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Brainsarefun Reading is always free and does not require you to purchase any special books or materials. You will never be asked to sign up for, or pay, anything. While emphasizing remediation and acceleration, it is also very appropriate for introducing new readers to reading success. When is it appropriate to start? Read through the entire solution and begin with the most appropriate ideas tonight. If the child resists simply stop, pick up your materials and ask the child if you may read to him or her. You do all the reading. See Reading Aloud to Your Children.
Cooperation before instruction is
the basic requirement of all sound teaching and learning. Before
beginning this solution insure cooperation by completing Contracts
that Put Your Children and Students In Charge of Winning.
SUMMARY: Because I have used this system, and seen it proven time and time again, I know it works. Kids succeed and start to think of themselves as smart and capable of achieving academically. They accelerate their ability to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and do math. They are allowed to succeed.
The Brainsarefun Success with Reading Solution is a field tested program that accelerates reading skills with nearly all students, new readers to those struggling with reading at grade level, to those who would like to read above grade level. The solution hones listening skills, develops speaking skills, improves writing and the ability to focus. It builds a framework that allows students to start on time, stay on task, complete assignments. It works! Really well! It reduces struggles around homework, and its practice turns teachers into master teachers and helps parents and children forge new unity and work together.
The solution works with all ages, all abilities, preschool through adult:
- New readers.
- Kids who needs to catch up to grade level.
- Kids anxious to accelerate one or more years above grade level.
- Kids who need test confidence.
Brainsarefun Reading is designed to be used primarily by parents, at home, in as few as 15 - 30 minutes, four or five days a week. Teachers will find equal success in the classroom.
The program is designed to integrate with Contracts that Put Your Children & Students in Charge of Winning, available for free copying by clicking on the link.
READING IS THE ESSENTIAL COMPETENCY
Mastering how to read is the essential competency. Children who learn to read two full years above grade level are those with the best chance of succeeding in life. Children who fail to master this basic skill are left behind. What can parents and teachers do?
Parents, this evening, sit
down with your children,
no matter what their age, and read aloud to them for fifteen
minutes. The parent does all the reading. Do not make the mistake
of setting the child up for more failure by having the child read
aloud. The child will get plenty of chance to show off later (see
below), but right now adults take the lead. The single activity
of reading aloud to your child - which is a trust and family unity
activity - is at the core of Brainsarefun. What to read, you will find
good suggestions below, some of which can be printed out for free, and
legally, today. I use my public library for books and other free media.
Keep reading aloud to your children 15 - 30 minutes a night,
four or more days a week, until they are 18 or out of the house.At
first it may feel hard for you. Don't worry about it. Just do it. This
is not a reading test. This is a way for everyone to do something
meaningful together at the end of the day.
Most parents report having read to their children while they were young, but admit to having abandoned the practice around the age of five. This is a great opportunity. If you have kids, read to them. Parents, Teachers, read to them. A short list of recommended books is here: Books to Read Aloud to Your Children.
To determine your child's current reading ability, Test Your Child's Ability to Read
ONE - Assure children and students that you are not going to quiz them. Everyone is embarrassed by failure. Brainsarefun Reading must not be another failure. Children are fearful that you are going to ask them one more "trick" question to which they don't know the answer; that they are going to be asked to do one more thing at which they will fail. They are afraid of failing in front of mom and dad, grandparents, friends and family, teachers. It's your job to set them up for success -- the goal of Brainsarefun Reading. "Do not ask any question to which you haven't first given the answer."
TWO - Do not single out children to read aloud in front of brothers, sisters, parents, friends, aunts, uncles or classmates. Do not place them in situations where your trust will be jeopardized, where they are likely to interrupted or quizzed by adults who are trying to be helpful. Children with poor reading skills have failed enough, and are very reluctant to try again. When they say, "I hate reading," they really mean it.
THREE - Postpone your corrections and suggestions for improvement. Practice replacing criticism with catching children doing something right and rewarding them immediately.
FOUR - Students, of all ages, must be on contracts that allow them to win. See The Brainsarefun Homework Solution.
