Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Learning to read with Dick and Jane.

Reading Dick and Jane - in the car.
You just can't put every child in one basket. This is a realization I experience everyday I spend with my two amazing daughters. Perhaps if they weren't twins, I wouldn't have to spend so much time hitting my hand to my for head and saying "duh" - why didn't I handle the situation differently. Sitting in the parent teacher meeting at the girl's school was the first clear answer I had to why Nini was having so much trouble learning to read. "She reads by sight words, or grouped words" her resource teacher said to me, "sounding words out is very difficult." I knew that she had trouble sounding out words, but I didn't realize that reading success for her would entail more memorization and repetition then seeing the sounds put together to make a word. I was told to start working on Dolch method with Nini and began memorizing 220 of the most common words.
Now to the old vintage Dick and Jane readers, do you remember them? Learn to read from them? They've begun to republish this series in chapter book format. Craig found the one she is reading at Borders books and brought it home to her to read. The most amazing thing happened, this book is over a hundred pages long - and she read it in two days. She even read in the car for hours at a time when we headed to Burlington in February. We purchased another one for her to read and she read it one day - and now she is reading like a pro!
The repetitive nature of these books allowed her to use her gift of memorizing and learn many of the words on Dolch list of sight words. It was such an eye opening experience about how every child is different - that when you find the right learning style for your child and they are ready- they'll succeed - like my Nini!
Did you learn to read with Dick and Jane?
Have you heard of Dolch?
Or any other methods like this one?

7 comments:

Melinda said...

I haven't heard of Dolch. And I totally know what you mean with kids learn differently. I have learned that with mine. I am glad she had gotten the hang of it.

Lene said...

Isn't it amazing when they just "get" it? I loved learning to read with Dick and Jane. It is great that they are coming out with the books again.

Chrissy, said...

This is interesting to me. I think Kenna and Erika both learned better by sight works and memorization than sounding things out. I dont think I realized it at the time. But now having CC who learns really fast sounding things out I can see it more clearly. Kenna and Erika read alot of Dick and Jane when they were younger. Kenna and Erika are fabulous readers and love to read alot.

Last week I read some good books with CC. They were called I'll read to you and you read to me.

Marie said...

Learning to read is so exciting! I've never heard of Dolch. Hmmm...Something to learn about.

Carter is learning about wild animals in kindergarten right now, and yesterday they had a 'bring your wild animal stuffy' day. He brought his elephant, and when he came home, he had drawn a picture of it with the sentence, "Elifints hav bg errs." which translates to 'elephants have big ears.' I was so proud!

dani said...

i was of the "dick and jane" generation, michelle:) i remember the first time i saw the chapter books in walmart thinking that was the coolest thing ever!
it is wonderful that the "old school" method helped nini. i am sure that the books not only helped her to read but also were real confidence builders.
YAY, nini!!!
love,
dani

donna said...

we have Dick and Jane books in our house. GREAT books. Emily and Jakob learn to read with Dick and Jane books

Holly said...

I hadn't heard of the Dolch method, but it sounds like exactly what she needed. I'm sure she's SO proud of herself--and you are too.

I remember reading with Dick and Jane...