. She
currently has gymnastics, music, and dance classes. These classes were
originally my idea starting about 2 years ago, but I never had any
expectations that we had to stay and finish them -- it was just
exploration. Now she wants to be in all of them, and has even asked for
more (ballet, art, flute, and swimming!!)
So here is our reading situation. My dd has told me numerous times that
she wants to learn to read. I'm starting to take this as a request from
her for me to help. Even though she is in several classes, none of them
"teach", so I don't think she has the notion to ask me to "teach" her; in
fact, I expect that for her a teacher is someone who gives you fun
resources to play and explore with. So, since she wants to learn to read I
could give her fun resources to play and explore with. But, I am at a
total loss as to what this would look like!! I must admit that I did have
an image that she would just pick up a book one day and magically start to
read it, perhaps after asking a few questions. My dh taught himself to
read at a very early age, and I was the kind of kid who, if I had not been
in school, wouldn't have been bothered to read until a very late age - and
then would have been reading voraciously overnight. She seems to be
somewhere in the middle.
I think I have an understanding of what works better for her. She seems to
be a sight word reader, learning whole words. I don't think she'd be that
keen on phonics. On the other hand, she loves sounds and often recognizes
words because of some of the letters/sounds she sees (like "it must be open
because there is a P in the sign") - so what do I really know. Perhaps
she's just learned the words she knows because of sight and context and
phonics would fill in some missing pieces for her.
Any advice? Do I get a reading workbook to see if she likes that? Do I
try phonics in some fun way to check this out? My initial reaction is to
avoid anything like this... that's what I've been doing for over a year
now. But she continues to bring up the desire to read, even more so
recently. I don't want to ignore her request, even if it isn't explicit.
Don't get me wrong... I am not in a hurry. If she didn't start reading
until she was 12 (or whatever) that would be fine with me. I love reading
stories out loud; we love to listen to books on tape together. What I
don't want to do is miss her request for some specific resource to help her
explore. If she were older and had more experience/exposure I expect she'd
be able to say "Mom, I want to know all about whats-it, could you find me
some things to help."
I'm really starting to ramble now, but I just thought about our experience
with art. We collect all sorts of stuff from art stores, crafts stores,
nature, even the trash. We have so many boxes and cupboards full of art
materials to explore. There is no right or wrong way to explore the paint,
glue, glitter, stencils, pens, paper, beads, feathers, pine cones,
acorns... oh you get the idea. She creates art, and loves it.
So other than reading lots of stories, or seeing signs around us when we're
out and about in towns -- what do we do to have lots of stuff around to
help with the exploration of reading? Like with the art, there must be
lots of ways to explore reading (I just can't think of any - LOL!) On the
other hand, it isn't anything like art in that you can't really do it until
you have some additional knowledge. Like telling time... it doesn't make
sense until all of a sudden - click; then there is some knowledge and now
you can do it.
Well, sorry for the rambling. It is helpful to put my thoughts down in an
email; thanks for reading ;-) I'm glad to be part of the list and
connected with others who know what unschooling is and don't ask me the
"socialization" question! I look forward to learning more about what
unschooling looks like in your lives, and seeing it unfold for us in ours.
--bc--
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Norma
--- In [email protected], Barbara Chase
<barb@n...> wrote:
<>We live rurally with *very* few homeschoolers nearby, and we're now
starting to run into frustrations with all her friends being in school
during the day. This is a tough one, because my dd is very social and
loves to play with other kids. She gets lonely, and at times I really
don't have any ideas to solve this problem. What do other families
with only one outgoing child do??<>
Hi, Barb:
When my daughter was younger we would sit down together and choose
which of her interests she wanted to investigate more. Then we would
let it be known through our homeschool support groups that we were
organizing a club based on her interests. At various times she had a
doll club, a board games club, a chess club, a writing club, a fossil
club, a sewing club, a baking club, a book club, a drama club, and
many more. We would list the information letting folks know when and
where we would be meeting and usually attracted a small group of
other homeschoolers who would join her for an hour or two of great
socializing.
We would also meet at local parks for play days, and I also would
help organize classes for home educators for some of her special
interests, like: gymnastics, horseback riding, figure skating,
ceramics, art. And I was always finding and taking advantage of
things that she liked to do that already had programs for home
educators, like: nature programs, craft programs, museum programs,
zoo programs, music programs, theatre programs, aquarium programs,
history programs, Native Anmerican programs, other animal programs
(local shelters, farms, dairies).
She is 16 now and believe me, she has no problem socializing! As a
matter of fact she is the one who is always organizing activities for
everyone else.