FIVE - Stop your "Why?" questions. "Why can't you read better?" "Why don't you like school?" "Why did you do that?" Children don't usually know the answers to these questions. Remember, stop asking questions to which they don't know the answers. The answer to why a child is failing at school is usually pretty simple. Siegfried Engelmann, the father of Direct Instruction, sums it up this way, "If the student hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught."
SIX - Begin by saying, "Son/Daughter, reading
is so important to me that I'd like you to be able to earn money
for letting me read with you. I'd like to set up a time to discuss
this. Are you willing?" At the appointed time, sit down
and read to your child for fifteen - thirty minutes. Involve the
whole family. Read for thirty minutes as many evenings as you
are able. Remember, adults do all the reading.
SEVEN - Consistency, contracts, delaying criticism,
catching children doing something right, immediate rewards, these
are the keys to your child's reading success.
EIGHT - Break down words into their component parts and teach each part to mastery.
With an estimated 40 - 50% of American school children not able to read at grade level, the subject of which reading program works the best has become the topic of enormous political debate. However, the evidence is clear that programs that contain the essential elements of Brainsarefun Reading are the most effective.
Why does Brainsarefun Reading work so well?
- It is rooted in phonics instruction
- It is fast
- It teaches to mastery
- It requires participation
- It teaches the forty-four sounds and the 196 combinations of the twenty-six letters
- It introduces children to new vocabulary
- It demands focus
- It refines writing and speaking
- It encourages information organization
- It is inexpensive
- It requires the purchase of no special materials
- It can be done quickly
- It can be used anywhere
- It forces teachers, parents and students into close proximity
- It floods the student with success
- It can be used with one student or a classroom of students
- It never embarrasses
- It takes advantage of two of a person's strongest assets: self-correction and mimicry
- It works with all types of learning and teaching styles
- It can be easily learned by parents and teachers
- It goes beyond basic literacy to fluency
- It's fun
- It's effective
- It works
There is no program, with which I am familiar, that floods the student so rapidly with as much academic achievement and success. You must email me immediately if you know of one: roryd@brainsarefun.com
Reading is at the heart of a successful education. Adults who know a great deal of what's important, learned a great deal of it from reading.
The Brainsarefun Reading Program brings parents and children together in a way that has been shelved by television, video games and the two-worker family. The program provides parents and children with essential contact that provides an opportunity for family unity -- very often, the only family unity of the day.
Brainsarefun Reading does not treat reading as an isolated skill, but simultaneously emphasizes writing, listening, speaking, information organization and vocabulary.
Not only does Brainsarefun Reading put an emphasis on the raw mechanics of "decoding" (turning letters into sounds and words) and "encoding" (turning sounds and words into letters), it simultaneously emphasizes what E.D. Hirsch, Jr. calls cultural literacy: the general knowledge of modern life - that knowledge that enables us to deal with new ideas, events and challenges. It is clear that the difference in reading performance between "advantaged" and "disadvantaged" children relates directly to the richness of the background information they bring to the table - information and knowledge about our traditions, vocabulary, history, people, events, culture and art. What our culture calls "literacy." Literate people are familiar with:
- The names of the most important 100 people in history;
- The most important 100 events in history;
- The 100 major topic areas of our culture;
- The 100 greatest books;
- The 100 greatest inventions;
- The 100 greatest works of art;
- The world's great ideas.
There is plenty of room at the top for people who are literate, who can read, who can write, who can speak, who can organize information, who have an introduction to the world's great ideas, people and accomplishments. The fashionable educational concepts of "critical thinking," "problem solving" and "creativity" are unattainable until students and adults possess this common literacy.
Question: Is phonics instruction important?
Answer: Absolutely. All credible research points directly to this critical component. See "How Should Reading be Taught," Scientific American, March 2002. In short, when you want to teach a new skill: break the task down into its component parts and teach the parts to mastery.
For children learning how to read, there is no substitute for a phonics program that has been thoroughly field tested and proven to work (See "Reading" at Other Resources/Ideas.). Are your children being taught phonics? Simply, are short vowel sounds being introduced to your children before complete words? If they are, then your program contains the elements of a real phonics program.
