Learning to Read With Dick and Jane

If there is anything in the world more amazing than learning how to read, it's watching a child unlock the mysteries of written language for the first time. It literally expands the world for them. For many of us (those who grow up as bookworms) there will always be a special place in our hearts for the very first books that we mastered all on our own.

While I'm too young to have been taught to read using Dick and Jane readers, there was a weathered set of the books in my First Grade classroom. Those of us who finished with our Programed Readers early were allowed to quietly peruse the shelves of  Dick and Jane books, while the rest of the class struggled through their workbooks. I remember being enchanted with the illustrations and the simple stories of the happy little family.

When it came time to teach my own children how to read, I was thrilled to discover reprints of the original Dick and Jane books on the shelves at our local library. Like me, my kids soon fell under the spell of these time tested readers, most likely because they work!

                                          See Trinket read. Look, look, oh look. Funny, funny Trinket!

Unlike many modern easy readers, that use words that are far to complicated for beginners, the Dick and Jane series begins with very short sentences, and repeats words often enough that children begin to recognize them. Gradually more words are added and the sentences get a bit longer. Each chapter flows into the next, and the cute illustrations have kids wanting to know what is going to happen in the story. Before they know it, children are reading!

I'm currently in the process of helping my six year old son read Dick and Jane for the first time, which means I'm lucky enough to watch the comprehension dawn on his face and his excitement build. In a few short weeks he's turned into a confident reader, and each day he begs to read more of the story. I am one mom that is glad this classic is still around!

This post is based on my own family's experience with the Dick and Jane series. I was not paid to write this, and can offer no guarantee that others will have the same experience with the books.

linking to: hip homeschool hop