Norma
<barb@n...> wrote:
<>We live rurally with *very* few homeschoolers nearby, and we're now
starting to run into frustrations with all her friends being in school
during the day. This is a tough one, because my dd is very social and
loves to play with other kids. She gets lonely, and at times I really
don't have any ideas to solve this problem. What do other families
with only one outgoing child do??<>
Hi, Barb:
When my daughter was younger we would sit down together and choose
which of her interests she wanted to investigate more. Then we would
let it be known through our homeschool support groups that we were
organizing a club based on her interests. At various times she had a
doll club, a board games club, a chess club, a writing club, a fossil
club, a sewing club, a baking club, a book club, a drama club, and
many more. We would list the information letting folks know when and
where we would be meeting and usually attracted a small group of
other homeschoolers who would join her for an hour or two of great
socializing.
We would also meet at local parks for play days, and I also would
help organize classes for home educators for some of her special
interests, like: gymnastics, horseback riding, figure skating,
ceramics, art. And I was always finding and taking advantage of
things that she liked to do that already had programs for home
educators, like: nature programs, craft programs, museum programs,
zoo programs, music programs, theatre programs, aquarium programs,
history programs, Native Anmerican programs, other animal programs
(local shelters, farms, dairies).
She is 16 now and believe me, she has no problem socializing! As a
matter of fact she is the one who is always organizing activities for
everyone else.
Norma
Sara
Sounds like you're already on the reading road. One of the things my
son gobbled up was a phonics workbook that had stickers in it. It was
totally fun to him and he saw it in the book section of Kmart. So see
if she is interested in some books like that. They're fun and if she
likes them and wants to do them she is directing herself. Try to find
reading games too. Playing games is the other thing that got us
started. Sara
son gobbled up was a phonics workbook that had stickers in it. It was
totally fun to him and he saw it in the book section of Kmart. So see
if she is interested in some books like that. They're fun and if she
likes them and wants to do them she is directing herself. Try to find
reading games too. Playing games is the other thing that got us
started. Sara
Kelli Traaseth
----- Original Message -----
From: Barbara Chase
**So other than reading lots of stories, or seeing signs around us when we're
out and about in towns -- what do we do to have lots of stuff around to
help with the exploration of reading? Like with the art, there must be
lots of ways to explore reading (I just can't think of any - LOL!)**
How about computer games?
Some that my kids have liked to play with: Reader Rabbit, Clifford:Reading, and Treasure Cove, which is an adventure type game. It has the option of reading the questions if the player is unable.
I also think you're on the right track toward her reading. Surrounding her with the word and her seeing others around her reading, will do it!
Have fun!
Kelli~
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bill & Diane
When my kids were learning to read they loved books with just one or two
words on a page--very early toddler books and "word" books. They would
also ask me to show where it said a particular word or phrase when I was
reading to them. For months my dd wanted me to follow along with my
finger when I read to her--still does sometimes.
They also had a book with just pictures of signs they loved--again only
about one word at a time.
Some--or none--of these may work for you.
:-) Diane
Barbara Chase wrote:
words on a page--very early toddler books and "word" books. They would
also ask me to show where it said a particular word or phrase when I was
reading to them. For months my dd wanted me to follow along with my
finger when I read to her--still does sometimes.
They also had a book with just pictures of signs they loved--again only
about one word at a time.
Some--or none--of these may work for you.
:-) Diane
Barbara Chase wrote:
>So here is our reading situation. My dd has told me numerous times that
>she wants to learn to read. I'm starting to take this as a request from
>her for me to help. Even though she is in several classes, none of them
>"teach", so I don't think she has the notion to ask me to "teach" her; in
>fact, I expect that for her a teacher is someone who gives you fun
>resources to play and explore with. So, since she wants to learn to read I
>could give her fun resources to play and explore with. But, I am at a
>total loss as to what this would look like!! I must admit that I did have
>an image that she would just pick up a book one day and magically start to
>read it, perhaps after asking a few questions. My dh taught himself to
>read at a very early age, and I was the kind of kid who, if I had not been
>in school, wouldn't have been bothered to read until a very late age - and
>then would have been reading voraciously overnight. She seems to be
>somewhere in the middle.
>
joanna514
I haven't read anyone elses posts, yet. Sorry if this is redundant.
Things we do for a curious about reading, non reader.
We have lots of software like Reader Rabbit. They like to play these
every once in a while.
Gameing systems (Game Boy, play station....)require reading in lots
of the games.
If they like the game, they need help with the reading at first, but
in my experience, they eventually stop asking for help and are
figuring it out for themselves.
Reading easy readers over and over, til they can do it themselves.
Go Dog Go is my favorite.
I've had my 6yo tell me a story.
I wrote it down in his exact words in a little book we made by
folding paper. He drew pictures for it. He could "read it"
immediately.
We play question games in the car. My older dd likes to be
challenged with spelling words (cause she is good at it). My little
ones get questions like "what does duck start with"
My ds 6 wanted to learn words to write.
His first words were his name, then Dragon, Zorro, and poop.
