7/29/2019 How to Use Mcguffey Readers

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How to use McGuffey Readers(Original post from old OFE Yahoo group)

Hey there. I usually don't post but thought I'd throw in my method of using thereaders. I have six kids from 16 down to 5, also every other year, also in our

eighth year hsing. One has completed the readers and the rest are still usingthem. Oh and I use them for more than just reading. This may look long but itreally only takes about ten minutes with the littler kids and the older ones canhelp each other or do it alone. Hope this helps. From "Chris"

Reader (reading, spelling, penmanship, oral & written composition)Age 6: McGuffey's PrimerAge 7: McGuffey's First ReaderAge 8: McGuffey's Second ReaderAge 9: McGuffey's Second ReaderAge 10: McGuffey's Third Reader

Age 11: McGuffey's Third ReaderAge 12: McGuffey's Fourth ReaderAge 13: McGuffey's Fourth & Fifth ReaderAge 14: McGuffey's Fifth ReaderAge 15: McGuffey's Sixth ReaderAge 16: McGuffey's Sixth Reader

The Lesson:Step One:Primer to mid third reader-~Print letters on the board, review sounds of each letter at the beginning of each

day's lesson~Print new word on the board, opt: find photo or sketch picture to represent word~Teach children to pronounce the word by sight~Have children show understanding by using word in a sentence; older childcopies sentence in copybook~Child uses letter tiles to spell the words & read them aloud; older child- copieswords in notebook & read them aloud~Have child find word in a pile of loose words; teacher can call out words for childto find~Have child find word in a column of words; teacher can call out words for childto find~Find the words in the text, read them but out of order to avoid rote recitation

Third reader-~Make flashcards of the diacritical marks, review at the beginning of each day'slesson until mastered

Mid third reader to sixth reader-~Child make flashcards of vocabulary words, drill daily

7/29/2019 How to Use Mcguffey Readers

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~Write out each word, look up its definition in the dictionary and copy itcompletely (including part of speech, origin of the word, definition(s) and forms ofthe word), then write at least one original sentence for each definition of eachwordREPEAT WITH EACH NEW WORD

CONTINUE UNTIL ALL WORDS ARE MASTERED

Step Two:~Child reads sentence by sentence out loud, narrating after each~Younger child copies a selection of the lesson; older child prepares a section fordictation

Step Three:~Practice reading the sentence until smooth~Review by making words with letter tiles, by memory if possible

Step Four:Spelling Lesson (not necessary if child is good at spelling)The child makes up spelling cards with the words.~Child print clearly the words on the card.~Review cards daily together.~Teacher holds the card in her hand. She *flashes* it quickly for the child to seeand then covers it with her hand or another card.~Child says the word, begins to spell, teacher uncovers that letter until the wordis spelled completely.

Penmanship

Age 6: copy letters and very short words from ReaderAge 7: copy a sentence a day from ReaderAge 8: copy a paragraph from Reader once per week, from other sourceson other days

Age 9: copy 2 paragraphs from Reader once per week, from othersources on other days

Age 10: copy 3 paragraphs from Reader once per week, from othersources on other days

Age 11: copy entire page from other sources