A note from Pastor Lear: We have seen so many benefits over the years of using the Speedy Reader program. Miss Michelle made a video walking through a page which can be seen here. Please watch the video, especially if you are new to Speedy Reader. If you have any questions, her number is in the Speedy Reader packet. It is important to note the benefits of the program if your child is struggling through some of the pages. The concept is to keep moving forward. If it gets overwhelming for a day, it’s ok to walk away from it. Just remember to pick it back up later or the next day. So often, we learn and grow more through the difficulties in life than the things that go smoothly. Be persistent and they will eventually get it when their mind is ready. Encourage them that it will happen, especially when they get frustrated. It is such a valuable learning experience for them! To be honest, as a parent I got frustrated because I thought my kids should be able to do it. 15-20 times of hearing the same page over and over can start to feel defeating. Then I remembered, reading is vital and will be a building block to their success throughout the rest of their schooling. They NEED this program and they NEED your support. Keep at it and they will be so much better for it in the long run!!!
A Letter from Miss Michelle: Dear parent,
Your student has been selected to participate in a reading and comprehension elective called Speedy Reader. The goal of this program is three-fold: to reinforce phonics rules, to aid in reading comprehension and retention, and to increase the speed at which your child reads. We have purchased the copyright license to use this program from Hammond Baptist Christian Academy.
Each week, your child will receive several pages to complete. They do not need to be completed overnight, but rather over the course of one week. Ideally, the child will complete one or two pages per day to stay on track. If completed by the next week, they will be tested on a cumulative page where passing will move them along on their progress. This is to help ensure mastery-based learning like the ACE curriculum we use at BBCA.
When they bring home their pages, the phonics rules will already have been explained. To help reinforce this at home, the rules for each page are at the beginning of the notebook and should be read before starting the practice section. To complete a page, they will need to read the bottom “Practice” section of the page five times out loud. We ask that you initial the bottom of the page to show they are completing this reading as it is vital to the success of the program. Once you feel confident that they are sounding things out correctly, they can move on to the “Drill” section at the top. This top section needs to be completed in under one minute.
Though it may be tempting to help move things along, please never just tell your child the word if they are struggling; rather, help them sound it out by reinforcing the phonics rule that applies. This will benefit them greatly as they move along through the program. If they fail to complete the page in under a minute, encourage and reassure them that they did great, and they will eventually get it. All parents will receive a text from the school phone when a sample video is available to show parents how to work with their child in this program.
I am thrilled to be able to work with your child and their reading. I know that this program can take extra time, but the comprehension, retention, and other rewards that come with the successful completion of the program will be well worth it! Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.