Reading Lessons:
Like Creating A Bird From
A Pile of Feathers .

I was just looking at a list that shows me how many 100’s of thousands
of people search for ways to help their kids or pupils be better readers.
You are one of them, having searched on something like “reading
lessons” to find this page.

Here’s the challenge. Trying to force a child to learn how to read
(to memorize sounds, and exceptions, and the exceptions to the
exceptions) is like trying to force a pile of feathers back into the
a bird that flies.

Example: review this list of words from a reading teacher’s book.
Tell me what you learn.
sped            speed
bred            breed
bled             bleed
fred              freed

This list was intended to teach “same-vowel” blends. But what I learned
(I think) was how to say the past tense of Fred. What Fred was doing in
that list of verbs I cannot say. But you see the challenge. The language
is so complex, and the mind goes where it wants to.

We not only hope, but we expect our kids – our little , robust,  learning
geniuses — to learn to speak, write and read this messy pile of bird feather
logic we call English! And our kids do it.

God bless ‘em. Because each and every one IS a GENIUS. But if we approach
this with force (not fun), than teaching our kids to read is an impossible task.
It makes them, and us, very unhappy…and where is the fun in that?

The Title of This Academic Paper Says It All

Here is the title of a recently published paper on teaching reading
that I just found online. See if you can guess what it  might be about.

Compression of Exception Lexicons for Small Footprint
Grapheme-To-Phoneme Conversion

(Ok, before you guess, bow down and salute reading teachers
everywhere who understand this!)

Now, I will translate that title into something you might tell
your child relating to a reading lesson homework assignment:

“Honey, here’s a very long list of words that have letters
that make sounds that don’t make any sense based on
all the phonics rules we taught you. Start memorizing!”

Now, I am not taking a mean-spirited shot* at the person who
wrote this paper. I am only saying that if someone as smart as
this has to work this hard to understand how to help kids read,
than there must be an easier way.

*My apologies for lifting the title out of context to make
a point. But you see how complex the topic can seem from
this example!  

The Only Reading Lesson You May
Ever Need: Find a book or subject
that EXCITES Your Child

Happily, I NEVER had to memorize the long lists of word that were
exceptions to exceptions. Why not? I just found books that I LOVED
TO READ – and my own genius little mind did all the “memorizing”
without any “work” on my part.

I saved the memorization for highschool and college Spanish where
after 6 years of memorizing I can barely say “My name is Chris.” (I
would be  the village idiot in Spain!)

A simpler plan for good Moms and Dads.

Your work is simple. Find a really good chapter book series. (Start here.)
Ease your child into it. Read it aloud to start. Make a fun and light time
of it so that only good feelings are associated with it.

You know, make popcorn when you read. Have pancakes for dinner.
Snuggle close in a chair. Read every other chapter. Get the joy juices
flowing…and watch your kid’s reading muscles grow. Watch their
reading GENIUS take over and the improvements begin.

 Luckily you have come to the right place.

FREE FUN BOOKS

You need a FUN chapter book series. And we have one!

You can get 3 FREE books here. This lets you test them out at no
charge to see if they turn on your child’s GENIUS reading mind.

Just go to the top of the page. Sign up for the books and get ‘em.

Simple Reading Lesson Instructions 

Start by reading out loud to your child (if your child likes this sort
of thing and most do.) After the second book, most kids have a real
“head of steam” and feel ok about reading the books on their own.

Many kids WANT  to read the books on their own and FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

Let me decode this for you. Once your kids hit that point, they are
on their way to reading.

If your little one likes to read the books on the computer, let them.
If they like the idea of printing them out and reading them under the
covers at night with a flash light – buy them a flashlight! 

Reduce all friction. Bend or break your rules. Turn your child loose
in the fun zone so that their READING GENIUS kicks in.

Yes, ma’am, FREE means FREE

Of course you are suspicious. But honestly, you can read the first 3 books for free. If Fran Panza and I have done our jobs right, you’ll be happy to buy these FUN books. But we want you to know that the books are right for your kids first!

No, we must prove ourselves first.

Fair is fair. We only want you to buy something that works for you.

So go ahead, click the button and sign up for the free books. We ask for your email so we can keep in touch and send you reading tips, and ask how it’s going. We don’t sell your email to others. Cross our hearts and hope to die.