Teaching a child how to read is precious. It can also be exhausting and frustrating for both the student and the teacher. In my homeschooling experience I have taught one child how to read at a normal pace, one taught himself, and one is a reluctant reader who wishes letters did not exist and finally a three year old who seems more interested in letters than my six year old. So we run the spectrum of types of readers. Each child has different needs so I used different sources to reach those needs. With all the reading curriculum on the market it is hard to chose which one will work best for your child. I recommend choosing a solid course and then supplementing with hands on activities. My current student who is learning to read thrives on hands on activities. One such resource is The Reading Game.
The Reading Game is one of my favorite hands on games/activities for children learning reading skills. The format is simple, effective and fun. The fun is not due to compromising on quality or building a solid foundation. In fact, the format is exactly the right way to teach and could run the risk of being considered boring if not for the “game” and reward of reading a story. Of course, I added in my own extras to the memory part of the game such as making my daughter write out the words and spell the words out loud. Let me back up and tell you about the memory aspect of the game. The game comes with six book and six sets of memory cards. The child needs to play “memory” with the cards which reflect the words used in the books. Once the child successfully completes the memory games she is ready to read the first book. The reward of reading the book encourages your child to continue on until all books are completed. Playing this game was a wonderful experience because my reluctant reader became encouraged by her progress which was effortless since she had so much fun!
Favorite Find: Slide, Say & See
Reader Books: I Can Read! Reader Books