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MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S MUSINGS
Ah, the long, hot lazy days of summer! Lying under a large tree... watching the clouds float by...reading a good book...at least that is the picture I had of what my summer would be like. Sigh...the reality was so much different from this idyllic musing! We had an exciting summer, but not much rest there. Many of us have been very busy with travels, sports, etc. there simply wasn't too much time for reading.
Rumblings of school now loom on the horizon, and those *reading muscles* must once again flex to be ready for the new year. Reading skills can get rusty, especially where the knowledge of some rules might be a bit tenuous. Fortunately, there is an easy way to check out these reading skills!
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1--READING COMPETENCY TEST
2--*A SPOONFUL OF SUGARS*
3--INSPIRING NEW PROGRAM
4--A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT!
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1--READING COMPETENCY TEST
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There is a simple, reliable, valid Reading Competency Test
that was developed by Dr. Patrick Groff for the National
Right to Read Foundation. It is modeled after the old
*Informal Reading Inventory* of the 1940's which was a
quick and relatively simple way for classroom teachers to
determine how well their students were reading grade-level
written materials.
The Reading Competency Test is an excellent, quick-and-easy
assessment of reading ability that anyone can administer
to determine how well their children can read at varying grade
levels of difficulty.
The NRRF website offers clear and specific information about
exactly how to give the test, shows the test, and explains
how to interpret the results afterward.
See the test and related info: http://nrrf.org/readtest.html
(If the link doesn't work, go to www.nrrf.org and do a search
for *Reading Competency Test*.)
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2--*A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR...*
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The Director of a tutoring center in Brunei recently wrote to
me saying:
*It is amazing that your method has born fruit in such a very
short period. The students are more confident now and are able
to read in about 3 months! This is double-quick time compared
to our previous methods we had used. The simplicity you have
laid down in your books make a late bloomer learn faster than
any other method we had tried, be it from USA, UK, or Australia!*
Since Asri also mentioned that these students are learning how
to speak English at the same time they are learning how to read it,
these results are indeed impressive!
He also had a suggestion which I'm passing on in case it might
be of interest to others: Asri suggested that if you are using
Phonics Pathways, consider breaking it down into smaller sections.
Students will have a sense of achievement sooner, and parents can
see specific progress as well. You could consider offering a
certificate for each level achieved, and perhaps even name each
one! (Thanks, Asri for the great suggestion!)
Here is one suggested format:
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First Level of Reading Competence: *EAGER BEAVER*
Page 67 -- Two-Consonant Endings Review
Includes short-vowel sounds, two-letter blends,
three-letter words, two-consonant endings.
At this point students are able to read simple
(VERY simple!) short-vowel storybooks.
---------------------------------
Second Level of Reading Competence: *SMART COOKY*
Page 112 -- Suffix review
(Includes long-vowel sounds. consonant digraph
endings, suffixes, suffix spelling chart)
At this point students can read storybooks that
are more complex and that include long vowels.
---------------------------------
Third Level of Reading Competence: *COOL READER*
Page 176 -- Vowel Diphthong Review
(Includes multisyllable words, suffixes, consonant
digraph beginnings, R-modified vowels, long-vowel
digraphs, vowel diphthongs)
By now students are very good readers, and can
definitely read more interesting books.
---------------------------------
Fourth Level of Reading Competence: *READING WIZARD*
The End of The Book
(Includes new vowel sounds, three-consonant
beginnings, short-vowel spelling patterns, contractions,
silent letters, long-A spelling patterns, another
R-modified vowel sound, prefixes, suffixes)
Students are now advanced, expert readers and can read
anything in the English language!
Bear in mind that while students technically would be able
to read anything at that point, they will only comprehend
words that are in their current vocabulary and so will tend
to choose books reflecting this knowledge.
For example, you and I would be able to read a book on
brain surgery. But we would very likely not comprehend
a word of it! So along with teaching the mechanics of reading,
it is most important to continue developing their vocabulary.
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3--INSPIRING NEW PROGRAM
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Several years ago a lovely lady contacted me who wanted
to start a tutoring program in Southern California. We had
lunch, I gave her what specifics I could and then promptly
forgot about it.
And so I was amazed and delighted to receive an invitation to a
fundraising gala and silent auction benefitting this after-school
program in Riverside County that she organized: *Coalition to
Improve Education!*
This event will take place at the Riverside, CA Convention Center
on September 30th, and will feature special guest Kay James, former
director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
The *Coalition to Improve Education* plans to expand into the San
Bernadino, Los Angeles, and Orange County areas. This program uses
Phonics Pathways as it's text and has been spectacularly successful.
It is volunteer-run, with tutors including retirees, credentialed teachers
-- and one fifth-grade boy!
Pam Barrett, the Director of the program said "Not only are we seeing
children blending words the proper way, they are learning phonics
rules and patterns they didn't know, and using them. I'm seeing smiles
on faces and I'm seeing a new confidence." One 14-year old boy who
has dysxlexia and struggled for years can now read words and
sentences for the first time ever.
Way to go, Roxanne! All the best! For more information about this
event or this program, contact Roxanne Petteway at (951) 696-0853.
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4-A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dorbooks is proud to announce the imminent birth of a brand-new
product -- *Reading Pathways*!
Reading Pathways is a completely redesigned and expanded
makeover of Pyramid. Includes the complete content of Pyramid
but is one-third longer (144 pages instead of 96) and features
many new pyramid sections plus an all-new *Brainbusters* section
for advanced reading practice.
New to Reading Pathways will be a special long- and short-vowel
section with a *Treasure Hunt* game, long-vowel digraph pyramids,
short-vowel digraph pyramids, more mini-pyramids, and a challenging
*Brainbusters* section for advanced reading practice using many
multisyllable words in full-sized pyramids. Also included are intriguing
and exciting games to play with multisyllable words, and a completely
indexed summary of multisyllable words in back of the book for quick
and easy reference.
Reading Pathways will not be available for sale until January 2007, but more
information and sample pages can be seen on my website at
www.dorbooks.com.
Jossey-Bass will be publishing this book and fulfilling all purchase orders,
and I will continue selling individual copies from my website.
BARGAIN-HUNTERS TAKE NOTE!
Pyramid is now drastically slashed in price -- from $21.95 to $12.95! It
will continue selling for this greatly-reduced price through Christmas,
or until all current supplies are sold out. After Reading Pathways becomes
available, Pyramid will no longer be for sale.
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That's it for now! We hope you have enjoyed this newsletter, and will
feel free to share it with others.
We also hope you will enjoy what is left of this summer -- these blissful
summer days will too soon be gone for this year.
And we also hope and pray for a little more peace and stability in this
old world of ours -- life is so precious, and time is so short.
May we have the grace to accept the things we cannot change...the
courage to change the things we can...and the wisdom to know the
difference!
Warm wishes to all,
Dolores
© 2006 Dolores G. Hiskes
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