How to Teach Yourself to Read
Begin with the alphabet., Distinguish vowels from consonants., Use phonics., Recognize punctuation marks.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Begin with the alphabet.
The alphabet is where it all begins.
The 26 letters that make up the English alphabet are used to form all of the words in the English language, so this is the place to start.
There are several ways to get familiar with the alphabet; pick the one that suits you and your learning style.
Sing it.
It may seem silly, but there's a reason so many people have learned the alphabet by singing the “alphabet song”--it works.
The melody aids in memorization and the song as a whole gives learners a picture of the entire alphabet and the relationship between letters.
You can listen to the alphabet song online or get someone you know to sing and record it for you so that you can listen to it over and over again as you learn it.
Feel it.
If you're a hands-on learner, consider buying sandpaper letters.
Look at a letter and then close your eyes, trace your fingers over the letter and repeat the name of the letter and its sound.
When you're ready, pick your finger up off the sandpaper and write the letter in the air.
Move it around.
Pick up a set of alphabet magnets as a way of learning the individual letters as well as the way they're sequenced in the alphabet.
Later, you can reuse these letters to practice forming words.
Walk it out.
If you have the room, try using an alphabet mat as a learning tool.
Say each letter and its sound as you step on that letter on your mat.
Have someone call out letters or sounds at random and step on the correct corresponding letter.
Get your whole body (voice included) involved by singing the alphabet song and making up a dance as you step your way through the alphabet. -
Step 2: Distinguish vowels from consonants.
There are five vowels in the alphabet: a, e, i, o, u; the rest of the letters are called consonants.
You make vowel sounds in your throat with the help of your tongue and mouth while you form consonants by using your tongue and mouth to control the flow of your breath.
Vowels can be spoken alone, but consonants can't.
For example, the letter A is simply "a" but B is actually "bee," C is "see," D is "dee" and so on. , Phonics is all about relationships, specifically the relationships between letters and sounds in a language.
For example, when you learn that the letter C sounds like "sa" or "ka" or that “tion” sounds like "shun"
you're learning phonics.
Find an approach that makes sense to you.
Phonics is typically taught in one of two ways: by what's called a see-and-say approach in which you learn to read whole words or a syllable approach in which you learn how to sound out different letter combinations and put them together to form words.
To learn phonics, you must hear the sounds of the syllables and/or words.
To do that, you need to find an online program, purchase or borrow a DVD from your local library or work with a family member, friend, tutor or instructor who can help you learn the sounds created by various letter combinations and what those look like written out. , It's important to know what common punctuation marks indicate when you're reading because they can offer information about sentence meanings.
Comma (,).
When you see a comma, you're meant to pause or slightly hesitate when you're reading.
Period (.).
A period indicates the end of a sentence.
When you reach a period, come to a complete stop and take a deep breath before continuing to read.
Question mark (?).
When you ask a question, your voice goes up.
When you see ? at the end of sentence, a question is being asked, so make sure your voice rises when you're reading.
Exclamation point (!).
This mark is used to emphasize an important point or to grab attention.
When you read a sentence that ends with !, be sure to sound excited or to strongly emphasize the words. -
Step 3: Use phonics.
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Step 4: Recognize punctuation marks.
Detailed Guide
The alphabet is where it all begins.
The 26 letters that make up the English alphabet are used to form all of the words in the English language, so this is the place to start.
There are several ways to get familiar with the alphabet; pick the one that suits you and your learning style.
Sing it.
It may seem silly, but there's a reason so many people have learned the alphabet by singing the “alphabet song”--it works.
The melody aids in memorization and the song as a whole gives learners a picture of the entire alphabet and the relationship between letters.
You can listen to the alphabet song online or get someone you know to sing and record it for you so that you can listen to it over and over again as you learn it.
Feel it.
If you're a hands-on learner, consider buying sandpaper letters.
Look at a letter and then close your eyes, trace your fingers over the letter and repeat the name of the letter and its sound.
When you're ready, pick your finger up off the sandpaper and write the letter in the air.
Move it around.
Pick up a set of alphabet magnets as a way of learning the individual letters as well as the way they're sequenced in the alphabet.
Later, you can reuse these letters to practice forming words.
Walk it out.
If you have the room, try using an alphabet mat as a learning tool.
Say each letter and its sound as you step on that letter on your mat.
Have someone call out letters or sounds at random and step on the correct corresponding letter.
Get your whole body (voice included) involved by singing the alphabet song and making up a dance as you step your way through the alphabet.
There are five vowels in the alphabet: a, e, i, o, u; the rest of the letters are called consonants.
You make vowel sounds in your throat with the help of your tongue and mouth while you form consonants by using your tongue and mouth to control the flow of your breath.
Vowels can be spoken alone, but consonants can't.
For example, the letter A is simply "a" but B is actually "bee," C is "see," D is "dee" and so on. , Phonics is all about relationships, specifically the relationships between letters and sounds in a language.
For example, when you learn that the letter C sounds like "sa" or "ka" or that “tion” sounds like "shun"
you're learning phonics.
Find an approach that makes sense to you.
Phonics is typically taught in one of two ways: by what's called a see-and-say approach in which you learn to read whole words or a syllable approach in which you learn how to sound out different letter combinations and put them together to form words.
To learn phonics, you must hear the sounds of the syllables and/or words.
To do that, you need to find an online program, purchase or borrow a DVD from your local library or work with a family member, friend, tutor or instructor who can help you learn the sounds created by various letter combinations and what those look like written out. , It's important to know what common punctuation marks indicate when you're reading because they can offer information about sentence meanings.
Comma (,).
When you see a comma, you're meant to pause or slightly hesitate when you're reading.
Period (.).
A period indicates the end of a sentence.
When you reach a period, come to a complete stop and take a deep breath before continuing to read.
Question mark (?).
When you ask a question, your voice goes up.
When you see ? at the end of sentence, a question is being asked, so make sure your voice rises when you're reading.
Exclamation point (!).
This mark is used to emphasize an important point or to grab attention.
When you read a sentence that ends with !, be sure to sound excited or to strongly emphasize the words.
About the Author
Lisa Hughes
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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