What Now?

This is the reading curriculum we've been using for Mason and now Mickey. I've written about it before. I LOVE it. It's all packaged up nicely in one book! If the kids didn't enjoy it we wouldn't be using it, but they do. Mason has felt a great sense of accomplishment by doing the lessons. He's really noticed an improvement in his ability, lesson to lesson. Mickey asks to do more that one lesson at a sitting, so I know she likes it. This is not a daily exercise. We might do one lesson once or twice a week. Each lesson take 10-20 minutes.

Mason has completed the book and now the challenge is on. Finding other books that are suitable. This is the page of one of the last lessons read. The accompanying picture is on the other page (see below). Many children like to see the pictures for clues about the content. Mason is a little unusual. The pictures distract him. He asks to have them covered up. My take, is that he is seeing words as their own picture. He's a visual learner.

I had heard wonderful things about this book series (below) - the Early Reader Classics. Books such as Dr. Doolittle, Riki-Tiki-Tavi, etc... have been written at an early reader level. So after a bit of a wait they finally came into the library. They were covered in pictures. Above the print, below the print and beside the print. When given a page filled with text (at his level) Mason can read somewhat fluidly (while still sounding out some words). On these types of pages (with lots of images), he's in another world. Can't focus on the words at all. 

So this is our challenge now. Finding books at the appropriate reading level, with few pictures and pictures that can easily be covered up!