Is Brainsarefun Reading a phonics program? Yes, it uses the strongest elements of any good phonics program. But, Brainsarefun Reading goes beyond pure phonics. It is also a "trust" program, designed to let all children understand that they, too, can succeed with reading and other skills critical to academic success. Perhaps it should be called, above all, a "family unity" program.
Failing readers need to experience success with reading fast. Most are frightened and embarrassed. They need to achieve 1,000 (or more) successes and hour, hammering home the message, You, too, can do it! Pep talks, admonishments and criticisms have failed. The only thing left is the concrete experience of success and reward.
These successes are available immediately through a process called "chorusing." Chorusing takes advantage of two of a child's most natural talents, mimicking and self-correction. It floods the student with as many as 60 small successes a minute - attacking the success deficit and the reading deficit simultaneously.
Chorusing works with children still learning their ABC's, through adults who aren't yet reading to grade level. The process is exactly the same for all ages. What varies is the difficulty and sophistication of the word lists that are chosen.
The Brainsarefun Reading format is so powerful because it is consistent. Students aren't confused by different styles. Children lose their fear of being asked a question to which they haven't first been given the answer.
Practice this sample chorusing script until it becomes natural. Do not alter the script. It is essential that the child learn exactly how the script runs without curves, bumps and unexpected ruts.
You will notice that the following script emphasizes learning the names of letters. While it may be appropriate to learn the sounds of letters before their names, most important is to not mix the two. Because most classrooms seem to put the emphasis on learning the names before the sounds (most actually mix the two up enormously), this script is going to focus on the names. If more appropriate, alter the scripts to sounds, but do not mix the two until the child has mastered one through drill and repetition. Do not mix capital and small letters. Do one thing at a time.
Sample Chorusing Script
- Adult: "The name of this letter is A. Touch the letter." At this point focus on the name of the letter, not the sound.
- Both: Teacher and child touch the letter or word to be learned.
- Adult: Names the letter or word, "The name of the letter is A."
- Adult: "When I signal I want you to read the name of the letter with me three times."
- Adult: "The name of the letter is A."
- Adult: "Get ready ."
- Adult: Signals by pointing or snapping fingers. Watch the student to make sure he continues to focus on the page.
- Both: Read the letter (or word) three times aloud: "A A A"
- Adult: "That's right, the name of the letter is A."
- Adult: Reward, "Good job saying the letter A." Make eye contact. Smile.
- Adult: "Next word." Or, if necessary, repeat from top until everyone is participating.
Once the child has the idea the script may be shortened and accelerated:
- Adult: "Everyone touch the letter. The name of this letter is A."
- Adult: "Read the letter with me three times."
- Adult: "Get ready."
- Adult: Signal by pointing or snapping fingers.
- Both: Read, "A A A"
- Adult: "That's right, the name of the letter is A."
- Adult: "Next."
Worksheet: do not try to do all the letters at once. Chorus together, both saying the letter and pointing simultaneously. Five new letters a day may be appropriate, always reviewing from the top. You will not drill to mastery quickly. Drilling to mastery requires one of the tenets of effective learning: repeat, repeat repeat; restate, restate, restate; retell. retell, retell.
| A | A | A |
| B | B | B |
| C | C | C |
| D | D | D |
| E | E | E |
| F | F | F |
| G | G | G |
| H | H | H |
| I | I | I |
| J | J | J |
| K | K | K |
| L | L | L |
| M | M | M |
| N | N | N |
| O | O | O |
| P | P | P |
| Q | Q | Q |
| R | R | R |
| S | S | S |
| T | T | T |
| U | U | U |
| V | V | V |
| W | W | W |
| X | X | X |
| Y | Y | Y |
| Z | Z | Z |
As required, develop similar tables for lower-case letters, sounds and numbers.
If children are having difficulty, or are off task, repeat the script from the top. If the child is too afraid of failure to settle down simply say, "Tomorrow is another day. I know you can do it with me tomorrow," and ask the child if you can read aloud to him or her for 10 minutes.
