Teaching phonics and decoding?

Question

I'm helping a 7 year old with her reading. She needs a lot of phonics and sight words. I started with teaching her letter-sound relationships, CVC, digraphs, and silent e syllable. We're drilling a lot. I don't want to teach her only in this style. I'm also trying to get her to love books. How can I make this learning to read process more interesting for her?

I will reward her progress but I want the actual 'learning to read' part to be more fun. She's going into second grade in the fall and I'm working with her once a week.

Answer 1

Have you tried making the boring stuff into a game for her or trying to find games online for her to play that will help her with this stuff?  That always works with kids.

Answer 2

As teacher for 30 years, may I suggest that you lay off the mechanics of reading skills and focus on the printed word.  Find some children's books with high interest and easy vocabulary and allow the child to read.  Don't be too demanding and allow the child to make mistakes.  Praise and encouragement work wonders.  

Here's a link that you may find helpful!

Good Luck!

http://anchorsandsails.tripod.com/howtot...

Answer 3

Have her read things that interest her.  I had a professor in college whose motto was that in spelling you break the words apart and in reading you put them back together.  Read to her and with her.  Make sure that you are having her read things that she is capable of reading to build confidence and fluency.  Kids have a way of picking out books at their level (even if it takes them a couple of tries!).  Put the phonics drilling aside when you're reading.  You can work with her on spelling separately to show her the "rules".  But when she's reading, drilling those things is only going to cause frustration and lack of interest.  Try to pick out books that incorporate the spelling rules -- but don't tell her you're doing it.  She will start to recognize those things in her reading without even knowing it!

Answer 4

Also have her journal using the sight words and the letters and patterns you have worked on in phonics. The reading and writing go hand and hand. Getting her to create her own stories will add to her motivation to read what she has written. I would recommend visiting the following two websites for free downloads to use with your student. www.cherylsigmon.com and www.icanwriteonline.com

Good luck!

Answer 5

Please check out the Working with Words block of the Four Blocks reading program published by Carson Dellosa.  Go to a teacher book store and ask about that program.  You will be so glad you did.  You are to not limit her to one style of teaching.  Good for you.