1. Why reading can be so hard!

2. Learning to Read Start around 3-5 years old. Start with ABC’s Then sounds Then words Do you need to know everything by the time you’re 11?? NO! Tortoise and the Hare!

3. Rules, Rules, Everywhere Rules Spelling has rules The written English language breaks (or bends) those rules all the time. Look at the next few slides and see that letters, sounds, and words are not always what they appear to be. English is confusing. It’s OK to be a tortoise and be a little slow at first.

4. What sound does A make? A (I went to a movie last Friday.) Apple April All Are Some letters make more than one sound. Readers need to be flexible. If one sound doesn’t work, try another. The letter A has 5 sounds!

5. What rules did you learn? Some letters make more than one sound. What sound does the letter C make? Concrete Concept (This word has BOTH sounds that c makes!) Flexibility is the key.

6. Chunks have rules, too Letters make chunks Sometimes 2 letters join together to make an entirely different sound Ch = choo choo Charlie What about Christopher? Christmas? In English, rules are made to be broken!

7. Build on words you know All B + all = Ball Are If are is are, why isn’t c + are = car??

8. The silent e at the end makes the vowel say it’s name. Care Hare Came Come (not comb) Have? Another rule is broken. Are you confused? Imagine being 6!

9. When 2 vowels go walking the first does the talking. Ear Hear Near Bear (Watch out! Another broken rule!)

10. Ow and ou says “ow”! Cow Now How House Mouse Tomorrow? Mousse?

11. Try these After the show, the actress took a bow and the bow fell off her head! The lead actor got hit with a lead pipe. Ouch!

12. What’s up with these words?? Eye Psyche Mnemonics Some words break all the rules!

13. Word Talk Can Help When a child comes to a word they don’t know, STOP! DON’T just supply the word! Word Talk! Explain how YOU know what that word is. (What rule or strategy did you use to figure out that word? What rule did you bend/break? ) Emphasize being flexible with letter sounds, word chunks, and applying the “rules”.

14. Tortoise and the Hare Some kids are lucky and understand reading and rule bending right away! Hares Some kids try to follow the rules and then find out the rules let them down! FLEXIBILITY It’s never too late! It might take a little longer or a little more work, but YOU CAN finish and win the reading race!