He wrote them all the time!
He hasn't asked for more, but I do know he knows, yes, no, Enter,
Quit, Play, Stop, Exit....
We have workbooks in a basket here. They rarely look at them after
they have looked at them origianlly.
I picked up a Pokemon workbook at the thrift store yesterday.
I'm betting Jack will ask for help with it a few times then forget
about it.
I suggest the workbooks when they want some one on one time,
occasionally. But I also suggest board games, cooking, reading,
playing catch......
Nothing is off limits here, even if it looks like school. It's just
not put in higher ranking if it does happen to look like school.
Joanna
Things we do for a curious about reading, non reader.
We have lots of software like Reader Rabbit. They like to play these
every once in a while.
Gameing systems (Game Boy, play station....)require reading in lots
of the games.
If they like the game, they need help with the reading at first, but
in my experience, they eventually stop asking for help and are
figuring it out for themselves.
Reading easy readers over and over, til they can do it themselves.
Go Dog Go is my favorite.
I've had my 6yo tell me a story.
I wrote it down in his exact words in a little book we made by
folding paper. He drew pictures for it. He could "read it"
immediately.
We play question games in the car. My older dd likes to be
challenged with spelling words (cause she is good at it). My little
ones get questions like "what does duck start with"
My ds 6 wanted to learn words to write.
His first words were his name, then Dragon, Zorro, and poop.
He wrote them all the time!
He hasn't asked for more, but I do know he knows, yes, no, Enter,
Quit, Play, Stop, Exit....
We have workbooks in a basket here. They rarely look at them after
they have looked at them origianlly.
I picked up a Pokemon workbook at the thrift store yesterday.
I'm betting Jack will ask for help with it a few times then forget
about it.
I suggest the workbooks when they want some one on one time,
occasionally. But I also suggest board games, cooking, reading,
playing catch......
Nothing is off limits here, even if it looks like school. It's just
not put in higher ranking if it does happen to look like school.
Joanna
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/03 4:03:14 AM, barb@... writes:
<< what do we do to have lots of stuff around to
help with the exploration of reading? >>
Here are some things we did which were just games, not "lessons," and I
discontinued at the last sign of boredom or distraction, usually going to something
MORE fun.
Ah. Before the reading stories, that might be a good point to make. If
you're "doing math" or something with a child because they asked and you've come
up with something, be prepared to bail. And instead of bailing from something
to nothing, or seeming to quit, or worst of all, blaming them for the end of
the interaction (like "Fine, I guess you're not that interested after all" or
something that leaves a bad taste and less desire to try again later), go to
something better.
"Let's go to the park!"
or
"Are you hungry?"
or
"Do you want to play cards?"
or
"It's time for Simpson's!"
or something.
Some games we've done, for two minutes or half an hour sometimes:
mixing up labels, with sticky notes.
I would label 15 things or so (12 to 20ish) with little stick-it notes, all
in one room, like
chair
table
wall
bowl
lamp
book
couch (ours had wooden arms the note would stick to)
duck (or whatever toy is in there could be named)
box
and then mix them up, with the kid who's playing out of the room, and call
him back in.
Sometimes they did it in groups, sometimes they took turns, sometimes an
older kid who could read better gave clues.
Usually they went just by initial sound.
They couldn't "lose" or be wrong, it just might take longer.
We had flashcards of various sorts, given to us, found at thrift stores, and
have a set of little plastic word cards which were part of some school reading
program probably in the 60's. Sometimes when a kid said "I want to learn to
read" I would go through some pack of word cards and lay some out I thought
she might be able to read (this was mostly a Holly game) and lay some out and
ask if she recognized any of those. Sometimes she was too frustrated to do
much so I'd just look for some I knew she DID know, and sometimes she was really
interested, or I'd find similar words (silent e on the end or starting with
"ch") and tell her what they had in common. Those sessions never lasted very
long.
When she did feel she could read well, we did one set of cards one whole time
through and then gave them to the thrift store. That was a kind of
graduation moment for her, seeing that a set of cards designed to help learn to read
were too easy for her now.
We just used them as toys, though, not any more seriously than we would guess
what hand a quarter was in, or care about who won a rummy game or could swing
higher.
Sometimes I would list all their friends names and they could see which ones
they could read, and puzzle out the rest by elimination. Sometimes cartoon
characters or the names of their friends' dogs or last names of families we knew.
We still find parts of home-made word-strip things, with a piece of cardboard
and a strip of paper with letters that can be pulled through to change one
letter in a word, like
_ A T
with two slit-holes in the cardboard to pull through a strip of paper that
had letters which would make a word of _AT
like
B
C
F
H
M
P
and maybe some blends at the end
FL
DR
but not too many
Keep it light and fun and don't count on it to do anything more than give
them a little more confidence and a few more clues, because confidence and clues
are all they need.
