Hello Let’s Go Learn, I would like to see if you could help direct me. I am going to teach a 23-year-old young man to read. I will need tools to help teach him the basics and I don’t know where to start. I found "Hooked on Phonics" on the internet, but the cost was $300.00! Do you have any suggestions about other tools I may use to help? Thank you.

Hello, Thanks for your email. Tell me a little bit more about your situation… 1) Have you ever taught reading before? Do you have experience as a teacher? 2) Is this 23-year-old man your son or relative? 3) What are the circumstances surrounding this man’s reading issues? Is English his second language? Does he have other learning issues besides reading? Specific diagnosis? What is his education level? Can he read at all? If so, how much? If not, does he know his letters and sounds? 4) How much time per week do you plan to spend teaching him how to read? Will anyone else be working on his reading skills? Where will you be working with him? Library? School? Kitchen Table? Will you be working with him one-on-one or in a group? 5) Is this man enrolled in any kind of school or does he work or neither? 6) Has anyone ever tried to teach this man to read before? If you can answer these questions, I can give you some more succinct advice.

7B) Hi Again Let’s Go Learn, I am not a teacher, although, I raised 2 daughters and helped them along the way. The young man is my son-in-law as of April 2001, and he did graduate from high school, how I don’t know. He is very embarrassed and does not want anyone to know that he can’t read. He would like to learn to read and get a better job.English is his first and only language. I’m sorry, but I really don’t know if there are other learning issues. I do know that his parents did not take time with he or any of the other siblings while growing up. He seems to communicate normally, although, he is not very social. We took him out to eat once and I could tell, he could not read the fish house menu. I will be the only person working with him, and we will be working at my home. I cannot imagine not being able to read. It is an enormous handicap to not be able to read. I would like to help him open the door to the wonderful world of reading. Thank you for your help.

Hello, Thanks for your response to my email. Here are my suggestions:

1) I suggest you have your son-in-law tested to determine his strengths and weaknesses in reading. An assessment will give the information on where to direct your instruction. Reading specialists in your area would be able to do that. Or if you want to have him do a reading test on line, you can go to http://www.letsgolearn.com Reading is a complex subject, more that most people realize. A reader experiencing difficulty may have weaknesses and or strengths in a variety of areas. It is important to find out where you son-in-laws issues are.

2) It’s hard for me to know the exact nature of his weaknesses however, from you descriptions it sounds as if he has a hard time sounding out words as well as spelling. I suggest you look for something that talks about Symbol Imagery.

3) I HIGHLY recommend that you take a workshop for reading teachers. Teaching yourself how to be a reading teacher will be the best way for you to help him.

In a nutshell, get him tested to determine the exact weakness, find a program that treats that weakness, and get yourself trained in that program. Teaching an adult to read is a big commitment for the student and the teacher. Working on his reading at least 4 days a week is recommended, 5 is better.