Thanks to several posts by DadDude, Larry Sanger, about reading 'advanced' books to his son, I was inspired to start reading chapter books to Joey before bed. Prior to that, I felt like the majority of our reading time was spent with him having to 'work' at it, and didn't want him to lose the joy for reading. I want(ed) to be sure he was inspired to want to advance his reading abilities. So, I gave him the choice between Alice in Wonderland (that's not the title, but you know what I mean), and Oliver Twist. Both books I had previously picked up in the dollar bin from Target, knowing that I eventually wanted the kids to know what these classics were. I was pleasantly surprised by my son's interest!! Each chapter is only a few (4 to 7 or so pages), so it doesn't take me long to get through it. I was planning on stopping after the first chapter, until Joey begged me to continue. :-) It was late, so we only did a few chapters, but I was so surprised that he was genuinely interested and paying attention! That was Saturday night.
Sunday night was hectic, so we didn't read from the chapter book.
Monday night was another wonderful surprise. Again it was much later than expected, but Joey requested Oliver Twist before bedtime prayers, which is the last thing we do before he falls asleep. So, I agreed, and since we skipped the night before, did a quick review of what we had read. Each set of pages has one picture, so we just used those as guides to get us through to where we would start reading. One of the pages he stopped me on to say "help, help!" I wasn't sure if this was because he read it on the page or if he recalled it, but I thought it was neat that he did it, still. When I finished the first chapter of the night, he pleaded with me to do more, so I did. And although he pleaded for more when that was done, I told him he had to wait until the next day.
This morning I shouldn't have been surprised, then, when Joey asked me for Oliver Twist! I've noticed that if we tell him things at night, he ALWAYS seems to remember it the next day. That's probably why I try to use story time to add or reinforce information that I'd like for him to retain.
FYI: Story time for us usually starts with "Once there was a boy name ... JOEY! ... " And is used to relay something of importance. That's how he learned my telephone number, and how he's learning/reinforcing the continents/countries/states, etc, in addition to other tidbits. I also use it to recap the day's events to help reinforce his memory of the day or the week or the month. I love seeing where his imagination take it. I learned this from another parent and am so grateful because prior to that it was just reading little books. If you don't do it with your child, I definitely recommend it. :-)
PS: One of the reasons I liked chapter books in theory and now in practice is because it aids in memory while adding to Joey's vocabulary and ability to self-express. I'm contemplating adding French and Spanish reading into our book time too. We'll see.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Brief Update
I can't believe that it's been so long since I've last posted. Ok, since I've been working so much with the GiftedVillage CARES non-profit, putting together this year's Memphis Convention on Early Learning, every little bit of time seems to be going to that. But, I'm visiting family this weekend, so here I am :-)
OK. Things that come to mind to mention....
Kaelie will be 9 months next week - yay! She's already attempting short steps and as managing to stay standing longer and longer. The doctor says she's 3 months advanced, but I think she's just right. Joey was at the same point at this age, which is exciting and a relief for me, since I worry that she doesn't get as much positive stimulation because I split my time between the two.
Last week, I believe it was, Joey did something interesting: I accidentally asked him in Spanish to read. As in, instead of speaking English and asking him to read his words, which are in English, I was talking to him in Spanish and asked him to read his words (which are in English). And he read them to me ... in Spanish! I didn't even realize it until he happened to stumble onto a word that he didn't know in Spanish and said it in English, at which point it occurred to me what he was doing. I think this is really neat and further enforces that learning is learning, regardless of the language. The language is just the expression of the subject.
Along those lines, he's been devouring Mickey in Mandarin, thanks to YouTube! It's funny how people fret so much over screen time and that it will affect their attention spans and whatnot, but on the contrary, there are so many benefits if you're exposing them to great things. I often wonder what the result of the next 20 years will be. The possibilities are exciting and I'm really looking forward to getting to know who they are and watch them develop into who they choose to be.