Sandra
<< what do we do to have lots of stuff around to
help with the exploration of reading? >>
Here are some things we did which were just games, not "lessons," and I
discontinued at the last sign of boredom or distraction, usually going to something
MORE fun.
Ah. Before the reading stories, that might be a good point to make. If
you're "doing math" or something with a child because they asked and you've come
up with something, be prepared to bail. And instead of bailing from something
to nothing, or seeming to quit, or worst of all, blaming them for the end of
the interaction (like "Fine, I guess you're not that interested after all" or
something that leaves a bad taste and less desire to try again later), go to
something better.
"Let's go to the park!"
or
"Are you hungry?"
or
"Do you want to play cards?"
or
"It's time for Simpson's!"
or something.
Some games we've done, for two minutes or half an hour sometimes:
mixing up labels, with sticky notes.
I would label 15 things or so (12 to 20ish) with little stick-it notes, all
in one room, like
chair
table
wall
bowl
lamp
book
couch (ours had wooden arms the note would stick to)
duck (or whatever toy is in there could be named)
box
and then mix them up, with the kid who's playing out of the room, and call
him back in.
Sometimes they did it in groups, sometimes they took turns, sometimes an
older kid who could read better gave clues.
Usually they went just by initial sound.
They couldn't "lose" or be wrong, it just might take longer.
We had flashcards of various sorts, given to us, found at thrift stores, and
have a set of little plastic word cards which were part of some school reading
program probably in the 60's. Sometimes when a kid said "I want to learn to
read" I would go through some pack of word cards and lay some out I thought
she might be able to read (this was mostly a Holly game) and lay some out and
ask if she recognized any of those. Sometimes she was too frustrated to do
much so I'd just look for some I knew she DID know, and sometimes she was really
interested, or I'd find similar words (silent e on the end or starting with
"ch") and tell her what they had in common. Those sessions never lasted very
long.
When she did feel she could read well, we did one set of cards one whole time
through and then gave them to the thrift store. That was a kind of
graduation moment for her, seeing that a set of cards designed to help learn to read
were too easy for her now.
We just used them as toys, though, not any more seriously than we would guess
what hand a quarter was in, or care about who won a rummy game or could swing
higher.
Sometimes I would list all their friends names and they could see which ones
they could read, and puzzle out the rest by elimination. Sometimes cartoon
characters or the names of their friends' dogs or last names of families we knew.
We still find parts of home-made word-strip things, with a piece of cardboard
and a strip of paper with letters that can be pulled through to change one
letter in a word, like
_ A T
with two slit-holes in the cardboard to pull through a strip of paper that
had letters which would make a word of _AT
like
B
C
F
H
M
P
and maybe some blends at the end
FL
DR
but not too many
Keep it light and fun and don't count on it to do anything more than give
them a little more confidence and a few more clues, because confidence and clues
are all they need.
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/2003 11:28:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
Wilkinson6@... writes:
Reading easy readers over and over, til they can do it themselves.
Go Dog Go is my favorite.
To the tree!
To the tree!
Up the tree!
Up the tree!
Up they go to the top of the tree!
Will they work there?
Will they play there?
What will they do there on top of that tree?
It's a dog party.
A big dog party!
Big dogs and little dogs,
Black dogs and white dogs!
ALL at a dog party!
What a dog party!
~Kelly <g>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Wilkinson6@... writes:
Reading easy readers over and over, til they can do it themselves.
Go Dog Go is my favorite.
To the tree!
To the tree!
Up the tree!
Up the tree!
Up they go to the top of the tree!
Will they work there?
Will they play there?
What will they do there on top of that tree?
It's a dog party.
A big dog party!
Big dogs and little dogs,
Black dogs and white dogs!
ALL at a dog party!
What a dog party!
~Kelly <g>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/03 8:11:45 AM, tktraas@... writes:
<< How about computer games? >>
OH right!
<< It has the option of reading the questions if the player is unable.>>
You mean (I think) that the game will speak the questions aloud to the player.
Holly did instant messages and some e-mail before she could read well because
the Macintosh can be asked to read something aloud. The kids found that
command and function, I didn't.
There's stuff about video games/computer games and reading mixed in with
other stuff here:
http://sandradodd.com/games/page
Kathy Ward's article about dyslexia and gaming is linked somewhere there, too.
Sandra
<< How about computer games? >>
OH right!
<< It has the option of reading the questions if the player is unable.>>
You mean (I think) that the game will speak the questions aloud to the player.
Holly did instant messages and some e-mail before she could read well because
the Macintosh can be asked to read something aloud. The kids found that
command and function, I didn't.
There's stuff about video games/computer games and reading mixed in with
other stuff here:
http://sandradodd.com/games/page
Kathy Ward's article about dyslexia and gaming is linked somewhere there, too.
