| Reading programs are everywhere. You can find | | | | employing a simple common sense approach can |
| books, tapes, videos, and online programs. If you | | | | be more effective than all those expensive |
| live in a city there is likely a tutorial program | | | | reading programs combined. |
| available as well. As a parent you know that | | | | Step one: Make sure your child knows the |
| learning to read is one of the most important skills | | | | alphabet (both visual recognition and the sounds |
| your child will have to master in early childhood | | | | the letter makes) |
| and you feel rather overwhelmed by the | | | | Step two: Develop print awareness and literacy |
| challenge. | | | | by reading books and other materials (signs, |
| It is only natural to think it would be a lot easier | | | | greeting cards, handwritten notes, etc.) so children |
| to buy a program and use it to teach your child | | | | understand that books are read from front to |
| to read. However there are two big problems | | | | back, lines from left to right, and pages from top |
| with this method. First of all, not all programs | | | | to bottom |
| work as effectively as they profess. For every | | | | Step three: Go beyond step one to develop |
| "satisfied" customer you see used in the | | | | understanding of beginning letter sounds and then |
| promotional material you do not know the | | | | add in ending sounds (rhymes). Show how many |
| number of dissatisfied customers there might be | | | | words can be "decoded" by breaking them into |
| lurking behind the scenes. Secondly, you do not | | | | beginning, middle, and ending sounds |
| know if this particular program will be an effective | | | | Step four: Teach sight words with various |
| match for your child's learning style. The program | | | | exercises and regular repetition |
| might work fine for some kids but not for others. | | | | Step five: Help put it all together by making |
| Learning to read is not a one-size-fits-all | | | | sentences with the words they know or can |
| proposition. Most professional reading teachers | | | | decode and then introduce books (carefully |
| employ a mixed-bag approach that uses a | | | | selected or made up by you and the child) that |
| combination of methods and techniques. | | | | include those words and sentences |
| Either one of these problems is a major concern | | | | If you employ these five simple steps then you |
| when you think about the financial cost of most | | | | can teach your child to read without purchasing an |
| of these programs not to mention the time | | | | expensive reading program. You can make your |
| commitment involved. Plus, you could invest a lot | | | | own materials at home, glean materials to use |
| of time (and money) and in fact negatively impact | | | | from the internet, or borrow materials from your |
| your child's reading progress. | | | | local public library. You do not need to spend one |
| The real truth (that these so-called educational | | | | dime on these free reading lessons except |
| companies do not want you to know) is that | | | | whatever you choose to purchase to build your |
| there is a wealth of free information available to | | | | child's personal library of books. |
| help you teach your child to read and very often | | | | |