HOW TO BUILD THE TREEHOUSE
Most children need help to build their reading.
1. A great Reading Treehouse begins with a good, strong Language Tree.
Its trunk and branches support and frame the Treehouse.
Its leaves are the shelter overhead.
The Language Tree grows strong as we talk, discuss, explain, and read to children over the years.
It is never too early or too late to nurture the child’s Language Tree.
2. A solid treehouse needs a solid FLOOR!
Check out THE FLOOR section of The Reading Treehouse.
Phonemic Awareness games teach the ‘Mind’s Ear’ skills that build the sound foundation for the Reading Treehouse.
Never rush through Phonemic Awareness to get to the ‘real reading,’ because the strength of this Floor will make or break the whole Treehouse.
3. Build the Treehouse WALLS out of alphabet letters and whole words.
Check out THE WALLS and MORE WALLS section of The Reading Treehouse. Teach Phonics, and practice Rapid-Accurate Naming of the letter-sounds.
Practice Rapid-Accurate Naming of common, whole words, too.
4. Keep connecting the WALLS--the Phonics and the Whole Words--to the trunk and branches of the Language Tree.
Don’t just work your way down some word lists!
Language is what ties it all together and makes it work.So be sure that your Phonics program includes some little books or stories for practicing the Phonics piece your student is learning.
And make some reading materials out of the child’s own language. For example:
Ask your child to tell you about his picture, and then write down what he says (put it into sentence form). Then, select words for Rapid-Accurate Naming practice from that sentence.
For more ideas, see the Natural Language Story pages in the Comprehension section of The Reading Treehouse.
Next, begin building with THE FLOOR: Phonemic Awareness
Navigate The Reading Treehouse
Do you prefer a map? Then let the menu bar on the left guide you. Just pick a starting point and click your way down the list.
Remember, Teachers:
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Phonemic Awareness first
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Then Phonics
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