| Most children start to learn to read at | | | | children start to make up words. |
| kindergarten but they are also learning lots of | | | | A very simple system and one that works really |
| other things to do with communication. They are | | | | well. For example we will use the word |
| still increasing their speaking vocabulary, which is | | | | ‘bag’. Start teaching the vowel |
| very important. As the more words a child can | | | | ‘a’ first, then move onto ‘b’ and |
| say the more they should understand when you | | | | ‘g’. Maria Montessori likes to join the |
| read to them. This is the same when | | | | consonants with the vowel so you will get the |
| homeschooling kindergarten. | | | | children to trace ‘ba’ and ‘ag’. |
| When introducing phonics keep it simple and try | | | | Now it is time to bring in new letters like |
| not to teach the alphabet sounds, just teach the | | | | ’i’ for ‘big’ and ‘t’ for |
| phonic sounds. These are what the child needs so | | | | ‘bat’ |
| she can read, not the alphabet sounds. There is | | | | After the children can say all the phonic sounds |
| no relationship between the alphabet sounds and | | | | place all the letters on the table and say one word |
| phonic sounds. They only help to confuse the child. | | | | ‘bag’ and see if the child picks the |
| I like to use the Montessori way of teaching as it | | | | correct letters in the correct order. That is the |
| combines listening, feeling and speaking. And the | | | | Montessori method in a nutshell. You just keep |
| kids love it, which helps. Maria Montessori uses | | | | adding new phonic sounds and words everyday. |
| sandpaper letters and the kids love tracing the | | | | The advantage with this method is the children |
| letters. First you start off saying the phonic sound | | | | learn to write while tracing the letters. |
| then the children trace the letter while saying the | | | | Homeschooling Kindergarten made simple! |
| sound. After tracing a number of sounds the | | | | |