Teaching Our Children to Read

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As our fifth child is slowly but surely taking off reading independently, I thought it would be nice to share with you how I have handled teaching our children to read in our homeschool.

Teaching Our Children to Read Through the Years

Through the years, I have taught our children to read using no curriculum (first and second child), to using the Christ-Centered Curriculum and Explode the Code (third to seventh child) and then moving on to using the computer-based Funnix programme (sixth and seventh child).

I must say that it is highly rewarding to be the one who helps a child decode words and be able to read independently.

Start with Identifying Letters of the Alphabet

I have always started them off by teaching them the names of the letters of the alphabet.

Yes, I know what the phonics experts say. They say never to do that. Instead, the sounds of the alphabet should be taught first. But I only teach them the sounds the letters make after they have mastered the names. Just as I would teach them the sounds animals make. There has been no confusion.

Blending

Teaching the blending of words is more of a challenge though. Some children catch it effortlessly but others need a lot more practice. But I don’t push it. No pressure. It is better to have a child who wants to read and is eager to pick it up than a reluctant child.

And once they get blending they are usually off and running. They start reading anything and everything. Cereal boxes, newspaper headlines, shop signs, lyrics of worship songs in church, etc… And this is when you have to be careful of what you are reading.

Sounds easy enough right? It usually is, if you catch them at their teachable moments. As I have written in my post on Potty Training, some things are worth waiting for instead of pushing it through.

Our Experience

By virtue of being the firstborn and having lots more mommy time plus an inclination and interest to learn, our firstborn learnt to read at 21 months with no formal curriculum.

As I read to him, I would point out words and told them what they were. He was able to memorise the words and spit them out. I still remember him pointing to a bar of milk chocolate I was going to pay for at NTUC when he read out “MILK!” loudly. I was shocked.

By the time he went to pre-school (before I learnt of homeschooling) he was reading independently. Our second born was also able to read simple words when she entered the same pre-school. Again with no curriculum. Both of them seemed to be natural readers. Their school used the Zoophonics programme.

1. Christ-Centered Curriculum

By the time it was our third child’s turn to learn to read, we had pulled both children out of school and were on our homeschool adventure. This time around, I thought I should have a formal curriculum. So I did my research and settled upon using Christ-Centered Curriculum (CCC). I used only it for both our third and fourth child.

It is, however, a very intensive programme and I found that I could not keep up with it. I modified it and ended up using mostly the flashcards and phonics charts only.

Drills are Important for Reinforcement

But I made sure we went through the drills daily. I have observed that this was critical for my children. Even if it was just for 5 minutes a day, doing it daily helped them retain what they have learnt. Once they mastered the sounds and could blend, we went on to simple readers. And that was it.

2. Explode the Code

With our fifth child, I went through the drills of CCC with her as well when she was 3.

Once she was quite familiar with them, I introduced her to Explode the Code (ETC) books. We started with Get Ready for the Code and she loves it.

*The whole series of books used to be available at Book Depository, but I see they only have very selected books now. You can try checking them out at Christianbook.com or Amazon.

In just four months, she could blend! And now she is the one sitting next to me at the breakfast table reading off newspaper headlines. We did not need to do the whole series. We stopped at Level 2 and then moved on to reading simple readers.

3. Funnix Beginning Reading

With our 6th and 7th child, we did all the above (CCC and ETC) but added in Funnix Beginning Reading, a computer-based reading programme based off the Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. When I discovered this programme they were having a promotion where I could download the whole reading programme for free.

They also have a maths programme too but I did not use it. Funnix was a fun way to reinforce what they had already learnt in Explode the Code. It was especially helpful in teaching blending.

4. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

I had also purchased the widely acclaimed and popular in homeschooling circles, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons book. But it didn’t work for me. I didn’t even try it on the kids. I just found all the instructions very confusing. I much prefer the straightforward methods of Explode the Code and Christ-Centered Curriculum.

Practise Reading with Simple Readers

Once they can read, I get them to practise with the famous BOB Books and Oxford Reading Tree readers to practice before slowly progressing to more challenging books.

We were blessed with the simple readers and have found them very suitable for our emerging readers. Just watch out for toddlers who keep wanting to colour the black and white BOB books!

Don’t Just Read But Understand Too

As they learn to read, it is equally important for them to comprehend and understand what they are reading. Otherwise, it is a meaningless exercise.

So I would often check in on them by asking a few simple questions. This is where those of you who are followers of Charlotte Mason will ask your readers to narrate the story back to you.

Gratifying and Rewarding

Teaching our children to read has been one major highlight in our homeschool adventure. It is extremely gratifying to be the one seeing the light go on in their heads as they figure out that they can read. A whole new world opens up for them and I get to be part of that experience. How cool is that?

One Last Note

As with all life skills, don’t force your child to read if he/she is not ready. But you keep reading to him/her. Use audiobooks if you don’t like reading aloud.

And be consistent with doing the drills and flash cards with your child. Repetition is beneficial to reinforce what is learnt.

Just bear in mind that some children do pick it up later than others but it is never too late. And if you think your child may have a learning disability, then go get it checked out.

*I am aware that there are now newer (and better?) reading curriculum out in the market in 2020. But whatever curriculum you use, there needs to be consistent practise for your child and regular read alouds to your child to make it work.

**You may wish to check out this online marketplace resource I just found out called Teachers Pay Teachers where teachers buy and sell original educational materials. I wish it was around when I started homeschooling back in 2004.

Related Posts

8 Reasons Why I Still Do Read Alouds to My Children
Teaching Our Pre-Schoolers
Teaching Handwriting

First published 29th August 2009. Updated and edited for 2020.

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