This past week Joey seems to be having separation anxiety. I started him at a coop school on Tuesdays and for whatever reason, he isn't doing well unless I'm around. The good news is that it is a new place with new people, except for his buddy Harper, and so I think this is only natural for this age. His first visit I stayed in his room the whole time, but his second visit, which occurred 3 weeks later, into the third hour he was starting to stay in his toddler room with the other kids without my being there. I'm so grateful that I found this place! Social development is so important too.
We are on a good routine these days, having successfully incorporated Little Reader and Little Math. He adores his books and writing. I need to expose him more to arts and music. Fortunately, I've set up his keyboard at Nani's and will be doing the same this week, so yay! Finally on track there. Now I just have to order the usb-midi interface and I'll be set.
OK. Things that come to mind to mention....
Kaelie will be 9 months next week - yay! She's already attempting short steps and as managing to stay standing longer and longer. The doctor says she's 3 months advanced, but I think she's just right. Joey was at the same point at this age, which is exciting and a relief for me, since I worry that she doesn't get as much positive stimulation because I split my time between the two.
Last week, I believe it was, Joey did something interesting: I accidentally asked him in Spanish to read. As in, instead of speaking English and asking him to read his words, which are in English, I was talking to him in Spanish and asked him to read his words (which are in English). And he read them to me ... in Spanish! I didn't even realize it until he happened to stumble onto a word that he didn't know in Spanish and said it in English, at which point it occurred to me what he was doing. I think this is really neat and further enforces that learning is learning, regardless of the language. The language is just the expression of the subject.
Along those lines, he's been devouring Mickey in Mandarin, thanks to YouTube! It's funny how people fret so much over screen time and that it will affect their attention spans and whatnot, but on the contrary, there are so many benefits if you're exposing them to great things. I often wonder what the result of the next 20 years will be. The possibilities are exciting and I'm really looking forward to getting to know who they are and watch them develop into who they choose to be.
This past week Joey seems to be having separation anxiety. I started him at a coop school on Tuesdays and for whatever reason, he isn't doing well unless I'm around. The good news is that it is a new place with new people, except for his buddy Harper, and so I think this is only natural for this age. His first visit I stayed in his room the whole time, but his second visit, which occurred 3 weeks later, into the third hour he was starting to stay in his toddler room with the other kids without my being there. I'm so grateful that I found this place! Social development is so important too.
We are on a good routine these days, having successfully incorporated Little Reader and Little Math. He adores his books and writing. I need to expose him more to arts and music. Fortunately, I've set up his keyboard at Nani's and will be doing the same this week, so yay! Finally on track there. Now I just have to order the usb-midi interface and I'll be set.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
They really can read & do math before they're 1!!
Wow, I can't believe it has been two weeks. In my mind, it's only been a few hours, as I compose several new posts each day, yet don't actually get to the computer to share - doh!
Anyway, here I am, and here's what I'll share before calling it a night.
http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-math/is-he-just-good-at-guessing-or-could-he-really-do-math/msg79768/?topicseen#new
Sadly, we don't work that much on teaching math at the moment. We have been focusing more on reading, but yes, we'll do a few minutes of math every couple days. And while I realize that our (as in all children!) are brilliantly amazing, I am still wonderfully surprised when I hear Joey reading, especially new words!
Today, my mother randomly asked him a series of addition problems. Very simple addition. Things like, "Joey, what's 1+1?" Of course, he gave her the answers! I didn't know he knew that. After watching the video, I know that I need to start doing more with both, Joey & Kaelie! The possibilities are exciting!
I'll keep you better posted ;-)
Anyway, here I am, and here's what I'll share before calling it a night.
http://forum.brillkids.com/teaching-your-child-math/is-he-just-good-at-guessing-or-could-he-really-do-math/msg79768/?topicseen#new
Sadly, we don't work that much on teaching math at the moment. We have been focusing more on reading, but yes, we'll do a few minutes of math every couple days. And while I realize that our (as in all children!) are brilliantly amazing, I am still wonderfully surprised when I hear Joey reading, especially new words!
