Teacher Preparation

Because all of the lessons in this book will be taught following the same four steps, the preparation for teaching is greatly simplified. You will be asking your student to read and spell and know the meaning of the words in each lesson. To track your student’s progress in these skill areas, you will make notations on one of the completion charts provided at the back of the book.

Lesson Pages

Each lesson introduces a new pronunciation and spelling pattern or reviews a previously introduced pattern.  Since each segment builds to the next, students will receive the most benefit by learning the lessons in order.  Each lesson is divided into six or fewer word lists organized by Roman numeral (I, II, III, IV, V, and VI).  This arrangement allows flexibility in pacing the lessons.  Your student will be expected to read and spell all of the words listed in a lesson before you sign off on that lesson.

Sound Charts    

Sound charts are provided at the front of the Pre-Unit and units 1, 2, 3, and 4.  The charts are intended as backup and support for the teacher or tutor.  We seldom use these charts with students.  Allowing students to refer back and forth from a sound chart to the lesson words is usually unnecessary and cumbersome.  This “two-stepping” is analogous to an ESL student interpreting a word in his native language, then crossing over into English.  Our goal is to have students make an immediate, automatic connection between letter and sound.

Completion Charts

Before you begin the lessons, you will need to select a completion (progress) chart to use with your student.  The charts are found starting on page 273.  Completion charts are visually rewarding for both student and teacher.

Progress Monitoring Table

If you are using these lessons for Response to Intervention (RTI), an Individualized Education Program (IEP), or Section 504 Plan, you might want to keep records on the Progress Monitoring Table supplied on page 277.  It has space for your notes and impressions and comes with a convenient word tabulator (page 281).

Supply List

A supply list is found on page xviii.  A glance at this page will remind you of the items you will need for each lesson.  One item you surely must have is a good \ dictionary.  Dictionaries that feature pronunciation helps, usage notes, and word illustrations are the most useful.

Instruction Pages

Instructions for each lesson are always located adjacent to the lesson page.  A boxed summary is provided.  Spelling patterns are indicated with bold and sometimes underlined letters; pronunciations and sound patterns are identified inside vertical lines:  | |.  A comprehensive sound chart for the forty-eight sounds taught in this book is provided on page xiv.

Desk and Chairs

Provide a solid surface, preferably a desk or table, for reading and writing the lessons.  If either of these is not available, use a hardback book.  Sit side by side so that the lesson page can be seen by the instructor and the student.  The instructor needs to be able to comfortably point to the left side of each word while working with the student and must be able to observe the student’s spelling of words so that corrections can be made immediately.

Meeting Place

Determine the best available place to conduct the lessons. Find a location that has good lighting and as few distractions as possible.

Meeting Times   

Daily lessons are always better than weekly.  More than once a day is optimal, especially if your student has to overcome bad reading habits, such as the tendency to guess.  The transition to left-to-right reading will be easier for your student if his outside reading is limited as much as possible.  If working at home or tutoring a student elsewhere, it would be ideal to begin the lessons during the summer.  Before and after school is also an option.  Consider your student’s age, health, attention span, and time available when scheduling session times.  An adult student typically can work for one to three hours at a stretch.  A 12-year-old student usually can concentrate for 30 minutes to two hours.  An elementary or kindergarten student might only be able to concentrate, initially, for 15 to 45 minutes (in which case it would be highly preferable to do several 10- or 15-minute lessons throughout the course of the day).  Students almost always increase their ability to focus as they advance through the lessons.

Do I Begin with Lesson 1 or the Pre-Unit?

Start with Lesson 1 if your student knows the vowel and consonant sounds and reads the first list of words  in Lesson 1 with ease. Otherwise, begin with the Pre-Unit starting on page 1. Completing the Pre-Unit will prepare your student to successfully handle Lesson 1. (Lesson E of the Pre-Unit and Lesson 1 of the main unit share the same words.)  The launching point should be the lesson that best meets the needs and fits the ability  of your student. (On the page following the supply list, you will find a subjective evaluation tool for assessing new reading students. The use of this tool is strictly optional.) We have found that adults, teens, and even straight-A students do not mind starting with Lesson A. Do not be fooled by the apparent simplicity of the words. Reading, like spelling, is a sequential process.

After your student has read a lesson, you will ask him if he would like to reread some  or all of the words. We want students to master the material and be self-assured.  As the learning progresses and the patterns increase in number, having that confidence will become more and more important. Every effort has been made with each successive lesson to use only words whose patterns have already been introduced  or are now being introduced. This selectivity helps students be successful.

Final Advice for the Instructor

If you follow the instructions faithfully,  you will succeed. We believe that you will enjoy teaching this curriculum. We will remind you from time to time to be positive and encouraging. Your student will learn to read and spell!

Ready, Set, Go!

Find a suitable learning spot, gather the few needed supplies (see supply list), and pre-view the list of words in Lesson 1 (or Lesson A). Also, take a few minutes to scan the headings on the guidance pages to see what lies ahead. Remember, you don’t have to know all of the patterns or be an expert. You just need  to be able to read a list of words. If your student asks a question for which you do not have an answer, tell him that you will see if you can find the answer. The information will most likely be found somewhere in this book. So, relax . . . you can do this!