Learning to Read/Copywork

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  • August 23, 2011 at 3:04 pm
    JenniferM
    Participant

    My daughter is still learning to read.  She can read short vowel sounds (cat, big, box, etc.) and some other words that show up frequently in children’s books.  Should I hold out on copywork?  We do copywork regularly, but not every day.  I was thinking it would encourage her reading ability, but it looks like the SCM curriculum encourages learning to read first.  Any pointers or opinions from others?  

    August 23, 2011 at 3:31 pm
    2flowerboys
    Participant

    Not sure what we are supposed to do! Sorry! But when my son was learning we did copy those types of words. And very short sentences. I think it helped. But I might have done it wrong! 🙂

    http://www.starfall has lots of downloads to print out with these types of words! HTH

    August 23, 2011 at 5:27 pm
    JenniferM
    Participant

    Thanks.  I have used Starfall in the past.  Doesn’t seem to fit in with the CM method, though.  When I refer to copywork, I mean a sentence from a book or part of scripture.  For instance – God created the heavens and the earth.  My daughter would not be able to read all those words without help, but she knows the verse and I was thinking about copying sentences that are familiar to her.  I’m not sure I am explaining this the best….

     My thoughts – some gentle copywork from a familiar verse or story would make a connection for her that would help her learn to read more words that do not necessarily follow the phonics patterns she has learned.  Does that make sense?  

    I’m thinking that a mixture of phonics and just straight out learning some words would help her feel more successful.  She wants to read, but the phonics only path seems slow.  Also, she seems to read much more easily within a context than just a list of words on the page.

    August 23, 2011 at 6:54 pm
    2flowerboys
    Participant

    I knew you meant that..we just didn’t do it unless he could read most of the words. It just frustrated him. That is why I resorted to copying sentences he did know from starfall or a short book. Nope, starfall is not CM. But I had a lot of success w/ both my boys using it!  Embarassed

    I think your idea of gentle copywork would be fine as long as it is short and most of the words can read by your dd. Also, I don’t think I would do it everyday until she can read more. Unless you want to copy from a book she already knows. Have fun! HTH

    August 23, 2011 at 7:12 pm
    amama5
    Participant

    My daughter is 5 and sounds like the same place yours is almost.  I have found that she really enjoys Rocket Readers that our library has, there are several levels.  The picture clues are so easy in the first levels that it really gives her success and she enjoys it more than just her straight phonics.  Then we get some of the harder ones to work on learning words by sight and her phonics.   We also have sight word flash cards and we make up silly sentences or normal sentences with the words she knows and add a new word each week. 

    I don’t think a full sentence would be good for her right now but other moms probably know better.  We focus more on the reading and copywork is just a small portion of her week, maybe 2 or 3 times, usually two words at a time. 

    August 23, 2011 at 7:50 pm
    suzukimom
    Participant

    Well, as for phonics taking a long time – that is why we went to Dick and Jane readers (the old ones) once the kids could sound out some words but weren’t fluent yet.  I think it really helped to do a mixture of reading techniques.  (I’d sure like to try out Delightful Reading… sigh)

    Does she write all her letters really well?  

    If so, I would go for just a word or two, or really short, simple sentences like  “Jesus loves me”.  “My name is ______”.   probably most days doing a single word or two from the reading program you are doing.  “man”  “can”

    hth some!

    August 23, 2011 at 8:05 pm
    JenniferM
    Participant

    Thanks for all the advice and sharing your experiences.  It truly helps me.

    She does write well.  In fact, last year as we would learn a word family, I would have her choose one word to use in a sentence then I would help her write it.  She writes her own books asking me how to spell difficult words.  I have to remind her about capitalization at the beginning of sentences and punctuation at the end sometimes.  When it comes to reading though she just stumbles.   She doesn’t understand the silent e concept.  I’ve tried teaching it in a few different ways and she just doesn’t get it.  I can teach her cake – bake – make- though and she is able to read those words.  She seems to have picked up on the word family way of reading, but this doesn’t work with all words.

     I’m thinking I just need to provide more practice with easy books???  I know our library carries Dick and Jane.  I will check into the Rocket Readers.  I’m thinking just teach a few new words each day that show up in the story??  I actually did that recently with great success. 

    Thanks again.  I just needed reassurance that I am heading in the right direction. 

    August 23, 2011 at 10:56 pm
    nancyg
    Participant

    Jennifer,  Another thing that we did that seemed helpful and enjoyable was to make simple books.  One was about a friend’s dog, one following a repetitive pattern book with our own words, one with silly cartoonish drawings made by me and my daughter…..you get the idea.  It seemed to encourage her and be fun during a very long learning period. 

    It also seemed to me that very simple copywork did help her reading.

    Good Luck.

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