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/03 9:27:56 AM, Wilkinson6@... writes:
<< I've had my 6yo tell me a story.
I wrote it down in his exact words in a little book we made by
folding paper. He drew pictures for it. He could "read it"
immediately. >>
OH!
"My cat Cindy."
Holly's self-written book, which I transcribed from her telling and she
copied and illustrated. When that one started wearing out, she made a new version.
I 'bout had it memorized from her reading it over and over.
"My cat Cindy sat upon a dresser..."
Marty had a story on the computer which he had transcribed, and I put into a
large font and he would read it aloud. It was about the Titanic. It was
short and obnoxious, so he loved it. It was called "The Big Boat."
Sandra
<< I've had my 6yo tell me a story.
I wrote it down in his exact words in a little book we made by
folding paper. He drew pictures for it. He could "read it"
immediately. >>
OH!
"My cat Cindy."
Holly's self-written book, which I transcribed from her telling and she
copied and illustrated. When that one started wearing out, she made a new version.
I 'bout had it memorized from her reading it over and over.
"My cat Cindy sat upon a dresser..."
Marty had a story on the computer which he had transcribed, and I put into a
large font and he would read it aloud. It was about the Titanic. It was
short and obnoxious, so he loved it. It was called "The Big Boat."
Sandra
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/03 11:58:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
kbcdlovejo@... writes:
Love that book
Pam G
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
kbcdlovejo@... writes:
> Go Dog Go is my favorite.I love that one too. How cool to have a party just cuz!
>
Love that book
Pam G
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Barbara Chase
Thank you everyone, this is just the sort of thing that I needed, some
ideas that will be fun to try, and confirmation that I'm on the right path.
Also, with your ideas I am seeing that yes I am in fact giving her
resources and fun games to help her when she needs it. We've actually done
many of the ideas that you have all suggested!! She can read many books
from memory, and just loves to read aloud to us, we play various word games
in the car (our favorite is "I'm thinking of a word that starts with the
letter ___" and then the other person gets to ask questions to guess the
word), I've helped her write words that she wants to do, we spell things on
the refrigerator all the time, and a few weeks ago she produced her own ABC
book; she wrote each letter, then drew a picture of something starting with
that letter, and then asked me how to spell each word and wrote most of
them. She asked for some help with a few things, and at one point we took
a break to look at abstract art because she was getting a little frustrated
that some of her drawings weren't "perfect". Yes indeed, we are well on
our way. It's so funny that it's possible to lose sight of this.
I think I just interpreted her continual requests to mean that I wasn't
helping her. Today, after reading your posts I see her requests as meaning
that she wants more, or perhaps she is asking for another new challenge.
She's soaked up all the fun reading stuff we've done so far and wants
something new.
Once again thanks! And if anyone has any more ideas about additional fun
reading challenges I'd love to hear them.
ciao
--bc--
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
ideas that will be fun to try, and confirmation that I'm on the right path.
Also, with your ideas I am seeing that yes I am in fact giving her
resources and fun games to help her when she needs it. We've actually done
many of the ideas that you have all suggested!! She can read many books
from memory, and just loves to read aloud to us, we play various word games
in the car (our favorite is "I'm thinking of a word that starts with the
letter ___" and then the other person gets to ask questions to guess the
word), I've helped her write words that she wants to do, we spell things on
the refrigerator all the time, and a few weeks ago she produced her own ABC
book; she wrote each letter, then drew a picture of something starting with
that letter, and then asked me how to spell each word and wrote most of
them. She asked for some help with a few things, and at one point we took
a break to look at abstract art because she was getting a little frustrated
that some of her drawings weren't "perfect". Yes indeed, we are well on
our way. It's so funny that it's possible to lose sight of this.
I think I just interpreted her continual requests to mean that I wasn't
helping her. Today, after reading your posts I see her requests as meaning
that she wants more, or perhaps she is asking for another new challenge.
She's soaked up all the fun reading stuff we've done so far and wants
something new.
Once again thanks! And if anyone has any more ideas about additional fun
reading challenges I'd love to hear them.
ciao
--bc--
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tia Leschke
> Nothing is off limits here, even if it looks like school. It's justI like the way you put that.
> not put in higher ranking if it does happen to look like school.
Another thing about reading is that the child in the original post *is*
starting to read. I think it's good to point that out, something I didn't
do with my son and wish I had. I still considered him a non-reader when he
*could* read some words, and he probably thought it would be too hard to get
the label Reader.
Tia
leschke@...
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where
there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
24hrmom
<<Keep it light and fun and don't count on it to do anything more than give
them a little more confidence and a few more clues, because confidence and clues
are all they need.
Sandra>>
Yikes!! I lost this whole message in a freak power glitch on a nice, sunny day. This is me having taken a few deep breaths and rewriting (I thought Outlook would have saved my draft every 5 mins .. aaarrrgh, not). So ....
