Learning to read and write looks very different than traditional reading instruction when you are living a Radical Unschooling life.
We were raised to believe that we have to learn so much before we can learn how to read. We are led to believe that it is extremely difficult to learn. We are told that we need to learn all about nouns, verbs, sentence structure, punctuation, long and short vowel sounds, just to name a few things that are drilled into our heads as little children through worksheets and tests.
This idea of learning to read would be the equivalent of making a child learn all of the inner workings of a bicycle, from gears to chains, to tire pressure, to how the bike was painted to how the seat was made...... all before they learned how to ride a bike. It is just unnecessary.
Natural reading is such a different process than most would picture it. It is very much like natural weaning vs. forced weaning. There is such a huge range of times when a child is ready to read, just like weaning. Anywhere between 5 and 15 years old is all on the range of normal when it comes to learning to read.
Our kids learn to read because reading is a useful tool to help them get what they want in life. Our kids have learned to read simply by being surrounded with the written word. They have learned through immersion in a world of letters. We are there to read and write things for them whenever they ask. We read books together when they want to.
I have always trusted that my kids would learn to read when they were internally motivated to do so and when their brains were ready.
Right now Tiff is really into Webkinz. She loves to go into the trading room and barter her goods. Over the last few months she has learned to read and and write dozens of phrases. Her vocabulary is growing and she is reading, Joyfully and confidently.
Our kids have never had formal reading lessons of any kind, but can read...
How do ya like them apples?
