# Wilson Reading System - what do you like/dislike?



## Kee Wan (Sep 20, 2005)

I have a question.....

My cousin (who is the principle at a private school for children with learning, cognitive, emotional and physical difficulties) has suggested to my mother that the Wilson Reading System is what I will want to use for teaching my daughter to read. She swears by it, and has convinced my mom of it's value such that mom went and found it online for a really good price and wants to buy it for me. 

I am a first-time homeschooler, I have a Master's in education, and currently am not teaching. My student is a 5 year old, who is intelligent, articulate and very interested in learning. She has better-than-average attention span (can sit and listen to a book on tape for an hour), and loves to do her school work. Lessons tend to go best when I can present them either "in context" (like in the garden, in the marsh, at night under the stars) or, for more "intellectual" kinds of things, with her cuddled up in my lap with a book. 

She (my daughter) has recently informed me that she is ready to learn to read - and we have been working on some eclectic pre-reading stuff - and a little in the book "How to Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". This has been going well, but I'm always open to stuff that's going to make it easier, ensure more success etc...

Does anyone out there have any experience with this system?? Can anyone offer me some advice?? How much time does it take up? How much space (I live in a small apartment)? Is it easy to do? Does it require a daily commitment, worksheets and so on? Is it boring to small children? Are there objectionable content (We're not Christian, but morals and values are a STRONG part of our home)?

I would appreciate any input. 

Thanks.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I have never heard of this system until you brought it up here. However, it says on their website that it is recommended for upper elementary through adults and is mainly for people who have had trouble learning to read. Sometimes these type curriculum tend to be a little slow or too much busy work for many students. So if something like the book you are using works, then I would stick with that. 

Dawn


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

yea, I don't know anything about it either. Sorry, Kee Wan. Welcome back, btw. Haven't seen you here in a while. 

Anyway, TYCTR, the book you are using is effective, but be aware that it is not a complete phonics program. If you want a complete program, you will have to follow up with something else.  If you like the format of that book, you might like Ordinary Parents Guide to teaching Reading by Peace Hill press. Once you complete 100 easy lessons, you would start at about lesson 40 in ordinary parents and continue through the 230 lessons from there. You could do the first few parts really quickly because there are just a few things that are missed in TYCTR that are covered in Ordinary Parents between lessons 40 and probably about 70. From lesson 70 to lesson 230 is completely new material, though, which gives you an idea of how much phonics is missing out of TYCTR. TYCTR is more engaging for younger kids though, and so I used both. 

Cindyc.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

My daughter decided to use "How to Teach your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" with her oldest, who was then 5 years old. As she was reading it in preparation for the first lesson, her daughter came up in front of her, turned her head to the side so she could better see the spine of the book and slowly read "How..to..teach..your.. child..to..read."

My daughter decided that all the lap reading that had preceded the formal lessons had been lesson enough. She has picked up the book again to use with her fourth child.

Sorry, I don't know anything about "the Wilson Reading System" but I had to share this story.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

The best reading program I have ever reviewed was "Reading Reflex: The Foolproof Phono-Graphix Method for Teaching Your Child to Read" by Carmen and Geoffrey McGuinness. It's utterly brilliant, was referred to me by a professional reading consultant, and is (I believe) the reason why my learning challenged child is now performing at or above grade level.


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## Mrs. Weasly (Jul 31, 2009)

Your cousin has more direct experience with Wilson then I do, but here is what I have learned: it is used by classroom teachers (and volunteer tutors at my work) after extensive (and expensive) specialized training; it is highly recommended for those with dyslexia and other serious reading issues; and it is difficult to adapt for home use (without the training).

I have found that it takes a few tries to find the program or combination of programs that work best for your child and your lifestyle. I have used TYCTR, Ordinary Parents, Time4Learning, Explode the Code, Dr. Frye's, etc with my 7yoDS, all in an admittedly scattershot way, and as soon as we took our little summer break (that is, as soon as I got out of the way), he started reading. Go figure.


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