Learning to Read Doesn’t Require Worksheets
Copy machines have only been around so long. That means worksheets and printables have only been around so long as well.
How on earth did people learn to read before the invention of the copy machine?!
It seems that no matter where you look, you see lots of worksheets and workbooks required in learning to read. I’m here to tell you that I taught all three of my children to read without worksheets.
An occasional chart? Fine. Some flash cards? Sure. But no sitting down to complete worksheet after worksheet.
In fact, my oldest child would never sit very long to do any sort of paper and pencil activity when he was quite young. I had to interest him in another way!
Here’s the basics of what I did and what you can do with your little one too!
Get your child excited about the ABCs!
You can listen to songs. You can do dances. You can watch cartoons. You can even find numerous toys that bring excitement into learning the ABCs.
Name the letters. Talk about “the sound they make.”
If your child has learned some animals and the sounds they make, your child can essentially do the same for the letters.
Use hands-on letters.
Instead of just flat pictures on ABC cards, consider foam bath ABCs, refrigerator magnet ABCs, and even ways to shape the ABCs. Wiki sticks (wax covered yarn) and play-do are wonderful ways to play with the letters.
Name items by the letter they start with.
This is called initial letter sounds. You pick up a ball and say /b/ for ball. Be careful not to say “buh” and don’t add and “uh” sound. It can be confusing to children. You can play I SPY looking around you or in picture books you look at.
Rhyme
Sing songs with rhyme. Read books with rhyme. Play games with Rhyme. You can do this while you drive in the car! Tell your child a pair of words and ask if they rhyme or don’t rhyme. This can be tricky!!! If you give your child “bat” and “ball” and your child thinks the words rhyme, they’re getting rhyming sounds and initial letter sounds confused. Go back to reading more rhyming books together and pointing out the pairs. Get their little ears used to hearing rhyme.
Keep letters out and available.
I find that if you keep ABCs out (as in on the refrigerator) your child is more likely to play with them, and YOU are more likely to remember to work in some play/practice.
Don’t worry, if your child is a little destructive you do NOT have to put all the letters out at the same time. You can start slowly. Pick out letters in your child’s name or letters for Mom or Dad. You can start with any word or name that will interest your child. When my first child was little, it was Thomas the Train.
Show your child how to make a 3 letter word like “can” or “map.”
These are called CVC words, and most of the time the vowel is short. You can scale this by doing a few two letter words like “in” or “up.” You will have to show your child and have your child imitate you before you expect your child to do it on his own. It may take months. It may take weeks.
Certainly there is more to reading than just reading 3 letter words. However, if you can get your child this far, and you’re still doing these activities and encouraging book reading with your child, your child is far more likely to be an early reader and a solid reader. They will have mastered what is known as the closed syllable, which is the most common syllable time in the English language.
Each time you read a book with your child, you can point out new words or new letter sounds. As a gradual process, it can be effective without overwhelming your child.
If you want to know more or even see videos and examples of how I taught my children to read, be sure to check out The Parent Teacher Bridge Store. My course, “A Busy Mom’s Guide to Teaching Your Child to Read” will guide you from day one to finally reading short vowel words.
Remember, YOU are your child’s most influential teacher.