I have homeschooled all three of my children. I taught both of my daughters to read using 'Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons'.

The title is an apt one. Simply read the simple, short instructions at the beginning of the book. Then sit down with your child and start at Day 1. Read the words with your child. Then do the included writing exercises. That's all there is to it.

Each lesson takes fifteen to thirty minutes, depending on the difficulty level for the child that day. (And it often depends on the child's mood).

Each lesson progresses a little each day. At the end of 100 days (or 100 lessons, if not used daily), your child is at a third grade reading level.

I like 'Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons' because it IS easy and simple. No extensive lesson plans or expensive software is needed. Also, no supplementary materials are required. And the book itself is very inexpensive.

Both of my daughters are avid readers. So, obviously the method worked.

Unfortunately, my son attended public school in the early elementary grades. He is also an avid reader in spite of, not because of, the way he was taught to read.

You see, my son was taught to read using the 'sight' method. So when he comes across a new word, he has no idea how to decipher it. Because he loves reading and writing so much, he has managed to become a fluent reader, anyway. But he still has problems figuring out new words.

Spelling was a nightmare for him because he couldn't break words down into syllables. He simply hadn't been taught that way.

I tried to 'unteach' him and show him the phonics method, but the 'sight words' method had become ingrained in his mind.

Now, he has simply read so many books that eventually he memorized most words. That is also how he has learned spelling- simple memorization of each word.

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