So as you know, I’ve been spending the past 8-9 months teaching CootieBoy to read. We bought the book for CootieGirl when she started kindergarten last year, but she didn’t take to it. About midway through the school year CB asked if he could do the reading book. Since then we’ve been diligently working through the book of 100 lessons. Some weeks we’d only one lesson from the book, other weeks we’d do 2-3. So it was only last week that he and I reached Lesson 98. Ninety-eight!
At this point, he can already read at a first grade level – quite possibly nearer to a second grade level. He loves words and is at a stage where he’s constantly attempting to read or spell things.
Last night he and I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple things for a class project he’s working on. As we left, he said, “That sign says ‘Game Stop’.” Yes, yes it does. So then I decided to really challenge him and see if he could not just read, but figure out words in his head.
“Hey, CB,” I announced as we got into the car. “I’m going to spell words out loud, and I want you to tell me what I’m spelling.”
“Okay!” he replied cheerfully.
“H-A-T-S.”
“Hats!”
“S-T-O-P.”
“Stop!”
“P-L-A-Y.”
“Play!”
“H-I-D-E.”
“Hid? No – HIDE!”
“T-A-I-L.”
“Tail!”
“Here’s a tricky one. E-A-G-L-E.”
Without hesitation, “EAGLE!”
Now to be fair, the word ‘eagle’ is used in several of the lessons from the reading book – so it’s a word he’s used to reading. But the fact that he could visualize the letters as I spoke them out loud, and know that was the word ‘eagle’ was awesome. And sure, all the words I spelled were relatively easy for you and me, but for a five year old, remembering the “e” at the end of a word makes the vowel say it’s name can be hard to remember. Remembering that “ai” together say, “aye.” That’s all stuff that he’s only recently learned, but I love that there is obvious proof that he is learning.
And have I mentioned lately that he’s decided what he wants to be when he grows up?
He wants to be a librarian.
What books are you using?
Joe, we’re using the book Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I highly recommend it!
Please tell him that Pop is very proud of him and how well he reads. In fact, he can read this post all by himself!
Pop – I called him over and he did, indeed, read your comment all by himself!
That is so cool! Great job! 🙂
*teary*
I love that he wants to be a librarian.
Jen, he’s told me that a few times, but he even told his kindergarten class. He was “top banana” this week and told the class all about himself – when asked what he wanted to be, he said he wants to be a librarian. I figured, surrounded by his friends who want to be firemen, cops and racecar drivers, that he’d switch and say something else. But he said librarian!!
A librarian, huh ? Tell him he had beter be prepared to be very, very poor.
Uncle Bill – I know right? But as long as he’s happy doing what’s he’s doing, then I’m fine with that.