Checklist for Reading Readiness

Learning to read is a significant milestone in a child's education. After all, it's the gateway to the worlds of books and print media. Some parents feel that they need to press their children to begin reading early - there are even programs to "teach" your baby to read (ask me about that later) - but I'd like to offer a checklist of sorts to help you evaluate your child's readiness to read. This is adapted from an article from All About Learning Press.

Print Awareness
__ Your child knows the proper way to hold a book.
__ Your child understands that books are read from front cover to back.
__ Your child understands that words and sentences are read from left to right.
__ Your child knows that words on the page can be read.

Phonological Awareness
__ Your child can rhyme words. If you say bat, your child can find a rhyming word like hat.
__ Your child can identify the separate words in a sentence.
__ Your child can clap syllables. If you say dog, your child knows to clap once. If you say umbrella, your child knows to clap three times.
__ Your child can identify the beginning sound in a word.
__ Your child can identify the ending sound in a word.

Letter Knowledge
__ Your child can recite the alphabet.
__ Your child recognizes the letters in their capital form.
__ Your child recognizes the letters in their lowercase form.
__ Your child points out familiar letters on signs, in stores, or on packages.

Listening Comprehension
__ Your child is able to retell a familiar story in his own words.
__ Your child can answer simple questions about a story.
__ Your child asks questions during read-alouds, such as Why did the elephant laugh?


Motivation to Read
While it can be difficult to determine whether a child is motivated to do something, your knowledge and observations of your child should help you. Motivation is a key factor in success with reading - some children are ready early, while others need more time to build the desire. Early exposure to reading aloud should help build this motivation. The following are all signs that your child is likely motivated to read and has achieved the understanding that reading is fun.
__ Does your child enjoy being read to, at least for short periods of time?
__ Does your child pretend to read or write?
__ Does your child frequently request read-aloud time and show enthusiasm for books?
__ Does your child often ask you what a word says that he sees on a sign or in a book?

Scoring the Checklist
If all or most of the boxes are checked, then I believe it is safe to say that your child is ready to learn to read. If there are some missing checkmarks, you have identified the areas that you should work on with your child.

Be a student of your child - tune in to his readiness rather than setting a schedule that satisfies the cultural "norm" or peer pressure of other parents you know. Working with your child's developmental readiness will lay the groundwork for much less stress in your educational endeavors.

Kelly

It's All About Spelling

We all have memories of spelling lessons - for some of us, spelling was easy, for some it was a chronic challenge.  I don't know why it worked that way, but I do know that spelling is important to our ability to communicate clearly.  Sure spell check is a helpful feature of word processors, but not everything we do will be electronic ... you have to write some things by hand, at least occasionally.
I've talked about learning styles and how we need to select our educational programs based on our children's learning styles.  So many of the spelling programs developed by curriculum companies seem to be directed to visual learners, but a few are designed to work with all learning styles.  All About Spelling is one of these, incorporating sight, sound and touch in multisensory lessons that involve the students physically.

All About Spelling is laid out in logical sequence, with each lesson building on the previous lesson.  Progression is based on mastery, to ensure that a solid foundation is established for success as the spelling words get harder.  Continual practice keeps that foundation firm and the concepts fresh.

The Basic Interactive Pack includes letter tiles, magnets, phonogram CD-ROM, and index divider cards - essential materials for using the program.  Each program level includes teacher's manual and student packets.

Don't choose the program level based on your child's grade level.  This program is designed to work from the foundation up, so you need to ensure you have that firm foundation.  It is recommended that those new to All About Spelling begin with Level 1.  However, you can start with Level 2 if your child

• has mastered the phonograms from a to z, plus ch, th, sh, ng, and ck - able to pronounce and spell them from dictation
• can segment words into their individual sounds
• can spell most 3-letter words, and
• can easily write simple sentences

Whether you have older students for whom you haven't found the right tool for spelling success, or you have younger students and are just getting started with spelling, All About Spelling may just be the answer you seek. If I were still teaching elementary students, I would be using this program.  How 'bout you?

Kelly

Had Your "Box Day" Yet?

Box Day? What's a "Box Day," you ask?

Well, I suppose this term is better known in Sonlighter circles - among those who use Sonlight Curriculum. It refers to the day that your Sonlight order is delivered and you discover a big box (or two) at your front door. If your timing is good, you might catch the FedEx man when he brings it, and you can ask him to bring it inside for you. That can save you some significant weightlifting.

If you have spent any time on the Sonlight Forums, you have probably seen posts where Sonlighters have shared their Box Day experiences and pictures. Though the environment may look different, the general features of the pictures are quite similar - stacks of books, smiling children either sitting among the stacks or draped on a couch with a selected book, jumping ahead of the reading schedule. In our early days with Sonlight, there was also a dusting of packing pellets which had to be gathered from the various places to which they clung. Nowadays, since Sonlight switched to using crushed paper to protect the books, there isn't as much involved in cleaning up after unpacking. Some families actually take the paper, smooth it out flat, fold it accordion-style, and set it aside for art projects. What a great way to recycle! I am going to start doing this to save paper for my grandchildren's artwork.

As I've spoken to several customers in recent weeks, I've begun to hear their stories ...

"I was floored by the Sonlight material [at the convention]. Flipping through the IG, it hit me that this is what I needed. Looking through the content, I realized that this is what my 6-year-old son needed!! My husband and I love the focus on world history and the people of the world that have not yet beenr eached with the Gospel ....We came home and ordered .... The box came. I was beside myself excited! Our 6 year old wasn't all that interested in the big white box. Until...I opened it. I am an 'inventory the box' kind of person. He came over to the rug where I was neatly piling the box. He pulled out one on Ancient Egypt and another and another. I watched his eyes get wide and excited. You know you've picked the right curriculum when this question immediately follows. 'WHEN can we start?! Do we HAVE to wait for August?' I haven't started our school year yet, but we are both very excited about what is in store." Elizabeth P, TN

"We have almost finished our first week of school and are really enjoying the program!" Jena H, FL

I'd love to hear your Box Day stories. Share them as a comment, or e-mail me at klutman@sonlight.com. Until then, I pray that your school year is a blessed one ....

Kelly