Teaching Kids to Read For Dummies

by Tracey Wood

You’re thinking of teaching a child to read. What a great idea! Now all you need is exactly the right blueprint. This easy-to-follow book is written with two people in mind; you, and the child you’re thinking of teaching. Mother and children’s reading specialist Tracey Wood gives you all the down-to-earth, honest information you need to give a child a happy, solid start with reading. Teaching Kids to Read For Dummies is for parents of young children who want to give their kids a head start by teaching them to read before they enter school or to supplement their children’s school instruction, as well as teachers and caregivers of young children. Filled with hands-on activities that progress a child from sounds to words to sentences to books, this friendly guide shows you how to: Whether the child you want to teach is two or twelve; fast paced or steady; an absolute beginner or someone who’s begun but could use a little help, this empathetic book shows you how to adapt the simple, fun activities to your child’s individual needs. You’ll see how to make activities age appropriate, how to add more challenge or support, and how to make gender allowances if that’s relevant. Plus, you’ll discover how to: Complete with lists of word families, phonics rules, and reading resources, Teaching Kids to Read For Dummies will help you make learning fun for your child as he or she develops this critical skill!

Genres: Teaching

384 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2004

About the author

I've been a teacher and literacy specialist for many years. Currently, I work with disadvantaged teens in an alternative kind of place and love it. I am passionate about helping kids and anyone else to read and am the author of 4 non-fiction books all about best ways to get reading and writing happening. Now, I'm veering onto a new path. I'm writing fiction! And because of the type of work I do, and the things I hear my students say, I want my stories to be the kind anyone can read. So, what with trying to get it right, and having to learn a lot, and remembering not to write rubbish, it's taken me a mere 5 years to get my first novel up and running. (I know!) Not to fear, the pace is picking up. I have an extraordinarily talented literary agent and she’s making me fix my book until it sparkles. We hope the shiny copy strikes a chord with tons of highly discerning readers! My (Young Adult) story is about a desperate boy from El Salvador who tries to cross the border into the United States. It's nail-biting, sometimes heart-wrenching, and you learn a bit along the way. I hope my book fits that niche anyway. Those are the kinds of books I love to read.

That's me. Thanks for taking the time to check me out.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not exactly what I wanted. Some of the information was so basic, I felt the book really was written for dummies. Other activities felt and sounded incredibly lackluster. There is some good information, but it's hard to mine through the ho-hum to discover it.

[Jodumb Gearhart]

I can't say I've been real successful with this one.

[MissLexiloo]

Good info. Like any of the "dummies" books, you can pick and choose what works for you and what doesn't. I did pick up a few strategies.