The Brainsarefun Reading Program emphasizes hearing thousands of new words (sounds, letters, numbers), focusing, saying the words silently in the throat (sub-vocalizing), saying the words aloud, building contexts for new words, saving all written and taped work in portfolios, providing an activity at which both parent and child, teacher and student, have not already failed.
Children are exposed to words many times before they begin to understand how they are properly used. Only after considerable trial and error do words take on real meaning. Especially at first, the emphasis of Brainsarefun Reading is on seeing, hearing, saying, copying and sub vocalizing the vocabulary over and over. It is far more valuable to expose a child to massive vocabulary when he or she is young than it is to worry about comprehension. The first emphasis of the program is on exposure and confidence, meaning comes with experience.
Word lists for initial chorusing exercises can be pulled directly out of your children's textbooks. Most textbooks have, at a minimum, an index that contains the book's primary words. In addition, many books contain a glossary of important terms.
There are many word lists available in your school, at the local library and on the Internet that are perfect for chorusing and copying:
QUESTIONS
The parent takes the lead and clearly exhibits the behavior that is expected. You will notice that no questions are asked. Asking questions is very dangerous. It sets the child up to fail. At this point in the program, NO QUESTIONS. Your child has failed enough. Now it's time for nothing but success. Should the child ask a question tell him or her that you will answer that question later, but that right now you are reading. Point to the word or letter, start chorusing with the expectation that the child will mimic your behavior. Reward for points earned as described in The Brainsarefun Homework Solution.
REVIEW
After repeating (chorusing) the word three times, move on to the next word (or letter). Point at the word together and read each word together three times. Always tell the child what you want him or her to do, don't turn every lesson into a guessing game. Stop asking questions that set the child up for failure and embarrassment. Do not ask, "What's the word?" Point to the word and say, "The word is...," "Read the word with me." Signal. Both read the word together three times.
If everyone is not fully participating go back to the top of the list and start the instruction again. Limit your chorusing to five through fifteen minutes. Don't turn the activity into one that feels like a punishment for poor reading. Remember, the child has not been taught to read. What you are doing is creating a situation at which the child can succeed. You are creating a reading situation that leads to trust because you are never going to trick the child or put her on the spot, not ever again. It is time for fear to be taken out of the classroom. Refrain from pointing out poor behaviors. Catch the child doing something right and reward immediately. Two of the most effective rewards are very brief eye contact and a smile. With really stubborn children get a roll of pennies or nickels. Every time the child even comes close to approximating good behavior put a coin in front of him and remind him of the good behavior, "Good job focusing." "Good job saying the letter." "Good job staying on task." "Good job starting on time."
Limit your first chorusing exercises to five - fifteen minutes, five times during the first week. Add five minutes a week until you are up to 30 minutes. After ten successful sessions you may decide to mix in five minutes of copying, discussed below.
Use a "Daily Report Card" and a "Ledger" to keep track of your accomplishments. These tools are included in The Brainsarefun Homework Solution.
Should the child simply not be able to mimic your pronunciation at all, move on. Do not correct at this time. Return to a word, or individual letter, the child can say confidently. The purpose of this exercise is to show the child that he or she really can succeed. DO NOT TRY TO CORRECT THE CHILD AT THIS POINT.
If required, start right back at ground zero. Both of you touch the letter A. Say, "This is the letter A. Tell me the letter." "A." "That's right, the letter is A. Good job saying the letter A." "Now, read the letter (word) with me three times."
Touch the letter B, and so on. Limit these initial practices to five minutes each. Reward the child for starting on time, staying on task, completing assignments. Let the child know, "Tomorrow is another day. You can earn more points tomorrow."
