It felt like a secret code. By Lesson 10, the "lightbulb" flickered on when he realized that "a" and "r" made "ar," and suddenly, he could read the word "art." The Middle Muddle (Lessons 30-70)
They began on the living room rug. At first, it wasn't about words at all, but sounds. Leo would slide his finger under a giant "m" and say, "mmmmm." Then came the "Say-It-Fast" game. "Listen: motor... (pause)... boat. Say it fast!" Leo: (Giggling) "Motorboat!" Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Around Lesson 40, the novelty wore off. Leo started guessing words instead of sounding them out, or he’d get distracted by the tiny "distar" symbols above the letters. Some days, they had to stop because of a "reading meltdown." To keep him going, his mom got creative: It felt like a secret code
Leo was four years old and very curious about the "squiggles" on the pages of his favorite books. He desperately wanted to read to his baby sister, but to his mother, the task felt daunting—where do you even start with a toddler who still calls "L" the "up-and-down line"? Leo would slide his finger under a giant "m" and say, "mmmmm
Following a recommendation, she brought home the big, red-and-white book: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons . The Slow Start (Lessons 1-10)