A couple of nights ago my 6yo son leaned over while we were laying bed together and said "I really want to learn how to read but only if I don't have to go to school." I assured him he didn't and that he could learn it on his own.
All the suggestions int his thread have been great!! I think though, that the advice above is really important. Even when they express an interest, don't get invested in the idea that they will be "reading" soon or it will just become an experience in frustration for everyone involved. Keep it light and fun and interesting for them.
Since Michael mentioned this I have been paying extra attention to the reading connections around us. If we come across a short word or two I sound them out for him (no more than 10-15 seconds) - this is something he used to ask me not to do but he doesn't seem to mind now. I point out words I know he already recognizes (from his games and interests - play, exit, scooby-doo, on, off etc.). I'll probably install and reading computer game or two and start them up to see if he's interested, or not. I'll ask regularly if he'd like to read a book together - we used to read Scooby-Doo books every night but lately he wants to watch the show instead. I'll make a point of playing video games with him more often so I can read more of those words, so that even though he's figured out how to play them on his own, I can bring out more of the storyline, if he's so inclined. We do have fun playing with rhyming words - we take turns coming up with words that rhyme until we run out of them and start making up new ones. I can transfer that game to reading like Sandra mentioned with her __ AT example. Find what they already enjoy and extend the reading component for them, but only while it's fun.
Just this morning he was playing on the Scooby-Doo website and I pointed out to him the words he had read - "play" and "exit" (I could tell he had read them by what he was doing and what he was asking me help with). For one game he was typing in a question and he asked me how to spell the words. I sounded out the shorter words, and the longer ones that made sense, as I was spelling and he didn't object.
And later this morning when I was walking to the mailbox I thought up a game he might like. I'll write down the words he already knows along with some other words that he/we could sound out or recognize easily on separate pieces of paper and we could mix them up to create and read "silly sentences". He seems to like that kind of stuff. Or maybe not. We'll see.
Just keep your eyes open for connections with their everyday life and interests.
Oh, and one other thing. Don't tell them there are things they can't do until they learn to read. It's amazing what they will figure out on their own without reading (I remember Sandra's computer game story along these lines). For example, my daughter got the Harry Potter Clue game for her birthday this past spring (it's jsut like the old Clue game but set at Hogwarts with Harry Poter characters etc). When we first played I played with Michael so I could read the cards and mark down the clues. When a few weeks ago he wanted to play on his own, I said sure. I didn't tell he couldn't play because he doesn't read yet. Though in the back of my mind I was wondering how I could allow him to win once in a while so he didn't get discouraged. I needn't have worried! He had the cards and the board memorized. He makes meaningful guesses and remembers the clues all on his own. It's just amazing watching him search his mind to remember all the info when he gets to Fluffy to make his guess. Soemtimes he'll ask me to read out all the spells so he can sort out in his mind which one hasn't been played, and he always figures it out on his own. We play together quite often and he wins regularly ... definitely more often than I do!
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
them a little more confidence and a few more clues, because confidence and clues
are all they need.
Sandra>>
Yikes!! I lost this whole message in a freak power glitch on a nice, sunny day. This is me having taken a few deep breaths and rewriting (I thought Outlook would have saved my draft every 5 mins .. aaarrrgh, not). So ....
A couple of nights ago my 6yo son leaned over while we were laying bed together and said "I really want to learn how to read but only if I don't have to go to school." I assured him he didn't and that he could learn it on his own.
All the suggestions int his thread have been great!! I think though, that the advice above is really important. Even when they express an interest, don't get invested in the idea that they will be "reading" soon or it will just become an experience in frustration for everyone involved. Keep it light and fun and interesting for them.
Since Michael mentioned this I have been paying extra attention to the reading connections around us. If we come across a short word or two I sound them out for him (no more than 10-15 seconds) - this is something he used to ask me not to do but he doesn't seem to mind now. I point out words I know he already recognizes (from his games and interests - play, exit, scooby-doo, on, off etc.). I'll probably install and reading computer game or two and start them up to see if he's interested, or not. I'll ask regularly if he'd like to read a book together - we used to read Scooby-Doo books every night but lately he wants to watch the show instead. I'll make a point of playing video games with him more often so I can read more of those words, so that even though he's figured out how to play them on his own, I can bring out more of the storyline, if he's so inclined. We do have fun playing with rhyming words - we take turns coming up with words that rhyme until we run out of them and start making up new ones. I can transfer that game to reading like Sandra mentioned with her __ AT example. Find what they already enjoy and extend the reading component for them, but only while it's fun.
Just this morning he was playing on the Scooby-Doo website and I pointed out to him the words he had read - "play" and "exit" (I could tell he had read them by what he was doing and what he was asking me help with). For one game he was typing in a question and he asked me how to spell the words. I sounded out the shorter words, and the longer ones that made sense, as I was spelling and he didn't object.
