Top Ten Myths of Reading 1

Top Ten Myths of Reading:

Reason over Rhetoric, Data over Dogma           

            Does this sound familiar, remember thinking, “I’ve tried everything. I taught my child the Alphabet song, showed her all the letters and capitals, even sent her to preschool. My child just can’t seem to learn how to read. I don’t know what to do next. I’m at a loss.”? 

Top Ten Myths of Reading: (Are you guilty of some of these?)

Myth 1. Teach the letter names, like in the alphabet song.

Truth: Instead, teach only the letter sounds. Do not teach the letter names. It is confusing to young children that the letter name u (you) doesn't say the sound "y" (yuh), the letter name y (why) doesn't say the sound "w" (wuh), and the letter name w (double-you) doesn't say the sound "d" (duh). Children easily pick up the letter names later.
Also, only teach one sound per letter, to start. Keep it simple for success (KISS your child).

            Visual Attention Span (VAS) Theory reading expert Jean Clyde says, “Today I saw Adam. He is almost 11, has a shy smile, is a little small for his age and thinks that he is average in reading and a little below average in spelling. However his mother is concerned about the fast approaching problems of Adam's entering high school, a very common concern among parents of 11 year olds! She has been reassured that Adam is progressing satisfactorily but his mother has long ago learned to distrust such [school] assurances.

            He can read one, two and many three syllable words, which is more that many of my other 11 year-olds can do. And yet when I ask Adam to tell me the sounds of letters he shows hesitations and some of the 3-syllable words show evidence of confusions between names and sounds.

            Adam had originally learned letter names and guessing. He had then struggled to read. He preferred guessing words partly because guessing [seemed] faster, partly because his elementary teacher encouraged him to guess, but mainly because his insecure grasp of sounds undermined his confidence.

            Guessing however is inherently inaccurate. [The next teacher tried but] failed to over-teach [phonics] to the stage where his newly acquired phonic skills became automatic. The phonic skills that he was taught are therefore still insecurely based and guessing still dominates.

            Knowledge of sounds needs to reach the stage where, when you see a letter, you automatically associate it with its most common sound. Later on you can learn the secondary sounds but if you fail to initially consolidate the basic letter sounds, you may condemn the Adams of this world to being average in reading and below average in spelling when they might have been superior in both!” http://www.vasresearch.com

PS: Stay away from electronic or computer methods of learning to read, which incorporate the myths and may trigger ADD or dyslexia. 

Myth 2 - NEXT WEEK!

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Home Early Learning Play School (HELPS) 10

Home Early Learning Play School (HELPS) 10 – The goal now is to learn all about numbers. Learn abacus finger-math. Family math ideas. Cuisenaire rod ideas. Fractions and super-ones, preparing for algebra. Finding the Secret Codes (language) for math. Number names can be platypus words. (Explained in more detail in Vol. 10 of It’s Not Rocket Surgery!)

Spy Game – The Secret Codes:
                Spy Mission 10: Uncover the secret world of numbers. You (child) are the world-famous spy, Cody Breaker! Your tenth mission is to figure out the number symbols, their names, and their values. You will crack the code of which number names are Platypus words with funny spellings. You’ll learn to tell the place values of larger numbers. The mystery is yours to solve! You can decipher this puzzle by figuring out the new Spy Code Rules from the charts below. Find numbers around you and learn how they fit on a number line.  Great job. Spy out some more!

                Use the Numbers Chart 1 in the appendix, along with Spy Code Rule 49. Have mom or dad explain the examples on the Numbers Charts, if needed.

                Have a scavenger hunt for the numbers in the signs, books, and the world around you. Report to the Spy Chief regularly about what you have found. Your next Spy assignment is to practice writing the numbers often. On your paper, write numbers from the phonics charts in the appendix. Also draw the amount of each number as circles next to it. Talk about the secret rules, below, of number symbols, names, how to spell them, and find examples of each type. You’re the right Spy for the job. You can do it!

Spy Tools:
                Spy Chief, use numbers chart, found in the appendix, with your child. You can start introducing the corresponding numbers and words as you present each concept with the Spy Code Rule 49 and in Chart 1. This will help your Spy know a good foundation for math. Note how interesting it is that some number names are platypus words!

                You might not want to do all of them in one sitting. Have your little Spy search for new examples in books, signs, etc. Practice. Let your child practice matching number symbols to their names, and draw pictures to illustrate their amounts.

Cody Breaker should begin his/her Spy math journey early in the preschool years, if possible.

Being able to see patterns is the key to higher-level thinking skills. Create and look for patterns with hands-on activities (explained in more detail in Vol. 10 of It’s Not Rocket Surgery!) such as:

·         Play with puzzles

·         Listen to brain-building music, especially Mozart, Brahms, Bach, and Beethoven

·         Create repeating patterns with construction paper cut into different shapes.

·         A myriad of arts, including finger paints, all which actually help increase math understanding.

·         Let your child unload the dishwasher and sort the silverware into spoons, forks, and knives. Do other sorting games.

·         Learn counting and the number-names.

·         Play clapping and rhythm games for spatial reasoning.

·         Learn the value of each number, as well as its relationship to other numbers. Relate values to real objects. 

·         Practice writing the numbers, as well as their names.

·         Play adding and subtracting games with real objects such as toys, buttons, pennies, etc.

·         Use a number line, that goes from negative-numbers to positive-numbers, and relate number values to real objects.

·         While driving in the car, ask simple math questions that have to be solved in the child’s head. Helps with visualizing and memory. I do this with spelling words, too.

