How and why does READ instruction work?
A. There’s no mystery why READ instruction is so successful in teaching preschool-(K1)kids and also in remediating older kids. The “secret” is so simple most can’t believe it; as easy as 1, 2, 3 One. Feed the kids the Alphabetic Code, not all at once, but spoonful by spoonful as fast as they can digest it. Two. Give the kids a sure-fire protocol to use on any unfamiliar word they may encounter: “Say the sounds and read the word.” That’s all they have to do! At first, all the words will require the protocol. But as the instruction progresses, increasingly greater reading expertise is acquired. No additional “teacher-talk” beyond the “Say the sounds…” mantra is needed. (Sure, a lot of additional conversation can and does go on, but it’s ad lib rather than mandatory.) Three. Provide the kids a sequenced series of “Books” that builds a “library” where they can successfully use the sure-fire protocol to trouble-shoot any hang-ups they may encounter as they progress with READ instruction.
