A Reading Program Crafted by My Parents —Inspired by My Struggles, Made for Those Like Me
Why This Program Exists: A Personal Journey
STRUGGLING WITH READING
As a child, I faced significant challenges with reading and spelling due to my learning difficulties. I vividly remember the frustration of bringing home unreadable spelling words and spending hours trying to understand books that seemed impossible to comprehend. Unlike my friends, who could finish their homework quickly, reading was a nightmare for me. To be blunt, I hated reading. My books often ended up with grass stains from being thrown to the ground in sheer frustration.
The Turning Point
By fifth grade, I was still struggling. An eye test revealed that my problem wasn’t with my vision but with how my brain processed visual information. This led to a diagnosis of severe mixed dominance and dyslexia. Traditional phonics methods simply didn’t work for me because my brain processed sounds differently. It wasn’t just about seeing the letters—it was about understanding the sounds they represented, which seemed almost impossible for me at the time.
Finding the Right Approach
One of the major issues with dyslexia is the inability to hear individual sounds within a word. My mom realized that traditional teaching methods, like focusing on the ending of a word first, weren’t helping me. Instead, she taught me to approach words differently, focusing on consonants with vowels together, like CA-T instead of C-AT. This method was a game-changer for me. It allowed me to guess the word more easily, and after getting it right a few times, my brain started to remember it.
Continuous Improvement and Success
From fifth to eighth grade, my mom worked tirelessly with me, using techniques she developed herself. She taught me to use my finger to follow along with the text, which helped me avoid skipping words and ensured I read in the correct direction despite my mixed dominance. Although it was a slower process, it was crucial for my progress. By the end of eighth grade, I had reached an eighth-grade reading level, and my reading continued to improve each year thereafter
I Am You. I understand what it’s like to struggle with reading
I know the frustration, the embarrassment, and the feeling of falling behind. But I also know that with the right approach, these challenges can be overcome. I was able to attend a good university, graduate, and lead a happy and successful life—all because my mother never gave up on me.
Creating the Program: A Solution For All
The Inspiration Behind the Program
Seeing many children struggle with reading, including myself, my mom was inspired to create a comprehensive reading program to help both kids and adults. Over two to three years, she and my stepdad, Knobby, developed this original program, combining her expertise in reading instruction with his skills in drawing and design.
A Unique Approach to Phonics
One key insight that shaped the program was using unusual images to make sounds more memorable. This led to the creation of flashcards featuring unique, memorable images that help readers associate sounds with visuals. For example, an elephant with an “e”-shaped trunk is much easier to remember than a traditional picture of an elephant.
A Step-By-Step Learning Process
Unlike traditional phonics methods, the program begins by teaching vowels first, then consonants, followed by consonant-vowel combinations. This approach, paired with the distinctive flashcards, helps learners connect phonics to the sounds and spellings more effectively, making reading easier and more enjoyable.
About the artist & creators
The creator of the ABC Read Program started this initiative because she had been volunteering at schools to help children with reading before there were reading specialists. She realized that many students were falling behind in reading and were unable to catch up. With so many sounds and rules to memorize, it was a daunting task for them.
Her husband, Knobby, had the creative touch. They realized that people had a better chance of memorizing something if it was presented in a unique way. So, with all the sounds and rules, Knobby illustrated each one. This gave the reader a fighting chance to learn how to read quickly and easily and catch up with other students in their classes.
Together, they made the perfect program that gives you the chance to READ BETTER TODAY.