Today, my mother randomly asked him a series of addition problems. Very simple addition. Things like, "Joey, what's 1+1?" Of course, he gave her the answers! I didn't know he knew that. After watching the video, I know that I need to start doing more with both, Joey & Kaelie! The possibilities are exciting!
I'll keep you better posted ;-)
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Joey Starts Phonics
In October, after the dust settled some following Kaelie's birth in May, I realized that Joey knew all his basic letter sounds. How? Because he was singing his phonics song to me! Yes! He was also singing his periodic tables song, additional Signing Time songs and picking up lines from random songs on the radio while listening to them for the first time. Great! But, oh no! I wasn't prepared for the next steps! As his guide, I should be certain that he has what he needs ahead of time so that he can continue to develop at his true pace, but he beat me this time.
So, what was next? Phonics, sight words? I didn't know enough to make an educated decision, nor did I have prior experience aside from recalling how I learned to read. As typical, I started researching and came to the conclusion that we would do a combination of phonics and sight words, with the ability to speed read with comprehension as the goal.
Well, Joey knew the basic sounds for a to z, thanks to the genkijapan.net video I added to his YouTube playlist way back when. And well before Kaelie was born he knew the flash card sight words from his YBCR (Your Baby Can Read) sets that he started when he was 5 months old. But by the time I realized what was happening and started trying to put a plan together, Joey was already 27 months old, and I was barely adjusted to a routine with Joey and Kaelie to give her the same amount of attention as Joey had received. Of course guilt set in, but necessity to not fall further behind from what his mind was craving and risk him losing interest compelled me to push forward. Kaelie was now 6 months old and because of our adult lives getting in the way, I was not close to having things back in order for the kids' routine. To make matters more difficult, Joey started showing signs that he was a bit over the YBCR videos, understandably so - it's been two years - but without an extra set of hands, now I had to find a separate time for Kaelie to do her YBCR, and Joey was hit or miss with nap time, so most days I wasn't even getting the oh-so-needed break. That, plus interrupted nights nursing, all blend for a pretty stressed and crazy momma who was starting to have doubts and question everything. Following J's suggestion, I escaped to my mother's in November to try and regroup while she and my grandmother helped long enough for me to sneak in some work calls and down time. Upon reflection and rest, the choice was clear: I would stop trying to work and focus my energy on the kids.
A weight was lifted and I had focus and desire. Inspiration set in again and things have been coming more
and more into focus ever since. We were blessed to have Lulu help us with Joey when he was 7 months old until he was 20 months old, but now instead of 1 child to 2 adults, the tables had turned on me, leaving this 1 adult with 2 beautifully, hungry and deserving minds. God blessed me with the challenge, and I will admit, I was periodically fighting thoughts and feelings of depression until I accepted the challenge as my priority and purpose. The entrepreneurial spirit woven into my fabric has spurred me onto a new business path, the gifted path, but in truth, it was a journey that I started on many years before college and had put aside and forgotten until my pregnancy with Joey forced me back to it. Real estate can wait, my baby's cannot.
So, with renewed faith I removed the guilt, resentment and frustration that was starting to creep in, and rekindled my joy, gratitude, and confidence. I started paying happier attention to the kids and falling in love with them again, curious once more to experience what new lessons we would learn from each other as the mystery of who they will become slowly unveils itself to me. To follow the path of how new human life starts, grows, is nourished and develops right before you is truly amazing. To be a part of that process and having a positive impact is truly a blessing. To know that part or your purpose is being carried out, making you a part of something much bigger, iw truly rewarding. And to find the means to participate in all of the above with your own child is just short of a miracle in today's world. Our children are miracles, and when we see them as such, and realize that we are both their followers and guides, helping them to unlock the miracles buried as secrets within them, then they will help us unlock the same within us.
