You are about to give your child the most priceless gift he will ever receive outside of your own love-you are going to teach him how to read. What grand adventures you will have as you travel down this path together!

I am Dolores G. Hiskes, author of Phonics Pathways and other Dorbooks educational material. I have tutored reading for over thirty years, and have also collected classic old reading and spelling manuals from every English-speaking country in the world: England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and America.

And I have discovered one thing: teaching reading is really very simple. Anyone can teach it, and everyone can learn! But these wonderful old primers have long been out of print, and that is why I wrote Phonics Pathways. I did not want this valuable information to be gone and lost forever.

As you probably know all too well, kindergarteners are a lively, bouncy bunch of critters with the attention span of a gnat, who love making noises and taking things apart. Therefore, there are two cardinal rules to keep in mind when you teach these little ones:

(1) Keep it simple, and make it fun! Set aside just a few minutes a day at first, and read a story to him after the lesson. At first the fun time will probably be longer than the lesson time, and that's OK! Trust me: as the child succeeds, the lessons will automatically get longer and longer without his even being aware of it.

For example, in kindergarten our perpetual-motion-machine grandson could only sit still for a one- or two-minute lesson at first, but last weekend he eagerly and voluntarily spent 40 minutes riveted to the book because he was nearing the end and wanted to finish it. And so he did! He was ecstatic, and we were proud as well. (He is in second grade now.)

What you want to establish is a "happy habit." A safe, warm, cozy experience that is enjoyable for both of you. Cuddle up on a sofa. Consider giving him a sticker after each lesson, with a special reward each time the sticker card is filled. Get a book of riddles and tell him one riddle after each lesson. Give him a treat. You get the idea!

(2) Do the lessons daily. It is important to have this daily reinforcement in order for him to automatically recall the sound that was learned without having to consciously think about it-much like he knows his own name.
This automaticity cannot be stressed too highly! That is why the lessons are gauged by time spent, not age or page. He might complete several pages in one day, or he might spend days on just one page. The point is, he must thoroughly absorb each lesson prior to moving on.

Phonics Pathways is organized by sound and spelling patterns, which are introduced one at a time. Simple directions begin every lesson-no prior experience or training is needed. It contains all examples, word lists, and practice readings-no other material is needed.

Short-vowel sounds are presented first, only one at a time. Each letter introduced has multiple illustrations of objects that begin with this sound. There is a reproduceable game in the book called "The Short-Vowel Shuffle" that will help reinforce these sometimes-difficult sounds in a fun and enjoyable way, usually ending in lots of giggles.

It can also be helpful to try hearing these sounds in other words as you go along, and have him do the same. "I know some words that begin with this sound: 'can, man, bat.' Can you think of some?" This activity will develop his phonemic awareness, which is the important first step in learning how to read.

To see a sample page of a beginning lesson go to www.dorbooks.com and click on "Our Products," then click "More Information" (by Phonics Pathways), then "Getting Started," and finally click on "Short-Vowel Sounds" (at the bottom of the page). Pages from the next two lessons are also on site, as well as a spelling sampler. For complete instructions on how to teach reading with Phonics Pathways and integrate it with other material, check out the Phonics Pathways tutorial which is also at that site. Want still more information? Check out my three-part article on "The Perils and Pitfalls of Teaching Phonics" at http://www.dorbooks.com/phonicstalk.html

You can subscribe to this free e-newsletter from the same page as well, or do it directly by sending a message to Dorbooks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

My heart sings to think of you and your child walking down the path of literacy together! Remember, it only takes one small step at a time to climb a mountain. Just put one foot in front of the other, keep on going, and before you know it-you're on top!

Only the future will tell the full extent of dreams accomplished and promises kept, but you are planting the seeds that are making it all possible.

As Dewey-The-Bookworm says on the very last page of Phonics Pathways,

"May you always have new roads to travel,
New horizons to explore,
And new dreams to call your own!"

Dolores first became interested in literacy after teaching her own children how to read, and she has taught reading for over thirty years with one hundred percent success. During this time she has also developed and refined special teaching techniques that help prevent or correct reversals. She was selected to be listed in a number of Marquis Who's Who directories for her contributions to education, including Marquis Who's Who in The World as well as Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the West, and Who's Who in American Women. Dolores continues to write new material, publish articles, and set up school and community tutoring programs. She and her husband live in the Bay Area, California, and have two grown children and two beloved grandchildren.

Note from the Publisher: Thanks Dolores, so much, for your tips. I want to remind our readers, too, to take note of the great review on our website about your program. We also included Susan Wise Bauer's funny, true skit with her son, Ben, regarding your highly sought after phonics materials. Come back again soon!

Dolores first became interested in literacy after teaching her own children how to read, and she has taught reading for over thirty years with one hundred percent success. During this time she has also developed and refined special teaching techniques that help prevent or correct reversals. She was selected to be listed in a number of Marquis Who's Who directories for her contributions to education, including Marquis Who's Who in The World as well as Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the West, and Who's Who in American Women. Dolores continues to write new material, publish articles, and set up school and community tutoring programs. She and her husband live in the Bay Area, California, and have two grown children and two beloved grandchildren. You can email her at dor@dorbooks.com or visit her website at www.dorbooks.com.