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How do I teach my child to read?

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This article is from Examiner.com and written by Tere Scott. It gives much information on teaching reading for those who are homeschooling or just trying to bolster what their children learn at school.

How do I teach my child to read?

One of the most important foundations for all learning is the ability to read. There are countless reading incentive programs to encourage the continuation of reading. But, how do you teach your child to read?

Some children learn this skill very easily and it's almost as if they teach themselves, usually at young ages as early as 3 or 4 years of age, sometimes even sooner. Others struggle slightly and pick up on it at a more expected age of between 5-7 years of age. Still others seem as if they will never learn to read and may not fully comprehend what their eyes peruse until closer to 9 years of age, sometimes even later.

So, as a homeschooling parent how do you teach your child to read?

For the rest of this article click here.
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Check this out

Canadian canine expert and author Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, reports that Fido may just be as smart as two-year-old children.

Coren found that average dogs can learn 165 words, which is about the same amount as a toddler. And the smartest of the bunch can learn up to 250 words.! Signals and gestures are also part of the canine repertoire.

And if you think learning a few words and signals is the only thing man's best friend can do, think again! Dogs stand tow-to-toe with three or four-year-olds when it comes to basic maths skills. Go figure! They can count to four or five an can even notice mistakes in simple math computations. And when it comes to social skills, those lovable pooches are right on course with teenagers! According to Coren, Rover can also show emotions such as anger, disgust and happiness.

For more info and a list of the 10 smartest breeds and the ten least intelligent click here

2009 Notable Children's Books

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Are you looking for some great kids' books for your children? Here are the top children's books listed by the American Library Association. Click here and enjoy

Baby talk leads to life of literacy

This is a great article from the Times Colonist. It talks about the best and easiest way to prepare your child for literacy.

Toddlers from talkative homes have advantage in learning, research finds.

By Katherine Dedyna

Chatting with toddlers helps them develop a good vocabulary before they reach school age.

It's easy to forgive parents for feeling exhausted when faced with all the options to help improve their toddler's literacy and language development before school. Think everything from flash cards to Baby Einstein DVDs.

But there's one thing that's so easy, parents can do it any time, any place for free and kids will love it. Talk to them and give their fledgling words your full attention.

Inviting children to express their thoughts is a huge stepping stone to literacy, says Trish Main, a learning initiatives teacher with Greater Victoria School District.

For the rest of this excellent article click here.

Free Reading Game Introduced by Family Literacy Groups

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A comprehensive online program designed for new readers is being introduced by Family Literacy Groups. There are interactive phonics-based lessons which are free, school proven and fun for kids. Family Literacy Groups is a 501c organisation dedicated to helping children learn to read and The Reading Game is the brainchild of their creative team. For more information click here. The URL for The Reading Game is www.learntoreadfree.com.
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