Fwd: Re: DISTAR? - How we modified it

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>>

>>Here's my write-up of how we adapted the Engelmann (DISTAR) reading book,

>>and a few other tricks we used, too. I do still have my word document

>>containing all the " readings " pages from Engelmann (you'll have to copy

>>your own pictures - sorry). Just email me if you would like it, just to

>>save you a little typing. Now if someone can just help me figure out how

>>to teach math as well....

>>

>>

>>----------------------------------------------

>>

>>We noticed right away that the format of the book wasn't very engaging,

>>and that the pages were very 'busy' with stuff between the parts we were

>>supposed to actually do with the child. We pulled different pieces out

>>of the book, as follows, to make it more simple to present and more

>>interesting for him:

>>

>>1. We made a list of the order of sounds presented in the book and taught

>>him the sounds in this order.

>>

>>2. We taught a drill called " say it fast/say it slow " before really

>>introing more than the first couple of sounds. We did this by writing a

>>word on a white board or magnadoodle, with the dot and arrow, as drawn in

>>the book, and having him put his finger on the dot, then said " say it

>>fast " we moved his hand fast along the arrow, saying it fast

>>together. Did lots

>>of this, then intro'd say it slow, same way, then RR both. This took

>>some time, but he just wasn't getting the idea of this before we made it

>>a separate drill. After this was mastered, we'd intro new sounds, then

>>write words using them on whiteboard/magnadoodle/paper/whatever and have

>>him say them slow and fast. He really liked reading words much better

>>than just sounds, so this worked for us.

>>

>>3. We didn't use the special letter notation. Found it was hard to

>>remember to write everything that way and didn't add much for us or seem

>>to help him.

>>

>>4. We took all of the " readings " out of the book (i.e. typed in to

>>computer and printed out, one to a page, large type) and copied the

>>pictures that went with them, and made a 'reading book' binder, with all

>>of them in order. AFter he had mastered a set of sounds, we'd get out

>>this binder and have him read them, up to what he'd learned. Used the

>>pictures kind of

>>like reinforcers, pasted on opposite side of page from the readings, so

>>he'd read, then we'd say " what do you think the picture will be? " and

>>he'd guess, based on what he'd read - this kind of adds a little

>>comprehension piece into it. He likes visuals, so the pictures were

>>helpful and made it more fun.

>>

>>5. We did a sight reading drill simultaneously with this one, both while

>>he was in kindergarten. We taught the Dolch words (200 first words, you

>>can find flash cards for these pretty easily) and drilled them for speed

>>and fluency. Gotta get creative with this or it gets boring, quick, so

>>think of several ways to present these, the funner the better, but

>>working both on accuracy and SPEED (fluency).

>>

>>6. After he had learned a fair number of the sounds from the Engelmann

>>books, we picked up the first of the " Bob " books series, by Bobbie

>>Maslen. These are very small books (4 " x 4 " , 6-8 pages?), 10 to each

>>set, and each book uses simple line drawings and introduces just one set

>>of sounds (i.e. I think the first book just has " at " words in it). I

>>love them because they build on each other, so once the child can read

>>book 1, book 2 is a pretty easy step up, and so on. The books are very

>>short and often funny, and really give the kid the feeling that he can

>>read it himself. We went through set 1 and 2, during the kindergarten

>>year, and really enjoyed these (my son did too - could almost use them as

>>reinforcers!).

>>

>>Hope this helps. Feel free to ask questions.

>>

>>Terri