Motivated by their ability to earn points, younger children will be able to work for one to twenty minutes at a time. Older children may extend the period to thirty minutes. Record the points they are earning as you go. Pay off immediately at the end of the agreed upon session. Save all written work in one-inch three-ring binders. Use light colored binders that cost about 89 cents each. Use a light color so you can easily write on the cover and spine the subject and date with a magic marker.
| LETTER NAME | letter name | Letter Sound |
| A | a | apple |
| B | b | bat |
| C | c | cat |
| D | d | dad |
| E | e | elf |
| F | f | frog |
| G | g | goat |
| H | h | horse |
| I | i | ice |
| J | j | jump |
| K | k | kiss |
| L | l | limp |
| M | m | mom |
| N | n | nose |
| O | o | open |
| P | p | pie |
| Q | q | queen |
| R | r | ran |
| S | s | stop |
| T | t | time |
| U | u | under |
| V | v | vine |
| W | w | water |
| X | x | xylophone |
| Y | y | you |
| Z | z | zip |
The basic teaching technique always applies:
For a Kindergartner wrestling with ABC's, the place to begin is with a very simple contract (see The Brainsarefun Homework Solution). Tell the child, "When you chorus along with me for 5 minutes you can earn three points, one for starting on time; one for staying on task; one for completing five minutes. These points will be recorded on your Daily Report Card and earn ten cents which I will pay you immediately. You may spend your ten cents on anything you want as long as I think it's safe." As well as cash, points may also be traded for 30 minutes of television, a story, whatever is negotiated in the contract.
What's important is to instill high expectations and the habit of "earning" early in a child's life. Establish a clear time with the child when both you and he agree to read. How long will it last? Five minutes is a good beginning time. Lengthen the time as the child experiences success. Reward immediately.
Get your hands on alphabet flash cards that may be readily purchased from many bookstores. It is important to use preprinted cards as they will tend to have the letters formed correctly. When adults draw the cards themselves (or write on the board) they often mix their upper and lower case letters together, adding to confusion down the road.
Have the child master three to five cards in a row before introducing a new letter.
It's important to keep reminding the child that these exercises are "reading" exercises, not simply "repeating" exercises. Train the child to focus. One of the great negative byproducts of television appears to be that the rapid pace of video diminishes one's ability to focus and draw meaning.
At first the cards must be shown in order. Once the entire 26 letters are mastered you may begin showing three to five out of sequence. Begin by focusing on capital letters only. Place one card in front of the child. Both adult and child touch the card, requiring the child's eyes to focus - an essential for reading success. Make sure you touch under the letter so that fingers do not block a clear view of the letter.
The adult takes the lead, "The letter is A. Read it with me three times." Touch and read the letter three times. Read the letter quickly. Do not read slowly. The child will mimic your pace and you don't want to learn to be a slow reader.
Note: Be sure you say the name of the letter, not the sound of the letter. You may begin introducing sounds once the child has mastered the names.
Encourage the child, "Read along with me." After two or three false starts, the child will get the idea.
Touch and read each letter three times:
A A A (That's right. This is the letter
A)
B B B (That's right. This is the letter B)
Congratulations. You are reading.
CORRECTION
Do not correct the child. Simply say the name of the letter together three times in a natural tempo, slightly faster than one second per letter. Keep the pace brisk. The child is to touch and say each letter with you. Record points earned as you go. For instance, every five seconds on task may earn a point. Points may be redeemed for pennies at the end of the lesson. For instance, 5 points may equal a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter. You negotiate the contract depending on the age of the child, your financial ability to pay and the need of the child.
- The first time the child looks at a letter she may hesitate and stumble.
- The second time the child will hear you model the letter correctly and will self-correct.
- The third time the child will say the letter almost perfectly.
If the child is not saying the letter, point to the letter and say:
"Touch the letter. Good job touching the letter."
"The name of the letter is A."
"Tell me the name of the letter."
Signal for the child to answer.
"A"
"That's right. The name of the letter is A"
If the child is having difficulty, start again:
"Touch the letter. Good job touching the letter."
"The name of the letter is A. When I ask you to tell
me the name of the letter you say A."
"Get ready. When I point to the letter I want you to answer
A."
"The name of the letter is A."
"Tell me the name of the letter."
Signal for the child to answer.
"A"
"That's right. The name of the letter is A"
"Good job reading the letter A."
