Reading's Key Ingredient

Phonics - Reading's Key Ingredient
By Kevin Broadwater

Phonics is the key ingredient in the reading recipe. Phonics is as important to reading as cheese is to a grilled cheese sandwich. Have you ever had a grilled cheese sandwich without the cheese? I had one when I was a kid. When you bite into the sandwich you can tell it is lacking a little something or more like a lot of something.



Photo: seriouseats.com

Leaving phonics out of the reading recipe is like leaving the cheese out of a grilled cheese sandwich. You can still eat the sandwich even without the cheese. Likewise, you can still learn to read even without incorporating phonics. However, a grilled cheese sandwich that includes the cheese is going to be much more complete, enjoyable, and filling than a grilled cheese sandwich without the cheese. In a similar manner, a child that is taught phonics is going to have more success with reading than a child that is not taught phonics.

Phonics is a system that teaches children to associate specific sounds with specific letters or combinations of letters. Words are composed of a single sound or some combination of sounds. Recognizing letter patterns and associating the appropriate sounds allows a child to sound out complete words. This of course includes words that the child has never seen before. Without knowing phonics, that same student would be unable to sound out any new word that appears in the text.

A number of years ago, I took a course called Cognitive Science as an elective in the Computer Science curriculum at the local university. Cognitive Science is basically the study of how the mind works. Understanding how young minds develop is very important to the study of Cognitive Science. Therefore, my professor was often sharing information with the class regarding how babies, infants, and children obtain knowledge. I enjoyed the class very much and learned many fascinating things including the effectiveness and importance of children learning phonics.

Since that time, I have made observations that have confirmed for me how important phonics is to helping children become successful readers. Parents have more opportunities than ever to obtain phonics learning systems that their kids can use at home. These systems include various combinations of printed media, audio media, video media, and software. Parents can purchase one of these kits to give children a head start before starting school, to supplement what the child is learning in school, or both.

If you are a parent or some other important person in the life of a child, don't forget the cheese on the sandwich and please don't forget the phonics.

Kevin Broadwater is the founder of Calculator Hut Company, a developer of educational software. Download free educational software at http://www.calculatorhut.com/ today.

Homeschooling in America

Homeschooling in America
By Vicki Bennett

I began homeschooling in 2003. My reason was simple. I did not like the environment my children would be learning in. I never had any past experience teaching, so I was a bit apprehensive. I began by doing research. I wanted to find a program that I thought would benefit my children and also not bore them. I also did research on homeschooling in the USA. I wanted to see for myself how many children were being homeschooled in this country and how they stood next to public and privately schooled children.



Photo: nytimes.com

I found that according to NCES(National Center for Education Statistics) in 2003 an estimated 1.1 million students were being homeschooled in the United States. This amounted to 2.2 percent of U.S. students, ages 5 thru 17, with a grade equivalent of kindergarten thru 12.

Parents gave a variety of reasons for homeschooling. These reasons included being able to give their child a better education at home, for religious reasons, and because of poor learning environment at public schools. Also, according to research done by NCHE(National Center for Home Education), the average 8th grader who is homeschooled performs four grade levels above the natonal average. One in four homeschool students(24.5%) are enrolled one or more grades above age level. Students who have been homeschooled their entire lives have the highest scholastic achievement.

A good article on homeshooling was done by a staff reporter, Daniel Golden, for "The Wall Street Journal Atlanta". This was on the front page in the February 11, 2000 edition. Read it. Especially if you are a little apprehensive about teaching. I have found that it is not as hard as it sounds. It is actually fun and rewarding.

My name is Vicki Bennett. I am a full time wife and mother. I homeschool my children. I enjoy reading and writing short-stories in my spare time. I also enjoy cooking, singing, and gardening. If you want to read information on an average family homeschool and their day to day routine go to http://www.writingup.com/blog/vicki-bennett.

Homeschool Benefit

The Benefits of Homeschooling
By Heather Brunson

Making the Decision to Learn from Home.

Although it has been a predominant form of education throughout history, many people consider homeschooling to be a new concept. They might be surprised to learn that our Founding Fathers were educated at home. A homeschool once only included the idea of parents assuming the responsibility of educating their own children. Today, the modern homeschool has evolved to include the use of computers and other technically-advanced equipment that simulate the real classroom in a household setting. Online homeschools cater to the needs of elementary, junior high and high school students.