And later this morning when I was walking to the mailbox I thought up a game he might like. I'll write down the words he already knows along with some other words that he/we could sound out or recognize easily on separate pieces of paper and we could mix them up to create and read "silly sentences". He seems to like that kind of stuff. Or maybe not. We'll see.
Just keep your eyes open for connections with their everyday life and interests.
Oh, and one other thing. Don't tell them there are things they can't do until they learn to read. It's amazing what they will figure out on their own without reading (I remember Sandra's computer game story along these lines). For example, my daughter got the Harry Potter Clue game for her birthday this past spring (it's jsut like the old Clue game but set at Hogwarts with Harry Poter characters etc). When we first played I played with Michael so I could read the cards and mark down the clues. When a few weeks ago he wanted to play on his own, I said sure. I didn't tell he couldn't play because he doesn't read yet. Though in the back of my mind I was wondering how I could allow him to win once in a while so he didn't get discouraged. I needn't have worried! He had the cards and the board memorized. He makes meaningful guesses and remembers the clues all on his own. It's just amazing watching him search his mind to remember all the info when he gets to Fluffy to make his guess. Soemtimes he'll ask me to read out all the spells so he can sort out in his mind which one hasn't been played, and he always figures it out on his own. We play together quite often and he wins regularly ... definitely more often than I do!
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
24hrmom
<<Another thing about reading is that the child in the original post *is*
starting to read. I think it's good to point that out, something I didn't
do with my son and wish I had. I still considered him a non-reader when he
*could* read some words, and he probably thought it would be too hard to get
the label Reader.
Tia>>
That's a great point, Tia.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I do point out to my son the words he does read and understand now that he's interested, mostly I think because this was (and still is in a way) a big issue with my 9yo daughter. She came home and we started unschooling in the middle of grade 2 and she was convinced she couldn't read and that it was too difficult. I didn't push it at all, just dropped it altogether and we all got into the Harry Potter series, she especially, and I read aloud regularly for the next year.
I eventually came to realize that her definition of being able to read was to be able to sit down and read a large chapter book (like Harry Potter). And she disliked the early readers and such intensely. She would tell anyone and everyone who mentioned it that she couldn't read, and nothing I said would convince her otherwise. I occasionally pointed out to her that she could read quite a few words and that she just hadn't met them all yet. I mentioned that I was still coming across new words, nobody knows them all! I told that if she was interested in reading a book herself, she could just ask me any words she came across that she didn't know yet and I'd tell her. No thanks, was her reply.
After a few more months I noticed that she was reading signs while we were driving, commercial stuff on TV etc that she wasn't before. I just continued to point this out to her every so often. Lo and behold about a month ago she was chatting/teasing with her older brother about something and I heard her say "I can read, you know!". Woohoo!!! It may not seem like much, but I feel like she has turned a corner. It's no longer about her "being a reader", it's about her being interested in reading. And I didn't "do" anything except occasionally point out to her what reading she was already doing.
After me reading Harry Potter aloud very regularly over the past year (books 1-4 four times each, and #5 once), we have gotten them on CD and she is listening to them often (she just spent the last 3 days in her room listening to book 5 again .. she loves when I bring food & drinks up to her). I know she loves a good story. And although she hasn't ventured to pick up a book on her own yet, I know now it's just a matter of time and finding something interesting enough.
Hmmm ... maybe the Puppy Patrol pack in the book orders this month, I'll have to mention it to her (she loves dogs and is eager to volunteer at our local humane society shelter walking and feeding the animals - another thing for me to follow up on!). Or poetry, she seems to really enjoy the one book of young kids poetry she has ...
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
starting to read. I think it's good to point that out, something I didn't
do with my son and wish I had. I still considered him a non-reader when he
*could* read some words, and he probably thought it would be too hard to get
the label Reader.
Tia>>
That's a great point, Tia.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I do point out to my son the words he does read and understand now that he's interested, mostly I think because this was (and still is in a way) a big issue with my 9yo daughter. She came home and we started unschooling in the middle of grade 2 and she was convinced she couldn't read and that it was too difficult. I didn't push it at all, just dropped it altogether and we all got into the Harry Potter series, she especially, and I read aloud regularly for the next year.
I eventually came to realize that her definition of being able to read was to be able to sit down and read a large chapter book (like Harry Potter). And she disliked the early readers and such intensely. She would tell anyone and everyone who mentioned it that she couldn't read, and nothing I said would convince her otherwise. I occasionally pointed out to her that she could read quite a few words and that she just hadn't met them all yet. I mentioned that I was still coming across new words, nobody knows them all! I told that if she was interested in reading a book herself, she could just ask me any words she came across that she didn't know yet and I'd tell her. No thanks, was her reply.
