Eldest's younger sister, who is my homeschooler is (I believe) about to make the discovery that she is a reader. Reading has been aversive to her because it involves so many processes, I think. She knows a long list of sight words and is decoding new words better and better. However, her listening and speaking vocabularies are miles apart, and her experience bank needs more deposits. Listening, speaking, and experiences are factors in comprehension.
She went through a variety of emotions and reactions to this summer reading coupon. It has 10 blanks for readers to fill in the titles of the 10 books they read. At first glance, 10 books seemed like no problem. We listed a book we had just read. And she became upset, partly, I think, because she thought she needed to rush through 10 books in one day, and partly, because all of a sudden, 10 books seems like a LOT to her. Overwhelming. She was able to calm herself, and became frustrated again. What a cycle! She's got to learn, got to experience, working on this list over time, being successful stretching out the task, watching her list of books read grow. That's not something I can explain to her; she must experience it.
I asked her if she'd like us to read, Knucklehead, together. I suspect that it is outside her ability to read ndependently, yet, I suspect it is something she and I could read together. The chapters are short, the stories are funny, the adventures are often something she can relate to. So we began. She and I read two chapters together, and her big sis helped her with a third chapter. We're on our way.
I let her choose a book and she chose one that she is able to read independently. She finished it and we added it to the list. Woo hoo! :)
When I was cooking, she chose two books that are too challenging for her as an independent reader, and she became frustrated again. I have to sort through our books and create a basket of just-right books for her to read on her own. The basket I sorted a while back has been dumped and mixed up with too-challenging books.
This reading program offers quite a few learning opportunities. One that I hope to accomplish is, "ten seemed like a lot at first, but it wasn't, and I did it!". Another is an appraisal of what is a "just-right" book. Yet another is a discovery of "I am a reader!". And another discovery that, "Reading with Mom is fun!"
And what about me? Ever wonder what's in my book bag?
During the school year, reading review books and reviewing homeschool resources is a priority. Reading and researching about all things autism (which includes auditory processing, receptive language, expressive language, allergies, biomedical, diet, recipes) is another priority. Reading for pleasure - whatever that is (sometimes I want to read about autism, and maybe that sounds crazy)- comes last on the priority list.
Penny has a list of un-required reading, reading for pleasure, for summer. (Summer for me may last about four weeks, as the new review year begins again in July.)
Here's the list:
Fallen Lotus Petals by Jordon Papanier. I met Jordon when we worked for the same technology company in the 1990's. I am delighted to learn that he's a published author and look forward to reading his first novel.
Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge. I want to get all the way through this one. I've read, oh, maybe half of it. I need to begin it again and read it from cover to cover. I'd like to journal with it as I read it, but that may not happen.
Sarah's Promise and Sarah's Escape by Jim Baumbardner. I read the first book in the series recently as a review. The fourth book in the series, The Making of a Spy - Sarah's Quest, goes into production today (June 1st) and should be available at the end of the year. Maybe it will make my Christmas reading list.
Callous J. Disregard by Andrew Wakefield
Send In The Idiots by Kamran Nazeer. I bought this one a couple of years ago and haven't had time to read it.
Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet. Another one I bought a couple of years ago and haven't had time to read.
The RDI Book by Steven E Gutstein, PhD. Yet another one I want to finish from cover to cover. Seems I always get interrupted when I read this one.
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