Distar Reading Program Worksheets
Oh my- DISTAR is old, old old- I was trained in college twenty some odd years ago. DISTAR is a very scripted direct instruction program for teaching phonics. It has been show to be quite effective with a variety of students- from those with learning impairments to some forms of LD. It is very boring for the teacher- but not necessarily for the student. It does work, but it shouldn't be the only tool in the arsenal.
For very bright LD youngsters, my experience has been that the vocabulary is very simplistic and this gets boring. It isn't the skills- they need those- but they need to be couched in a way that appeals to them too. Robin Joined Aug 19, 2018 Posts: 69136.
Distar is a form of modified alphabet, based on the Initial Teaching Alphabet or ITA. With Distar, you get truly phonetic reading/writing/spelling - one letter equals one sound.
What is 100 Easy Lessons? • Supplemental Reading Program. R di M t I d II. - Based on Core Reading Program: Reading Mastery I and II. We used this reading program when we outgrew Teach Your. And is part way through the wonderful Distar teaching reading. Kindergarten Worksheets.
The advantages are that it is direct and logical and absolutely one-to-one. Learning to read will go much faster and more easily at the beginning without all the battles learning irregular words. Writing is easier because if you can say it, you can write it. Yes, 'DISTAR' is old, hving initally been developed over 30 years ago.
What the previous writers don't seem to be aware of is that it hasn't stayed the same. Lots has happened since the inception of Direct Instruction. The original Distar reading program has undergone many changes and there are at least 3 separate reading programs now. IT WAS NEVER BASED ON ITA!!!! That is just not true. The orthography was to help children distinguish letters in their initial learning.
Di Star
It is phased out later in the program. In twenty years of teaching, I've found the only ones the letters bothered were the parents or teachers, certainly not the kids. The 'odd' orthography is in the Reading Mastery Program, the newer version of Distar.
There is also a Direct Instruction reading program called Horizons which does not use the orthography. There is yet another DI program, Journeys, which is more of a language arts program. The new programs have outside reading oportunities available. I have used all the DI programs in my LD setting for many, many years and my students have been very successful. I don't find student success boring.
Yes, I have to bring enthusiams to everything I teach. We also use the program in the regular classrooms at my school.
Those students too are successful. The research on the effectiveness of DI is overwhelming.
Joined Aug 19, 2018 Posts: 69136. OK, it was twenty years ago that I saw Distar in what was supposed to be action.(It wasn't very active.) Yes, newer versions may be different. Yes, it is possible that my memory is imperfect. I am NOT the person who claimed it was boring - quite the converse, I'm the person who said I was trying to use it for some kids who needed it. I'm also the person who regularly posts about the need for those three dirty little four-letter words, time and hard work.
Please make sure who you are yelling. As far as the ITA: Is Distar not the program that uses a sort of loopy shape, like a lower-case Greek omega, for the oo sound? And a combined ae letter and ee letter and so on for long vowels? And words spelled by sound, even in the reading texts? (I am speaking of the beginning levels, which is the topic I was discussing) And later, a little tiny e where it is silent? And capital letters that are just larger lower-case?
If my memory serves me right, it was. This.is.
a development out of the ITA. If the publishers have chosen to make up an entirely different reading program and market it under the same name, that's their business, and please excuse us for not knowing about their marketing ploys.
Joined Aug 19, 2018 Posts: 69136.
Phonics Phonics Phonics & Beginning Reading Recommendations After completing the Letter of the Week curriculum (or sooner if you feel your child is ready) you can start into a phonics curriculum and/or beginning readers. Or you can continue with the Brightly Beaming curriculums and work through Sound of the Week and Story of the Week. There are so many different phonics programs it can be hard to choose.
I have recommended programs that are not as expensive as others, (so do not have a lot of gimmicks), but are very good programs and do the job well for many families. If possible try to borrow a copy from a friend or the library, before purchasing, to make sure it is the program you really want. Every child is different and you are the best judge of what will work for your child. Happy reading!
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox, and Elaine Bruner. This book is based on the proven SRA DISTAR Reading Program. This program can work well with children as young as 3. The program takes 20 minutes a day and after 100 lessons your child will be reading on a 2nd grade level. Visit the web site. Visit for worksheets that go along with each lesson.
Phonics Pathways Phonics Pathways: Clear Steps to Easy Reading and Perfect Spelling by Dolores G. Hiskes(8th Edition). She presents letters and sounds one at a time which progress to words, phrases and sentences.
The book can also be used to teach spelling to about 4th grade. The book is user friendly and you only need to spend as little as 10 minutes a day. Visit the web site. Alpha-Phonics Alpha-Phonics: A Primer for Beginning Readers by Samuel L. In this primer the lessons start with blending 2 and 3 letter words right away. Each lesson has been hand lettered and is easy to read. This book can also be used to supplement other reading programs.
It is systematic in approach and requires almost no teacher preparation. Sample pages can be viewed on the Alpha-Phonics web site. Visit the web site. Reading Made Easy Reading Made Easy: A Guide to Teach Your Child to Read by Valerie Bendt. This program was written for, and tested by, homeschool families. The lessons are fully scripted and include writing and drawing activities.
You teach 3 lessons per week and they take less than 30 minutes a day. Christian content. Visit the web site. The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading This book is written by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington. Jessie Wise is the co-author of The Well-Trained Mind. This is a complete reading program that is simple and easy to use. The lessons are scripted which makes it fun to do.
You can see samples of the lessons on the following website. Visit web site. Pathway Readers Pathway Readers are a treasure in our family! We love these books. These readers are published by Pathway Publishers and include readers for Grades 1 - 8. The readers are full of character building stories, values, and good morals. The publishers are Amish and the stories depict the wholesome Amish way of life.
Accompanying workbooks are also available that cover phonics, spelling, reading comprehension, etc. Visit to learn more about these great readers. Explode the Code Workbooks These are an excellent set of workbooks to supplement any phonics program.
Books A - C can even be used with the Letter of the Week curriculum. You could choose to teach the letters in the order presented in these workbooks.
These first three books cover all the consonant sounds. Short vowels are introduced in Book 1. Since the workbooks involve handwriting they will work best with young children who are interested in doing so. My 4yos loves to practice writing the letters and these books are working well with him. Visit to see samples from these workbooks. Other Reading Resources Check your library for beginning readers such as, Step Into Reading, Dr.
Seuss, and others. Read with your child daily and encourage him to read as many words on his own as possible. Other interesting web sites with reading resources: Copyright © 2000 - 2007 by Katrina Lybbert Email: http://www.letteroftheweek.com.