Please share your reading expectations for emerging readers

[RachelFlores]

Dd has been reading cvc words since October, but it is still hard for her. We have added blends and digraphs. Blends are ok, digraphs not so much unless I remind her (she always trys to sound them out separately first). We've recently started adding cvcE and EE words. Reading a new book takes a lot of time for dd and she makes a lot of mistakes. She doesn't fight reading, but it isn't her first choice when we are doing schoolwork. She never chooses to read a book on her own (look at picture books, yes, but not read). I keep waiting for things to click and for reading to get easier for her. Is it going to get easier for her? Is it just a matter of practicing? Do most children have a moment when reading clicks for them or am I expecting something that isn't going to happen?

 

I was a natural reader. I can't remember reading ever being hard (that doesn't mean it wasn't, just I don't remember it). I really want dd to love reading the way I do and want to do everything I can to help her including making sure my expectations are realistic. Please help. :bigear:

[Amy Jo]

Well I'm all ears since my eldest can now sound out and blend but is not fluent. From what I've read she needs to read easy readers - a lot of them. An easy reader means she knows most of the words and can read it fluently / without sounding out.

 

Now, for my eldest that would be limited to I See Sam books. I tried the DIBELs 1st grade book and that was to much. (DIBELs are short stories you can use for repeat readings to work on fluency). But he has no true easy readers right now.

 

I'm going to go with a Victory Drill style approach, probably using Webster's or this phonics drill book (the drill section is in the last part).

 

Now with my 6 yo, I'm going to have him start reading more to me (books like "Frog and Toad" for 10m/day), and I expect him to not have problems. So it depends on the child.

 

Amy

[ElizabethB]

It takes a lot of practice sounding out words for fluent reading to come.

 

Also, until you can completely sound out anything, reading books if quite difficult. With my daughter, I taught her to sound out anything, up to 6 and 7 syllable words in Webster's Speller, before I allowed her to read a book--before that, she would guess when she read a book, and I have seen the poor results of guessing in my remedial students. When she completed the Speller, she could read out of the KJV or other 12th grade material with no problems.

 

In my experience with my remedial students, the best way in the long run to obtain a good reader with good fluency is more drill in phonics, and working on phonics and spelling skills until any word can be sounded out quickly.

 

My free concentration game is a good way to practice that is fun.

 

Here is how Webster's Speller is coming with my son--my daughter completed the Speller by the end of K, I don't expect him to get there until the end of 1st grade, at which time he will be ready to read anything--up to 12th grade material.

 

You also want to make sure you are teaching sight words phonetically--that can slow down reading in the long run. Here is how and why:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/sightwords.html

Edited February 2, 2011 by ElizabethB

[RachelFlores]

Thank you, we will keep practicing. We started with Phonics Pathways, but dd wanted to read books so we shifted to Bob books and now are doing Starfall.com (which really helps with her desire for reading), but I think we will go back to Phonics Pathways along with starfall and just keep practicing every day.

[Princess Peach]

I have to put a plug in for the I See Sam readers here. You can purchase them, but the first two sets are free here. You can also download free flashcards here.

 

My youngest has made great strides in just one week using these. He has gone from sounding out every single word to actually reading the words. He loves the characters in the stories, too. He loves reading time now!