"Now, when I point to the letter I want each of us to read
it three times. Get ready." Signal.
"A A A"
If the child is having difficulty, start again.
Never dwell on letters with which the child is struggling. Put those cards in a separate stack and move on. You will have many opportunities to come back to problem letters later. What you want to focus on are the child's strengths, not weaknesses. Focus on what the child is getting correct, not on what the child is having trouble with. Limit your initial exploration to five minutes. Take your lead from the child.
Don't attempt to solve all problems immediately. End with two or three letters with which the child is having success. You must keep sending the message, "You can do this. You can succeed at this." Remember, even the brightest children have experienced enough academic failure. Our job, as parents and teachers, is to catch children doing the right thing and reward them immediately. Send them a very clear message, "Academics are something at which you can succeed."
Reward every success by being specific, "That's right, the name of the letter is A. Good job saying the letter A." All errors should be totally ignored. What is needed now is success and the opportunity to show off in front of Mom and Dad.
Suggestions: If the child is having difficulty, start
again. Make sure you are breaking the alphabet into small groups
of three to five cards. Master these letters before moving on.
Perhaps substitute numbers for letters. Some children have much
greater initial success with numbers than with letters.
Remind the child when the contract says you'll do the exercise
again. Walk away. Leave the child a little hungry for more rather
than trying to plow through as much as you are able. Leave on
a success. Reward immediately. Behavior that is rewarded is
behavior that will be repeated.
Only teach one task at a time. Do not mix UPPER CASE, lower case,
numbers and Letter Sounds together. Master one skill before moving
on.
Once the child has mastered saying the names of the letters, UPPER AND LOWER CASE, only then introduce the sounds. Do not try mixing names and sounds at the same time. It's too much information.
Determine which five letters are the subject for today's lesson. The basic teaching technique always applies:
1) "The name of this letter (or word) is A."
Touch the letter.
2) Teacher and child touch the letter or word to be learned.
3) Teacher names the letter or word, "The name of the letter
is..."
4) "When I signal I want you to read the letter with me three
times."
5) "The name of the letter is A."
6) Get ready .
7) Signal by pointing or snapping fingers. Watch the student to
make sure he continues to focus on the page.
8) Child repeats with adult three times, "A A
A"
9) That's right, the name of the letter is A.
10) Reward, "Good job saying the letter A." Make
eye contact. Smile.
11) Next.
For older students, grab a newspaper, magazine, textbook or any book of interest. Books from school are particularly useful because they parallel what the child is already studying. Do not try to read for meaning. Never ask the child, "Now tell me what we read?" This sets the child up for failure. At this point, the name of the game must be success. Remember, quit trying to trick the child by asking questions to which you haven't first given the answers.
It is no wonder that so many students are so fearful of school and teachers, they are fearful of being tricked and embarrassed. Do not add to the fear.
Try this list immediately (point and read each word three times each - make sure your fingers aren't preventing the child from seeing what he or she is trying to read).
Sweep you finger under each word three times and read each word, aloud, three times each:
sport
range
leaf
house
spell
music
key
bed
find
school
a
this
grow
two
Have a contract in place before you begin so the student always knows how often, when and how points are earned. Clearly spell out what each point is worth and cash out the child immediately at the end of the lesson. When the student starts on time, stays on task and completes the assignment, the points are earned.
Does the child need to know the meaning of the words? Not yet. It would be a big mistake to begin quizzing the child on word definitions. Chorusing is a success exercise as well as a reading exercise, not another opportunity to fail. The first goal of the program is to allow the student to achieve. Do not find the many ways in which they can stumble. Definitions come later. Success comes now.
Once the student has become proficient in chorusing individual letters and words, you will graduate to phrases. Simply point out simple two, three or four word phrases and chorus them together. For some appropriate phrases log on to: http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/meanings/index.html
Sweep your finger under the full length of the phrase, left to right phrase. The phrase is, "In the house."
"Read with me." Signal. Sweep the phrases three times, quickly
In the house. In the house. In the house.
The adult takes the lead in pointing to each phrase and reading each phrase aloud three times. Read quickly.
