Level 3 of our reading program is filled with opportunities to practice newly acquired reading ability.

Level 3 has a strong emphasis on syllables. You will be amazed at the complex words your student will be able to read with ease by the end of this course. Phonics concepts from Level 1 are reviewed in a logical, sequential way. Each lesson builds upon the previous lesson, but Mom remains in charge — helping her student move as quickly or slowly as needed. We believe in teaching “phonograms” rather than sight words, so that no guessing is involved. Order and the beauty of language will be emphasized, with lots of opportunity for review and practice each day.

Our “practicing to read with syllables” program contains selections from Noah Webster’s 1824 American Spelling Book, the 1650 Scottish Psalter, and selections from Scripture.

Is your student ready for Level 3?

• Be sure he knows all the sounds listed on our Levels 1 and 2 Sequence Chart.
• Student should also be able to write in cursive. If cursive is a new skill for him, download the 26-lesson Shortcut to Cursive to use before starting Level 3.

Topics Covered

Each lesson includes the following activities:

1. Spelling – Student will spell with magnets as well as orally.
2. Copying – Student will copy words in cursive on a whiteboard as well as on paper.
3. Reading Words – Student will practice reading words by syllable from his “reader.”
4. Dictation – Student will write words and sentences that Mom reads aloud.
5. Reading Paragraphs – Student will read sentences and paragraphs aloud to Mom.

How to Use This Curriculum

WEEKLY FORMAT

The curriculum is set up with daily lesson plans. However, we strongly recommend that you pace the instruction to the needs of the student rather than simply trying to complete the next lesson as rapidly as possible. Children mature at a variety of rates. Take as much time as your child needs!

LESSON ATMOSPHERE

Try to have your daily reading, writing, and spelling lessons at the same time and place each day. The room should be orderly, uncluttered, and without too many distractions. A predictable daily routine has been shown to create a state of mind that is conducive to learning.

(Maybe this would be a good time to have babies and toddlers spend a few minutes playing safely by themselves in a playpen or gated room. Older siblings could take turns supervising other younger children. Try to make it possible to have 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time with your practicing reader.)

Have the student face in the same direction each day, working at a comfortable table. This will help orient the student in space and in the awareness of left-right directionality.

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

The lessons include

• A “Teacher’s Manual” that is designed to be printed and inserted into a 3-ring binder.
• A “Student Workbook” that is designed to be printed and inserted into a 3-ring binder.

In addition, we include two “Readers” that should also be printed and inserted into the student’s 3-ring binder. Since not every page of the readers will be used, we recommend saving ink and only printing the pages that are used in our lesson plans. Each week’s plan will tell you which pages will be used that week. (Another option would be to read with a mobile device, such as a Kindle.)

• Download Noah Webster’s 1824 American Spelling Book.
• Download the 1650 Scottish Psalter.

Your student will also need his own Bible, since he will be reading extensively from Scripture. Our curriculum uses the King James Version, but you should feel free to use the translation your family prefers.

Finally, we include “writing paper” that you can print. We recommend that at this age, your student should begin transitioning from the smallest size of ruled lines on our paper (p. 5) to regular, wide-ruled notebook paper available at any school-supply store.

• Members may download writing paper here >>

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• The student will need a pencil with an attached eraser.
• Small dry-erase board for student. We prefer one that is lined on one side and blank on the other.
• Dry-erase markers.
• Magnetic letters. Since many of the words in Level 2 are multi-syllable words, you may wish to invest in several sets of inexpensive ABC magnets from a dollar store. It’s nice to keep your letters organized (in alphabetical order) on a metal cookie sheet or on a magnetic white board.

If money is tight, be creative with what you have on hand!

AGES

This curriculum is intended primarily for children ages 6-12 who are practicing their reading abilities. You may easily use it with older children (or adults) to practice reading skills. It is not a childish curriculum in any way.

Need Help Teaching Phonics?

If this is your first time teaching someone to read, don’t be nervous. Send us an email if you’re having trouble understanding or explaining a topic. We’ll make a video and show you how we teach it at our house. That’s what community is for!

About Foundations of Reading (Level 3)

Foundations of Reading (Level 3) is copyright 2013 by Anne Elliott.

All rights reserved. No part of this curriculum may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. You do have permission to photocopy the curriculum for your own personal use. You may select individual pages to copy, or you may copy the entire curriculum! It is up to you how much of the information you want to copy and for how many children in your family you want to use it. You can copy this curriculum for use in your immediate family only; redistributing the book to other families is strictly prohibited.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise noted.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).

Published by Foundations Press.