READING SUCCESS AND LIFE SUCCESS THROUGH LEARNING THE SOUNDS OF WORDS

Once upon a time, a little first-grade boy had given up on reading. He came to class each day very reluctantly and wasted his time during reading class, moving about the room and exploring things. When he came to his desk and was handed a book to read, he threw it to the floor. When the teacher picked it up and placed it on his desk, he brushed it onto the floor. When the teacher picked up the book, opened it, and sat down next to the little boy to read it with him, he turned away. He had been unable to learn to read during the past year, so he had just given up on reading.

The teacher decided to leave his desk bookless and began to teach spelling to the group, using The Sounds Of Words. The little boy refused to look at the blackboard or attempt any words. But he sat in his seat, and he heard the lesson. Several days went by. Then, one day, the little boy watched and listened as the teacher helped the students decode and practice their spelling words. Then, he decided to attempt a word. The teacher helped him decode that word. The next time the teacher put the book on the student's desk, he left it there. Finally, he opened the book and began looking at it. At that point, the teacher started teaching him the information in the book. When he realized that he learned when taught with the universal word, explicit teaching, concrete, multi-sensory, applied phonics, and reading intervention, he slowly began reading, writing, and spelling words.

After a few years, the once little boy left that classroom and went to another school. The teacher hoped he was doing well. Years passed. Then, one day, the boy's mother met the teacher while shopping. "I just want to thank you so much for helping J," she said. "You taught him to read, and he graduated from high school this year!" More years passed. Then the teacher saw the mother again while shopping. "How is J doing?" asked the teacher. "Just fine," his mother replied. "He has a good job, is married, and has two children."

Hearing all that made the teacher's heart glad. She knew she had helped that little boy!