Teach Your Child to Read (Paperback)

I have to say I didn't really believe that the book would "do what it said on the tin", but I am delighted to say it can! We are now on Lesson 70 (of 100), and I am amazed at what our daughter can now read at just 4 years old!

The book recommends that you do a lesson each day. We don't always do that, as some days we don't have time, but I would certainly advise not leaving more than 1 or 2 days between 'lesson days' and definitely make time in the morning rather than the afternoon. However, you must read exactly what is on the page, as I've tried 'adapting' it to what I thought fitted my child best and I ended up going back a few lessons and reading it verbatim. The only extras I do put in are a lot more praise.

The book is recommended for "bright 3.5-yr-olds, and average 4 and 5 yr olds". I wouldn't suggest any earlier, as your child will need to write each letter they learn, and so they need to have developed their fine motor skills sufficiently. However, even if you only manage 20 or so lessons before your child starts school, it will help them no end, as it is exactly the system used in schools.

Finally, I was once told by someone trained in education that there are always 'natural readers' who are able to be told how a word sounds and remember it. That's all well and good until they try to read a word they haven't seen before! This book teaches how to read words properly by learning 'phonics' and blending them in a way in which we speak ourselves. Therefore, your child will eventually be able to pick up a book and read it, and attempt a word that they have not seen before themselves! Imagine their absolute joy when they achieve that on their own...

I cannot recommend this book any higher...it's extremely good.

Basically this book promotes teaches reading using little letters (as opposed to capitals) and phonics (the way the letters sound) instead of their names. This is THE method currently being promoted in British schools as part of the literacy hour and has much research backing it up as THE most effective way of teaching reading.

The book has 100 fully scripted lessons that can be used by ANYBODY to teach their child to read.

We started teaching our daughter to read using this book from age 2½ and by 3 she was already deciphering new words.

Each lesson has 7 or 8 parts, which deal with different aspects of the reading process (eg saying words slowly, saying them fast, rhyming and sound out letters). Simply do just 2 or 3 of these a day with your young child. For the young learner a kinaesthetic approach is essential - that is a very physical method - so swing them in your arms slowly when they say a word slowly and whizz them fast when they say the word fast. Act out the words they are saying. When they sound out a letter correctly then reward them with a big hooray or throw them in the air, etc. Hold their hand to draw the letters - having fun drawing them big, small, squiggly, anything that makes it like a game. Reinforce the concepts through the day by playing rhyming games or playing spot the sound games. You will be amazed by how much a little child can pick up - as long as it is FUN and seen to be a game (sitting down for a formal lesson just doesn't work at this age - believe me I tried!!!).

I have every confidence that you will have fun and be thrilled at how much children learn through play. It's also great for building up your relationship with your child.

Buy it! You will not regret it - even if you only use a little. What could be better than giving your child the gift of reading?

I spotted this book and read the reviews from other parents on this site and thought it looked like the best option - not entirely believing it could be as good as everyone said.

When I got the book I would pick it up and look at lesson 30 and think that I would be very impressed if my daughter could read the few sentences it had there.

Well I am amazed we are well beyond lesson 30 now (lesson 61) and she can easily read the stuff given...she also generalises the methods she learnt and now figures out words herself just applying the techniques taught in the book without any encouragement from us.

My husband is naturally sceptical about anything and everything and he now raves about this course he is so impressed. My daughter is not even in reception class at school yet and is already reading 10 sentence stories (amusingly she gets sent home with reading books which only have 2 words on each page and she breezes them).

I would very much recomend this book to any parent who wants their child to read, it is minimal effort and you don't have to worry about teaching them wrong as each lesson is completely scripted, and the child learns the skills so subtly and gradually that it is not at all daunting. The child learns how to figure out words instead of learning what a word looks like, therefore they have the skills to constantly improve their reading!

One thing I would say about it is the fact that it is American, so you do sometimes have to explain words such as 'Mom' is 'Mum', etc, but this is rare and a very small price to pay for what I consider to be an ingenious course.