Sam is very eager to learn to read. She is desperate to catch-up to what Ian can do. She wants to be just like him. Sam's kindergarten class has a goal of each child learning 100 sight words by the end of the year. We are currently somewhere in the 40's of the number of words she knows.
Beyond the sight words the school sends home, we've been working with Sam with beginning to read books and playing fun sight word games. It is so exciting when she gets it. I am loving this time with her when it doesn't involve pulling my hair out to get her to do something. It's actually pretty awesome sitting down with her and working on her reading.
The other day I pulled out the first book in the series of "I can read" books we got her. It is 11 pages long and each page has one sentence on it. The sentences range anywhere from 3 to 8 words. The key to these books is to take a few simple sight words and repeat, repeat, repeat. Sam was able to read this book on the very first try! Every page! It was so cool. I loved seeing her expression as turned the pages and she kept reading each line correctly. Her eyes got bigger and bigger. She amazed even herself. I teared up watching her read. This is a pretty big deal for our household. Ian wasn't reading until well into the first grade and even then I didn't think it was ever going to take. It got so painful listening to Ian sound out each letter in every word.
Later that night, we skyped with my sister. Ben's mom was in town and they had the whole family over for dinner and to visit. Sam ran and got her book. She held it up for everyone to see what she was reading them and did it. After each page the Florida crowd cheered and clapped. I loved their reaction. And so did Sam.
Sam may not be a big fan of school, but she is getting A's in my book for her enthusiasm to want to learn to read.
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