This advanced exercise should be incorporated only after the child has completed 3 - 5 hours of successful chorusing.
Once you and your child have chorused for five minutes, ask your child to copy the exact same letters or words, three times each, for five minutes. Make sure that the child knows what is expected by modeling the behavior right along with him or her. You also copy.
As the adult, take the lead and copy right along with your child, three words to a line, to show your child how it's done. After the first few times the student will get a clear idea of what needs to be done to earn full points. As children copy they automatically say the words in their throats (sub-vocalizing), further imprinting the words into memory. Do not correct the copying. If you see a particularly well-written word or letter point it out, "Good job writing that word." But do not dwell. Continue to copy with the child to set a good example and a quick pace. When the adult is willing to copy it sends a very clear message, "This is important."
Save all written work in a notebook. Date every page. This will become the child's portfolio of successful work. For every 100 - 200 pages added to the portfolio, agree in the contract that the child will earn an additional reward. This represents one more opportunity for success. A two hundred page portfolio represent a lot of work.
Copying is one of the lost arts. It is so valuable because it allows the student an opportunity to practice and complete assignments with maximum chances for success. Used together, chorusing and copying provide thousands of opportunities for success during every hour of instruction.
Copying is an exercise that is always at your fingertips. It requires no special materials or planning. The student always knows how he or she may earn points, "Copy." It is an excellent substitute when children come home and say they didn't get assigned any homework. It improves handwriting, vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure and introduces the student to new content. Coupled with chorusing, copying provides a fully-rounded exercise appropriate for all types of learners, at all levels -- no matter what subject is being studied.
Word processors are allowed for copying, but encourage both typing and handwriting. For students for whom handwriting represents too much failure, simply have them type each letter or word three times across the page. For students able to do both, have them first copy by hand for five minutes and then type what they have written for a final five minutes. It's a great opportunity to earn additional points.
Remember not to criticize either handwriting or typing. Quantity always precedes quality, be it piano playing, ice skating, golf, or reading and writing. What we are working on now is success through quantity. Don't jeopardize trust with suggestions for improvement. Point out something you see that approximates quality and move on. Be very specific in your praise: Good job starting your chorusing on time; Good job bringing a sharp pencil and plenty of paper; Good job speaking in a clear voice; Good job writing that letter.
The major reason children are afraid to try something new is that they have learned to be afraid of failure and criticism. Their skills are so poor that any academic exercise risks being another failure.
To help overcome this fear of failure it is essential that children become involved in exercises which provide them with thousands of successes, fast. Speed is an essential component of mastery.
Tell the child you are going to time her for 10 seconds. Ask the child to write a single letter or number as many times as she can in 10 seconds: "Write the number 2 as many times as you can in ten seconds. Get ready. Go!"
At the end of the ten seconds have the child count the number of times she was able to write the letter or number. Record the score and graph it on a piece of graph paper. Skip a few lines on the page. Try again.
Keep encouraging the child, "Now this time lets go really fast." As the adult, you model staying on task by writing the letters with her. Go fast. Show her how fast it can be done. Each letter or number must be readable. Upper or lower case does not matter. Experiment with writing the entire number sequence 1 through 0 and the entire alphabet. How many times can a number or sequence be written in 10 - 60 seconds?
Children who have not mastered writing their letters and numbers will fail when it's time to write sentences or do math. Do not focus on neatness. Focus on the speed of writing individual letters and numbers until students are proficient. Depending on a child's grade, mastery should approximate:
Kindergarten - 10 written letters per minute
First Grade - 20 LPM
Second Grade - 30
Third Grade - 40
Forth Grade - 50
Fifth Grade - 60
Sixth Grade - 70
Seventh Grade - 80
Eighth Garde - 90
Adult - 110 +
Neatness will come later. Date every page. Add it to the portfolio.
For every page added to the portfolio, agree in the contract that child will earn specified additional points.
Speed exercises are fun, and a great way to build confidence and trust.
Once the child has mastered letters and numbers, move on to copying whole words and phrases.
