Name: ICHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-05T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-07T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Bourbonnais, IL

Tagged: McGuffey’s Primer, reading lessons

This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 7 months ago by LadyJesse.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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September 30, 2018 at 2:57 pm
Joanna Simmons
Participant
Lets get an updated conversation going on the McGuffey’s Primers both Original and Revised! I have searched the site and only find old posts from several years ago. I am attempting to use the Original Primer/Pictorial Primer at this time for my beginning reader. I have the user guide from Ruth Beechick and have found a few sites here and there that lay out a plan for progression. What I am looking for is an example of real life execution! If you have used these successfully how did you set up a lesson (that maybe doesn’t involve a bazillion cut up word cards lol!)?!?! I would love to hear some fresh conversation on this topic from seasoned moms who have used it! Thanks in advance!
October 2, 2018 at 12:24 am
Stephany
Participant
Hello there! I have been using them for almost a year now. Not long, but I did a lot of research before implementing. It is 10:20p here and I’m about to turn in. I just wanted to let you know that I will be posting an answer for you. Here are some people to look into…either their blog/website and/or youtube (most helpful).
Mom delights
Farmstead Journal
October 2, 2018 at 6:52 pm
Joanna Simmons
Participant
Thank you SewFanny! Can’t wait to hear 🙂
October 3, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Stephany
Participant
Hi, I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. My brain is in a bit of a scramble. I hope I can get it all down in a way you will understand. 🙂
My son is 5 an uses the revised (blue & orange) Primer. He already knew his letters, sounds and was able to decode and blend. We actually started with the BOB books, but he lost interest in those. When I gave my daughter the original McGuffey to read he wanted one too. The revised edition seemed to work best for him because he wasn’t too familiar with sight words then. Here is how we do lessons with him using the REVISED PRIMER. One step per day.
Step 1. We talk about the picture. He sounds out/reads the words listed and any phonograms.
Step 2. Sounds out/reads the words listed.
Step 3. Will read 3-4 sentences of the lesson. (sometimes they are longer than that)
Step 4. Will read the same 3-4 sentences and MAYBE one more if there is more.
Step 5. Will read the whole passage.
Step 6+. Will continue to read the passage until he is reading it fluently with proper enunciation.
Once he can read and enunciate the passage fluently we move on to the next lesson. I will sometimes assign some words for copywork if he needs some handwriting practice.
I’ll get back on here later to tell you how I use the 1st ORIGINAL McGuffey with my 7 year old.
October 3, 2018 at 3:20 pm
Stephany
Participant
Oh, I see that you only asked for info on how to use the Primers. Look up farmstead journal on youtube. Her form 1B video she explains a bit how she uses the McGuffey Primer and she made a separate video to answer a question about how she uses it with a spiral bound story-paper book for her son.
October 3, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Joanna Simmons
Participant
SewFanny, This is fantastic! Thanks!!! I can’t wait to hear how you are using the original with your seven year old! In the meantime I will look up the video from Farmstead Journal. Looking forward to your reply 🙂
October 5, 2018 at 8:18 pm
Stephany
Participant
Hey there!
I’m sorry for my choppy replies. I have an almost 8 mos old having his 4 top teeth coming in all at once!!! He has some sensitivities to food, meds, environmental stuff and so I can’t give him anything for his pain. Just cold/iced chewing toys amd lots of nursing sessions. So, it’s been a little crazy over here.

Ok, so…my 7 year old. She reads at about 3rd/4th gr. level if that means anything to you. She has been a fluent reader since she was 6. Any book she picks up she can read. BUT she reads FAST, so fast that she skips over harder words sometimes, replaces words, adds words, etc. And her spelling “level” doesn’t match her reading level. For this reason I had her start with the 1st Original McGuffey.
This is how it gets done.
Step 1. Talk about the pic (if there is one). She reads vocab list at the end of the lesson (if there is one). I ask her to spell 1/2 the words in the list (oral). Make note of words missed. She reads the entire lesson outloud. Oral Narration
Step 2. I ask her to spell the 2nd half of words (orally). I make note of words missed to add to her lesson sheet. She reads entire lesson outloud. She completes vocabulary words lesson sheet. I add more vocab if needed, from the lesson she is currently reading.
3. She reads entire lesson outloud, copywork & pic narration lesson sheet. She or I will pick a passage, about 1 or 2 sentences for copywork. Use bananagrams to spell any words still having trouble with.
Step 4. She Studies her copywork for french-style dictation (fill in the blank words & punctuation). I circle the words/punctuation to focus on in her copywork. When she is ready we complete the dictation lesson sheet. She corrects it herself. Any mispelled words she writes 3 times each on same paper.
We move on to the next lesson, starting the process over again. Steps 1-4 usually get done in 1 week. Of course, life happens and sometimes it goes into the 2nd week. The lesson sheets I an referring to are from Sherry at momdelights.comI print them and use the proclick binding system to create a book of lessons for my daughter.
You can download them for free here http://momdelights.com/index.php/2016/08/30/free-lesson-sheets-printables/ You can buy a printed version of her updated lesson sheets
http://momdelights.com/index.php/the-lesson-books/
P.S. I also use her grammar lessons. The pdf versions are free. I have my daughter complete 1-2 lessons per week.
http://momdelights.com/index.php/2018/08/30/more-free-gentle-grammar-curriculum-for-young-children/
I’m not affiliated in any way. I’m not making money off her links or anything like that. I just really like the simplicity of it all.
Any questions, feel free to let me know. Also, you can e-mail me svergara124 AT gmail . Com
October 6, 2018 at 8:07 am
HollyS
Participant
I’ve used the revised readers to teach reading. Here’s what I did with my youngest reader:
- we looked at the new words for that lesson. She added them to a “dictionary” we ordered from Starfall. It was just a blank book with letters at the top of the pages, going in alphabetical order. You could easily make something similar. I wrote the new words in the book in highlighter and she traced over them. We also built the words with reading rods (letter tiles or magnetic letters would have worked too). We discussed new letter combinations or sounds as they came up in the lesson.
- I had my DD read the lesson out loud. We would usually just read it once, since the same words pop up in future lessons. If she really struggled, we might re-read it the next time.
- I added an easy phonics workbook. She had one from Starfall, but my younger kids used Explode the Code. I think I prefer ETC. I feel like this step is optional, but it does give just a bit of handwriting practice and phonics reinforcement. Some phonics books have writing assignments, and we either skip them or I have them dictate an answer for me to write down. I don’t start a workbook until they’ve really started reading. That way it’s more of a review.
- we sometimes reviewed words with her book of words.
We didn’t do all of these things each lesson, but we did copy all the words as we came to them. When we got to the first reader (or partway through), I start alternating the reader with books like Bob Books, Frog and Toad or Dr. Seuss. My kids like a bit more variety at this point.
October 9, 2018 at 8:18 am
LadyJesse
Participant
I was wondering if any of the blogs, sites, or forums that are referred to use the spelling book to teach reading before actually using the readers?
The cover of The Eclectic Progressive Spelling Book from Mott Media writes “On an improved plan: of English Ortheopy designed to precede the eclectic readers.” This is written on the first page as well by Alexander H. McGuffey.
Thank you, Julie S in OH