·         Crocheting

·         Knitting

·         Cooking or baking

·         3-D models

·         Simple mechanics

·         Simple carpentry

·         Family math activities. Try this book by Jean Kerr Stenmark, Family Math for Young Children (1997), targeted for younger children.

·         Another for parents to use with their children is the book, Family Math, by Jean Kerr Stenmark (1986).

·         Math Olympiads and Math Kangaroo for children, sponsored by Noetic Learning and colleges. You can find similar programs at colleges in your area.

·         Noetic Learning helps keep kids’ minds sharp over summer with their Leap Ahead program. Go to http://www.noetic-learning.com/gifted. Some programs require a fee. For more information contact noetic.learning@gmail.com by email.

·         These materials can be used as supplements to public and private school, or for home school:

·         “Bits of Intelligence®” flash cards, by Dr. Glenn Doman, http://www.gentlerevolution.com/ for math products.

·         “A-Beka” math curriculum from Pensacola, FL. Of course parents must purchase the curriculum materials for each grade level. http://www.abeka.com.

·         “Saxon Math,” by John Saxon, available on www.Amazon.com  secondhand marketplace and eBay. It's important to get the texts, tests and solution manuals of the same publish date, otherwise the problems and solutions don't match.

·         “Singapore Math,” from www.singaporemath.com. Get the full set - the workbook, textbook, homeschooling parent's guide, and the solutions manual. The solutions manual covers several years at once.

·         Use a wonderful book, The Complete Book of Fingermath by Edwin M. Lieberthal (1983). Usually teachers discourage students from counting on their fingers, but this is very different. Like an abacus, the right hand represents the ones place and the left hand represents the tens place.

·         Counting money supports number patterning, too.

·         A website with free printable math worksheets is www.edhelper.com.

·         Cuisenaire® rods. I prefer the set of small, wooden rods. The set comes with 155 rods of different sizes and colors as well as an Activity Guide. This is a great way to make sense of numbers, fractions, super-ones, and spatial relationships for children of all ages.

 

·         Make addition and/or multiplication flash cards with colored numbers. Assign a specific color to each number, and it always is shown in its color.

·         Print off some flash cards from CoolMath4Kids at http://www.coolmath4kids.com/times-tables/math-flash-cards-multiplication.html. I like them because the numbers are just outlines that you can color-in. Have the kids help color each number by your code, which becomes a fun family learning activity.

 

 

·         Use your flash cards every day until each child knows all the addition or multiplication facts by heart.

·         Learn to read music and play an instrument - another great way for children to learn spatial timing, and enhances mathematics as well. Children can learn their treble clef and bass clef notes by using their fingers and hands to represent the staff lines. This helps children to excel not only in music but in reading and math as well.

 

 

 

·         Teach the child to count by different numbers. We all learn to count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s, so also practice counting by 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s, 11s, and 12s. For example to count by 4s, say: “4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, and 48.” Practice until it comes easily and quickly. Make it a fun game. Do this for each number. It will greatly improve a child’s ability to see factors and multiples for each number, which will empower her in all areas of math, like multiplying, fractions and algebra.

The Spy Code Rules: (search for examples in the charts and in words around you.)

Spy Code Rule 49: Learn which number names are Platypus words: 1 is one (looks like own, but says won); 2 is two (starts like twin, or true with a lisp, but says too); 4 is four (looks like flour, but says fore); 8 is eight (looks like egg, but says ate). Let the child sound-out the names phonetically, then say them the traditional, platypus way. It helps a child remember that some of the names don’t sound how they are spelled. Some things just have to be memorized. Example, eight sounds one way (ā) in weight and another ( ī ) in height.

 Spy Code Book:
                The Spy Code Book is the chart 1 found below in the appendix. The Spy Chief must follow it for optimum mission success.

Spy Reporting:
                Show your Spy (child), Cody Breaker, how to report what s/he has found by writing down the numbers and spellings that s/he has found so far. And/or practice a few from Chart 1 in the appendix. To truly understand the number code, s/he must master writing the code him/herself. Using the computer keyboard is not enough. Writing by hand strengthens the mind and ability to remember things, as well as eye-hand coordination. Practice two or three numbers and their word-names in the chart per session, or more if the child desires.

Remember to write each number in its left-to-right sequence, and in its proper top-to-bottom orientation. Use lined paper.

                Help your little Spy enjoy making and looking for the numbers. Keep It Simple for Success (KISS your child). Reward his/her efforts regularly; a hug, a pat, a bit of praise, a treat, a privilege. Encouragement goes a long way. Keep it happy! 

APPENDix

Numbers Chart 1: Number symbols, names, colors, and values

Symbol	Name	Spelling	Color	Value
0	zero	phonetic	hot pink
1	one	platypus	dark gray	*
2	two	platypus	light blue	**
3	three	phonetic	red	***
4	four	platypus	dark blue	****
5	five	phonetic	dark green	*****
6	six	phonetic	orange	***** *
7	seven	phonetic	deep yellow	***** **
8	eight	platypus	purple	***** ***
9	nine	phonetic	black	***** ****
10	ten	phonetic		***** *****
11	eleven	phonetic		***** ***** *
12	twelve	phonetic		***** ***** **
13	thirteen	phonetic		***** ***** ***
14	fourteen	platypus		***** ***** ****
15	fifteen	phonetic		***** ***** *****
16	sixteen	phonetic		***** ***** ***** *
17	seventeen	phonetic		***** ***** ***** **
18	eighteen	platypus		***** ***** ***** ***
19	nineteen	phonetic		***** ***** ***** ****
20	twenty	phonetic		***** ***** ***** *****

 

http://www.thegodfreymethod.com/blog/home-early-learning-play-school-helps-10