A simple tape recorder ($19.95 from the local discount store) and a half-dozen blank tapes are all that are required.
In private, the student reads age-appropriate material into the tape recorder for five to ten minutes at a time. Anything may be read, the alphabet, word lists, magazines, newspaper articles, books. It does not matter.
What does matter is that no one listens to the tape other than the student unless the student asks. If parents do listen to the tape they must make sure not to make any suggestion for improvement. Simply say, "Good job reading into the tape recorder." Depending on the contract, taping may be an excellent way for a student to earn additional points. Five to fifteen minutes of taping may earn another 10 points, as described in the contract. Remember, you develop your contracts to fit the needs of your family and situation.
The purpose of taping is to provide the student with a brand new opportunity for success without the threat of criticism. Not only does the exercise work on reading skills, but speaking and staying on task as well. Very often children who are reluctant to speak up in public do an excellent job of finding their voice for taping.
Reading aloud is an effective exercise to help students improve their reading skills when they have every opportunity to do it without the fear of being corrected, criticized, ostracized or embarrassed.
Keep in mind, don't set children up for additional failure by asking them to read to you and then correcting them. For the time being, you do all the reading. If you are not a strong reader yourself, borrow books on tape from the library.
Too many videos, video games and movies have hindered the development of listening and imagination. These pastimes do all the work, providing all the information; children are not required to form mental images and to exercise their imaginations - the machines eliminate effort, allowing the child to sit passively, with glazed eyes. You've seen it.
Listening allows the brain to go to work.
As difficult as finding the time may be, find 15 minutes, three to five times a week, to read out loud to your children. Some titles are listed at Books to Read Aloud to Your Children.
When the adult reads out loud the child is allowed to relax. He or she knows she's not going to be suddenly tested, put on the spot, and embarrassed for not having the right answer to something. Listening becomes associated with success.
Reading aloud also allows children to be exposed to material far in advance of what they would be able to read on their own. They are exposed to a wide range of new vocabulary and ideas.
Once Mom and Dad have finished reading for the evening children may continue to listen by using books on tape available from the local library, or reading their own books to themselves.
All of this listening exposes children to a world of literature, vocabulary, and ideas. Since a great deal of what successful people learn they learn from reading, continue reading aloud to your children until they are 18 or have moved out of the house. Very few activities will bring your family more long-term gratification and reward.
Brainsarefun Reading brings parents and children together. That is the major point of Brainsarefun. A very important message is sent, "If Mom and Dad are willing to spend this time, it must really be important." For some reason, most parents report putting an end to reading with their children at just about the age it becomes most important. Reading instruction ends far too soon. Parents abandon their children's reading to the vagaries of the classroom. Unfortunately, nearly half of our children do not read at grade level. Few end up reading two full years above grade level, which is where one needs to be for top performance and a solid crack at all the rewards our society has to offer.
Brainsarefun Reading is an opportunity for parents and children to unite around one of the most important academic skills there is. Showing your children that you really care enough to spend time with them around this critical skill, now that is immediate and massive success.
Thank you.
- Commentaries on Reading and Enrichment
- Curriculum Solutions - Reading, Writing, Math, all grades
- More on SRA Direct Instruction
- How to Test Your Child's Reading Ability
- Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons: Siegfried Engelmann (be sure to get accompanying video)
- Sol Stern praises the federal Reading First program but criticizes the way
his home city has implemented it.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: THE BRAINSAREFUN READING PROGRAM (Donaldson Reading) © April 2001 by Rory Donaldson. All rights reserved. In order to help reverse the tide of academic failure and optimize school success, parents and teachers may copy brainsarefun solutions for individual, non-commercial use at no charge. Contents may not be sold or repackaged in any manner without the written permission of Rory Donaldson. Since all material is copyrighted, please ensure that this entire copyright notice and contact information continues to be attached to each article you download. Mr. Donaldson appreciates the feedback. Additional solutions may be viewed and downloaded at no charge by logging on to brainsarefun.com. New titles and updates are being released regularly.
Suggestions and comments encouraged, email: roryd@brainsarefun.com.
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