Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox, Elaine Bruner - Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Educational format ………. Highly recommended ………….. 5 stars

The Review
As an additional component of my first grade language arts/reading instruction program; I use the lessons and teaching methodology found on the pages of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons in my classroom.

I taught using the DISTAR instruction system with success during my years in the classroom in California. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is an adaptation of the original DISTAR? (Direct Instruction System for Teaching, Achievement and Remediation) program. DISTAR? is a heavily scripted, programmed, researched based method for achieving success when teaching reading. Materials were developed by educators: Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox , Elaine Bruner.

Engleman and Bruner co-authored the original DISTAR? materials. Engleman is a professor of education at the University of Oregon and has written many books on teaching. Bruner pioneered teach training in direct instruction methods. She has worked at the University of Illinois on computer applications of direct instruction. Haddox worked as a reading specialist before arriving at the University of Oregon.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a guide for teaching children to read founded on a solid foundation of phonics, decoding words, reading fluency and comprehension. Children who are taught phonics only; learn to decode words, however, unless comprehension is also taught, these children are said in the classroom to 'word call' rather than read.

The size of the book is a tad cumbersome for me to use. I have small hands, and am using the book with my class of fourteen students. The ideal situation per the book is one on one parent or other care giver and child. I have adapted my teaching methods… using the techniques I learned during my DISTAR? days, which are basically the scripts offered on the pages of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons I use my chalkboard rather than holding up the book for the class to see.

Lessons are systematic, a specific order for introducing sounds is presented, much repetition is provided, some folks who have used the book voice a dislike for the repetitive nature of the book, however two plus decades of teaching reading to little people has left me understanding that repetition is part of the package. During my teacher training we were told that the 'average' child needs 38 repetitions for materials taught. I don't count the repetitions I use, but I do use lots of repetition and find the children are learning, are not bored or upset with seeing 'that' sound or 'that word again and are pleased with their successes.

Lessons are short, scripted, build upon the previous lessons, continue the learning the child is gaining and is founded in solid teaching principles. I particularly like the presentation of individual sounds, quickly followed by joining the sounds to form two and three sound words. Decoding words begins slowly, 'sound slide the word, now say it fast' is followed with child recognition of more and more words or pieces of words and beginning to read with ease.

I was taught to read using a phonics rich program way back when dinosaurs were little. My younger sister was taught to read by the 'see and say' method when she entered first grade only five years following me. She, with a masters degree and teaching certificate, struggles with fluency and unknown words to this day. Because I can sound out words, and recognize chunks of words with ease; I have had an easier time earning my degree and reading with fluency. I am sold on the teaching of phonics, decoding and teaching for fluency and comprehension.

For use by the non teacher, beginning teacher, or those who have not had experience with DISTAR?Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is 100 twenty–minute scripted lessons. Hints for how to motivate, teach, and correct problems are included. The intention of the book is that once children have successfully completed the 100 lessons they will be reading on a second grade level. The book can be used as a stand alone program having fully fledged lessons of sounds, decoding, and reading with emphasis on both fluency and comprehension skills.

Initial lessons provide sounds and word reading practice. By lesson 13 children are introduced to stories, included in the book. The first stories are one sentence and a picture. The picture is shown after the words are read. In the classroom we often discuss what we may see in the picture before we look at it. The words will tell us what to expect. Stories begin increasing in length by lesson 21 until by lesson 100 the story will comprise many sentences and more than two full pages.

Supplemental materials including— training audio tape, flashcards, training video tape and full–sized sounds sheets developed by co author Phyllis Haddox are available on line.

If you opt to use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons at home whether as a home school tool, in addition to the public or other classroom instruction your child receives, or to boost his/her self confidence I suggest that you also provide books for your child to read, get h/her a library card, and READ READ READ to your child. The more opportunities for reading, and becoming aware that reading is important to you as a parent, the more likely your child will become a good reader who not only CAN read, but reads because they actually LIKE to do so.

I like the book, use the lessons and am happy to recommend it for classroom teachers, home schoolers and parents who may see a need for a boost for their child's reading. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons has a place in the classroom, the home school and school and public library.

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Reviewed by Molly's Reviews
molly martin
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Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Author Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox , Elaine Bruner

Genre: Education
Paperback: 395 pages
Publisher: Fireside Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas NYC, NY 10020
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0671631985
ISBN-13: 978-0671631987
Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.2 x 1 inches
Amazon $14.96