Concerning Learning To Read

Are there any lessons more essential in the beginning of "school" instruction than learning to read ?? And fostering a true LOVE of reading ?? The key, at least for this homeschool Mom, is to teach each child in such a way that he / she is best able to learn - and finding that wildly varied method for each child has been a bit of a challege for me !

We were blessed with 3 very strong readers who did not struggle in their early learning at all. They used Abeka with the Christian school they were then attending. They quickly learned letters, and in less than one year of instruction were reading on 6-7-8-9th grade levels with minimal assistance. It was amazing, and caused me to grossly underestimate the difficulty that can be faced for learning to read (for the child and the teacher).

Just a few years later, I was humbled and came to see "learning to read" in a whole new light. This new lesson came when Cherub 4 was first beginning to learn to read (he was 5yo). It is just now (age 9 1/2yo) that he is finally reading well after years of hard work (and TOO MUCH of his own frustration). And now, just this year, our 5th child is beginning (or trying, at least) to read. And waiting in the wings, we have yet one remaining non-reader (he is 4 1/2 yo).

As I said, Cherub 4 struggled VERY much with learning to read and with phonics, no matter which program or style of learning we selected (Abeka, Rod & Staff, 100 EZ Lessons, Bob Jones, Seton, and more). We worked orally, with workbooks and worksheets, with games, with computer programs and DVD / Videos ... NOTHING WORKED. And he sooooo wanted to read - he was filled with pure desparation (his own) !! In the end, what worked best for him FINALLY was the McGuffey's Readers (which we are still using even now - we will have worked through the whole series by next summer). Tried and true for many many years past, these "did the trick" for him, so much so that he advanced three "grade levels" of reading in less than one calendar year. HOORAY !! He was nearly 9yo before his actual reading finally began. He is now reading "on grade level" with great enthusiasm and quickly moving ahead of even that level. He is finishing up the next-to-last book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series (which he has loved !). Privately, as his mother, my biggest worry through all of those struggles past was that somewhere in the learning-to-read process he would grow to hate reading. We all thank God every day that Cherub 4's heart did not turn this way, and that at long last he loves to read despite the enourmous difficulties he faced. It is interesting now to see - he is extremely encouraging of others who are learning to read, and is the most patient "helper" we have ever had. He will sit for hours and listen to Cherub 5 work out word after word, or will sit and work with letter tiles trying to make words (all the while trying to show her how to :sound out" and trying to teach her the "rules" to reading). He will also read story book after story book to Cherub 6 during his free time, and will often be the first to volunteer to read aloud when all of the children are working together. It seems after all he went through, he has the "patience of a saint", to borrow the phrase. Praise the Lord !!

Now, our current challenge is Cherub 5 who started with McGuffey's as well, mostly because it is what we had on hand when we started on our school work again after our housefire, and she said she wanted to learn to read (and had the necessary "skills" to indicate readiness). She appeared to be making consistant progress until recently .... when we realized that she had "stalled out". So -- what was the problem ?? Well, it seems she is greatly determined to "memorize" ALL of the words she "reads" (which may help a little now, but will undermine her reading ability greatly eventually if it continues only by memorization - my opinion). It has become very clear that she is having great difficulty working through how words and letters actually work (phonics). So, we are back to the drawing board ... again.

I found this post http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/lklivingston/391517/ along with two sepatate Yahoo Groups. Each of these pertain to Charlotte Mason's methods for teaching reading. WHAT A BLESSING !! I have already learned so much !! Cherub 5 has begun (just this past week) to RELAX and is saying that she is ready to try "something new" (again).

Charlotte Mason was truly gifted - she had an incredible understanding of children and education. I wish I could thank her personally, on behalf of our little family, for all that her wisdom has been for us throughout our homeschooling (and our lives too !). I wonder if, back then, she had even a hint of the many many lives her methods would teach well beyond her own lifetime ??

In the mean while, please pray for Cherub 5. She is by far the MOST impatient child we have (so far) ... her sheer determination to learn to read is at this point defeating her. She is unable to use "phonics skills" and is too proud (yet) to admit that on most days, so much so that she nearly refuses to work on "baby lessons" to build these skills. (We are aware that this is a heart AND discipline issue, and we are working on it with much dedication.) All of this is happening even though she KNOWS in her heart of these difficulties and has said as much in weakened tearful moments of frustration. And to add to this, she is very proud, a bit stubborn, and fiercely competative. She will say very bolding if asked (publicly) that she CAN read ... and will turn to a page in her McGuffey reader and will begin "reading" .... often without even looking at the words, and sometimes while "reading" words on a page that are actually printed on the next. Oh yes - we have a challenging bit of work ahead of us - and I am very concerned again that the process will create a hate of reading.

And finally, I am left to wonder ... wil Cherub 6 have any difficulties ?? Or will he "breeze" through as our first three children did ?? And what will be THE method by which he learns to read ??

The heart-felt questions seem endless for THIS homeschool Mom ....