After a few more months I noticed that she was reading signs while we were driving, commercial stuff on TV etc that she wasn't before. I just continued to point this out to her every so often. Lo and behold about a month ago she was chatting/teasing with her older brother about something and I heard her say "I can read, you know!". Woohoo!!! It may not seem like much, but I feel like she has turned a corner. It's no longer about her "being a reader", it's about her being interested in reading. And I didn't "do" anything except occasionally point out to her what reading she was already doing.
After me reading Harry Potter aloud very regularly over the past year (books 1-4 four times each, and #5 once), we have gotten them on CD and she is listening to them often (she just spent the last 3 days in her room listening to book 5 again .. she loves when I bring food & drinks up to her). I know she loves a good story. And although she hasn't ventured to pick up a book on her own yet, I know now it's just a matter of time and finding something interesting enough.
Hmmm ... maybe the Puppy Patrol pack in the book orders this month, I'll have to mention it to her (she loves dogs and is eager to volunteer at our local humane society shelter walking and feeding the animals - another thing for me to follow up on!). Or poetry, she seems to really enjoy the one book of young kids poetry she has ...
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 9/10/03 01:35:06 PM Central Daylight Time, leschke@...
writes:
Another thing about reading is that the child in the original post *is*
starting to read. I think it's good to point that out, something I didn't
do with my son and wish I had. I still considered him a non-reader when he
*could* read some words, and he probably thought it would be too hard to get
the label Reader.
Tia
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I scrapbook and have lots of supplies. I don't know how many of you who do
this, but one of the things I made for my kids were ABC scrapbooks. I went
through pictures and picked out things that went with each letter and made a page
for each. I had trouble with some letters, but for example, the letter Z, I
made a page for Jack about his friend Zack. For the letter Q I had pictures of
the kids with their Uncle Will at the races and labeled it Quickly. Both kids
still have their books, and look through them often. Two years ago I made Jack
some more books on this theme. He went through pictures and I made pages based
on what he told me about the ones he had picked. He loves his picture books,
and reads through them all the time.
~Nancy
Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the
dark place where it leads.
Erica Jong
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
writes:
> Nothing is off limits here, even if it looks like school. It's justI like the way you put that.
> not put in higher ranking if it does happen to look like school.
Another thing about reading is that the child in the original post *is*
starting to read. I think it's good to point that out, something I didn't
do with my son and wish I had. I still considered him a non-reader when he
*could* read some words, and he probably thought it would be too hard to get
the label Reader.
Tia
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I scrapbook and have lots of supplies. I don't know how many of you who do
this, but one of the things I made for my kids were ABC scrapbooks. I went
through pictures and picked out things that went with each letter and made a page
for each. I had trouble with some letters, but for example, the letter Z, I
made a page for Jack about his friend Zack. For the letter Q I had pictures of
the kids with their Uncle Will at the races and labeled it Quickly. Both kids
still have their books, and look through them often. Two years ago I made Jack
some more books on this theme. He went through pictures and I made pages based
on what he told me about the ones he had picked. He loves his picture books,
and reads through them all the time.
~Nancy
Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the
dark place where it leads.
Erica Jong
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Bronwen
http://www.starfall.com/
here is schoolish but fun site for reading games- Gordy (almost 3) loves
it.
Bronwen
here is schoolish but fun site for reading games- Gordy (almost 3) loves
it.
Bronwen
Betsy
** So, since she wants to learn to read I
could give her fun resources to play and explore with. But, I am at a
total loss as to what this would look like!!**
One reading resource that we had a lot of fun with when my son was at
this stage is the PBS TV show Between the Lions. It takes several
approaches to literacy that I think are worthwhile. (If you don't like
TV or puppets, then ignore this message. <g>)
Betsy
could give her fun resources to play and explore with. But, I am at a
total loss as to what this would look like!!**
One reading resource that we had a lot of fun with when my son was at
this stage is the PBS TV show Between the Lions. It takes several
approaches to literacy that I think are worthwhile. (If you don't like
TV or puppets, then ignore this message. <g>)
Betsy
Carolyn Ashley-Wheeler
I enjoyed that! : - )) Carolyn
----- Original Message -----
From: <kbcdlovejo@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 4:55 PM
Subject: Re: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Re: Intro + Reading Q
> In a message dated 9/10/2003 11:28:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> Wilkinson6@... writes:
> Reading easy readers over and over, til they can do it themselves.
> Go Dog Go is my favorite.
> To the tree!
> To the tree!
> Up the tree!
> Up the tree!
> Up they go to the top of the tree!
> Will they work there?
> Will they play there?
> What will they do there on top of that tree?
>
> It's a dog party.
> A big dog party!
> Big dogs and little dogs,
> Black dogs and white dogs!
> ALL at a dog party!
> What a dog party!
>
> ~Kelly <g>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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>
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