Photo: momisteaching.com

Benefits of Homeschooling

1. Low Teacher-to-Student Ratio - With anywhere from 15 to 35 students in a class, teachers in a traditional classroom have limited time to give students one-on-one attention. When students are homeschooled, they have a greater chance of getting the individualized attention they need. Teachers can focus on one student at a time.
   
2. Instant Feedback - When students participate in a homeschooling program, they can get immediate feedback regarding their assignments, quizzes and exams. Likewise, they can let their teachers know if they do not understand a concept or need extra help. There is two-way communication.
   
3. Customized Curriculum - Homeschooling allows students to get an education that is tailored to their needs. For those students requiring extra help or needing additional challenges, they can participate in a homeschool curriculum that focuses on specific areas. A customized curriculum also enables them to set their own pace. They can navigate a lesson as slow or quick as they choose.
   
4. Less Distractions - Homeschooling programs enable students to solely focus on the task at hand. They can pay 100% attention to their studies, without any worries, social distractions or pressures of a regular school setting. When students learn at home, they can also schedule their classes to suit their schedule.
   
5. Time Management - At home, students can sit down and get right to work. There is no wait time before they can read a lesson or start an exercise. They are no longer bound by a school schedule as a teacher performs role call, attends to another student or handles a discipline problem.
   
6. More Flexibility - Learning in a home environment enables students to have greater flexibility than in a traditional classroom. They can set their own schedule. If they want to study or take their tests at night, they have the freedom to do so. Families can take a vacation in the middle of the week, or use their kitchen for a chemistry lesson. The possibilities are endless!

Homeschooling provides people with an option to traditional educational methods. Whether students are homeschooled by their parents or take homeschooling online, they can be in charge of their education and make decisions about what is best for them. They have the freedom to create an education that is customized to their needs. It provides them with choices.

For information on high school homeschooling or additional homeschool resources, please visit http://www.alliedhighschool.com/curric.shtml
Heather Brunson is copywriter and editor for Allied Business Schools.

Considering Homeschooling

Are You Considering Homeschooling?
By Pamela Connolly

Homeschooling is becoming a popular alternative to the deteriorating public government schools.
Raymond Moore, president of the Hewitt Research Center estimates that 1/4 to 1/2 million children are being homeschooled today and predicts that this number will grow to 1 million in the near future.



Photo: annebasso.googlepages.com

In the past, only hippies, religious fanatics and anti-social sects homeschooled their children. Today homeschooling crosses all demographics, income levels, age levels, and religious beliefs. These parents all have one common thread: they feel that they can educate their children better than the government.

The purpose of home schooling is to give the child the best education possible and create a successful learning environment for your child. Home schooling is a lot more than doing "school work" at home. It takes research, planning, a knowledge of your child's abilities and interests, and a desire to instill in them an insatiable desire for knowledge.

The decision to homeschool should not be taken lightly. It takes time, focus, and commitment of the whole homeschooling family. It requires total commitment to your child's education.
The primary reasons for homeschooling are security, morality and quality of education.

• Safety: When you look at public schools, very few cues convey that they are a place of education. Commonly they are surrounded by barbed wire fences, have police on campus, metal detectors at the entrance, “lock-down” drills, and tolerate unchecked intimidation by out-of-control kids represented by gangs and antisocial thugs.
• Morality: Homeschooling parents can structure and teach subjects that are in line with their own morals, values and tradition. They are able to model desirable behavior and correct undesirable behavior on a continual basis.
• Quality: The primary goal is to create an environment that is flexible enough to adjust to the natural ebb and flow of learning for the particular child. The flexibility of the curriculum can promote and encourage an intrinsic love of learning. The parents are not just lectures. They expand, explain, and encourage their children to be inquisitive and explore areas that interest them. Learning never stops in the homeschooling environment.

You only have to examine the quality of the curriculum along with the politically correct environment to see why the public schools are failing on every level.

Homeschooling is a great option today where public education is far from ideal. Prospective homeschooling parents have to consider how important their children's education is and how much they are willing to sacrifice.

Pam Connolly is a professional educator with the San Diego School District. She has been teaching kids how to type for over 11 years. To teach your child typing, visit http://www.1stoplearntotype.com/

Vocabulary software

For learning English, the important is vocabulary. I would like to suggest a vocabulary builder software for general words till testing words. The words from this vocabulary software can help you understand SAT, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT before you go to exam.



Each word also show the meaning, phonetic symbol and pronunciation. For more information about vocabulary builder please visit vocaboly.com.