So, back to Joey and reading. Instead of being too tired for him or too busy for him, I started listening. And I heard him winging his phonics. I started using moments of interest with him to stimulation his letter sound connection. For example, when Mr Independent wanted to turn the light on or off, I'd ask him to tell me the first letter and he would correctly answer. After two days of this, then I started asking for the last letter too. I made sure to not throw curve balls, like words that end in silent E, but I could ask him what that word started with. I played, and still play, extra games to emphasize position words like first, second, third, fourth, last, left, right, front, back, forward, backwards, upside-down, etc. He surprised me about three weeks ago by coming up with all the letters in mango, one of how favorite fruits. Speaking of which, lately he's been telling me that he has favorite things! Favorite color: first it was purple, then it changed to red. Favorite other things too, but it's late and I'm drawing a blank.
This morning he insisted that he needed to draw and asked for paper - he found the pens on his own. After drawing letters, he proceeded to sound them out. This is very exciting for me, since I'm trying to teach him hoe to read phonetically too. We have started spelling quite a bit too. Like, while he was riding his bike in the neighborhood, I took the time to point out that the stop sign was a red octagon. I aside him to tell me the letters, which he did, and then I made up a little ditty: s.t.o.p spells stop, g.o. spells go, g.o. spells go. I explained the importance of looking left and right, and was consistent about mentioning at every opportunity until he started saying it before me. Now, he reminds me to look both ways wo that I don't get hurt. He tells me everywhere he sees the word stop, whether in the sign or not. He counted the sides of a hexagon the other day, realizing that it was not a pentagon. He is so neat!
And he is cool and considerate too. :) we visited family today and he was sure to tell everyone good morning. He rough-housed with his older cousins, and when he greets strangers, he asks them their name, tells them his, shakes their hand and says 'nice to meet you'd and if he sees they want to pound fists, he'll pound, sometimes blowing it up and sometimes letting it fizzle. The kid cracks me up! He's so rough and tumble lately, but he still gives us, especially Kaelie, drive-by kisses, hugs and I love you's, sometimes in ASL. I feel that he would have been trapped inside his body if I hadn't supported his innate ability to communicate early and am so grateful to get to know him like this.
Kaelie isn't left behind either. She is quite the vocal one! I didn't realize until recently all she was trying to do months ago, but now that I know, I am even more excited to be on this path with both of them.
So, what was next? Phonics, sight words? I didn't know enough to make an educated decision, nor did I have prior experience aside from recalling how I learned to read. As typical, I started researching and came to the conclusion that we would do a combination of phonics and sight words, with the ability to speed read with comprehension as the goal.
Well, Joey knew the basic sounds for a to z, thanks to the genkijapan.net video I added to his YouTube playlist way back when. And well before Kaelie was born he knew the flash card sight words from his YBCR (Your Baby Can Read) sets that he started when he was 5 months old. But by the time I realized what was happening and started trying to put a plan together, Joey was already 27 months old, and I was barely adjusted to a routine with Joey and Kaelie to give her the same amount of attention as Joey had received. Of course guilt set in, but necessity to not fall further behind from what his mind was craving and risk him losing interest compelled me to push forward. Kaelie was now 6 months old and because of our adult lives getting in the way, I was not close to having things back in order for the kids' routine. To make matters more difficult, Joey started showing signs that he was a bit over the YBCR videos, understandably so - it's been two years - but without an extra set of hands, now I had to find a separate time for Kaelie to do her YBCR, and Joey was hit or miss with nap time, so most days I wasn't even getting the oh-so-needed break. That, plus interrupted nights nursing, all blend for a pretty stressed and crazy momma who was starting to have doubts and question everything. Following J's suggestion, I escaped to my mother's in November to try and regroup while she and my grandmother helped long enough for me to sneak in some work calls and down time. Upon reflection and rest, the choice was clear: I would stop trying to work and focus my energy on the kids.
A weight was lifted and I had focus and desire. Inspiration set in again and things have been coming more
and more into focus ever since. We were blessed to have Lulu help us with Joey when he was 7 months old until he was 20 months old, but now instead of 1 child to 2 adults, the tables had turned on me, leaving this 1 adult with 2 beautifully, hungry and deserving minds. God blessed me with the challenge, and I will admit, I was periodically fighting thoughts and feelings of depression until I accepted the challenge as my priority and purpose. The entrepreneurial spirit woven into my fabric has spurred me onto a new business path, the gifted path, but in truth, it was a journey that I started on many years before college and had put aside and forgotten until my pregnancy with Joey forced me back to it. Real estate can wait, my baby's cannot.
So, with renewed faith I removed the guilt, resentment and frustration that was starting to creep in, and rekindled my joy, gratitude, and confidence. I started paying happier attention to the kids and falling in love with them again, curious once more to experience what new lessons we would learn from each other as the mystery of who they will become slowly unveils itself to me. To follow the path of how new human life starts, grows, is nourished and develops right before you is truly amazing. To be a part of that process and having a positive impact is truly a blessing. To know that part or your purpose is being carried out, making you a part of something much bigger, iw truly rewarding. And to find the means to participate in all of the above with your own child is just short of a miracle in today's world. Our children are miracles, and when we see them as such, and realize that we are both their followers and guides, helping them to unlock the miracles buried as secrets within them, then they will help us unlock the same within us.
So, back to Joey and reading. Instead of being too tired for him or too busy for him, I started listening. And I heard him winging his phonics. I started using moments of interest with him to stimulation his letter sound connection. For example, when Mr Independent wanted to turn the light on or off, I'd ask him to tell me the first letter and he would correctly answer. After two days of this, then I started asking for the last letter too. I made sure to not throw curve balls, like words that end in silent E, but I could ask him what that word started with. I played, and still play, extra games to emphasize position words like first, second, third, fourth, last, left, right, front, back, forward, backwards, upside-down, etc. He surprised me about three weeks ago by coming up with all the letters in mango, one of how favorite fruits. Speaking of which, lately he's been telling me that he has favorite things! Favorite color: first it was purple, then it changed to red. Favorite other things too, but it's late and I'm drawing a blank.
This morning he insisted that he needed to draw and asked for paper - he found the pens on his own. After drawing letters, he proceeded to sound them out. This is very exciting for me, since I'm trying to teach him hoe to read phonetically too. We have started spelling quite a bit too. Like, while he was riding his bike in the neighborhood, I took the time to point out that the stop sign was a red octagon. I aside him to tell me the letters, which he did, and then I made up a little ditty: s.t.o.p spells stop, g.o. spells go, g.o. spells go. I explained the importance of looking left and right, and was consistent about mentioning at every opportunity until he started saying it before me. Now, he reminds me to look both ways wo that I don't get hurt. He tells me everywhere he sees the word stop, whether in the sign or not. He counted the sides of a hexagon the other day, realizing that it was not a pentagon. He is so neat!
And he is cool and considerate too. :) we visited family today and he was sure to tell everyone good morning. He rough-housed with his older cousins, and when he greets strangers, he asks them their name, tells them his, shakes their hand and says 'nice to meet you'd and if he sees they want to pound fists, he'll pound, sometimes blowing it up and sometimes letting it fizzle. The kid cracks me up! He's so rough and tumble lately, but he still gives us, especially Kaelie, drive-by kisses, hugs and I love you's, sometimes in ASL. I feel that he would have been trapped inside his body if I hadn't supported his innate ability to communicate early and am so grateful to get to know him like this.
Kaelie isn't left behind either. She is quite the vocal one! I didn't realize until recently all she was trying to do months ago, but now that I know, I am even more excited to be on this path with both of them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)