Sight Reading – Learn to Read

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This First part of the Learn to Read course is 111 lessons.

We encourage you to continue these lessons through any summer break or such time. It will take about a year to go through both parts of the course. They will be able to read easy reader books by the end of this course, things like Green Eggs and Ham.

We suggest completing this course first in our two-part learn-to-read program. This is sight reading. The other part is phonics. Some children do better with phonics. Sight reading is how we all read. Starting with sight words enables them to read more quickly and fluently. A child struggling with dyslexia, for example, will do better with phonics first. I had a couple of children who went through both of these Learn to Read courses twice before they started just reading on their own. I had to stop the sight words and switch to phonics and then came back to this part of the course with sight reading. They were ten before you could find them curled up in a chair somewhere reading something just because they enjoyed it. I have six children. I had others curled up reading at four and five. They all had the same lessons.

If your child isn’t getting the sight reading and is at least five years old, consider trying the phonics course first.

Learn to Read with EP This course in book form. This includes the phonics as well.

Lesson 1
Welcome to your first day of school! I wanted to give you one important reminder before you begin. Many of your lessons below have an internet link for you to click on. When you go to the different internet pages for your lessons, please DO NOT click on anything else on that page except what the directions tell you to. DO NOT click on any advertisements or games. DO NOT click on anything that takes you to a different website. Just stay focused on your lesson and then close that window and you should be right back here for the next lesson. Okay?
If you didn’t get here through My EP Assignments, I suggest you go there and create an account.
  • Note: Your child should know all of the letter sounds before beginning this page.
  • Now we are going to start reading our first book! You will need to have your child go over the lesson’s words three times a day–maybe after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner. It will only take two minutes. After the third time then your child will read the page for that lesson. 
  • We have an EP McGuffey Primer App available. It has all of these word practices and stories in one place. It works offline.  Google Play   Apple Store

EP McGuffey Primer - EPMP with Full Logo and Tagline on Green

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 1. The program will show your child each word three times. That means a word may repeat. It changes its appearance slightly to show that you can click it again. A check mark will appear when the practice is over. That’s how you end the lesson. Feel free to end this first lesson before they know all the words perfectly.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 1.
  3. Look at your words. Choose lesson 1. When you are ready, read lesson 1. Your child should be able to recognize the words before reading the lesson. You or an older sibling needs to listen to your child read the lesson out loud from the online book each day. The app reading has the same font as the words, a sans-serif font, without the little feet. The linked story has it in a serif font, with the little feet. That has the different kind of a and g. You can try reading it in both fonts. You may also find your child finds one is easier than the other. For instance, if you child doesn’t like capital “I” looking like lowercase “l”, you can use the serif font stories. But you can also use both or mix and match on different days to practice the different ways the letters are written. 
  4. Congratulations on reading your first story!
  5. Your child is learning to read by sight. You are not teaching your child phonics. You don’t have to teach your child to sound out the words. Your child is to learn to identify a word by looking at it. That’s how you are reading this right now. You don’t sound it out. You just know what it says. Your child will learn phonics after this course in the Phonics – Learn To Read course. Doing it this way will give your child more speed and fluency.
Lesson 2
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 2.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 2.
  3. Put the starting sound on the word. Even though we aren’t learning phonics right now, your child did learn the phonetic sounds of the alphabet. If your child is stuck on a word, the first thing to try is to ask your child what letter does the word start with and what sound does it make. Maybe making that sound will trigger the memory of what the word is.
      • You will need a laptop, chromebook, or desktop computer for EP. Not all links will work on mobile devices. If you are using a mobile device, this activity will send you to their paid app. You may be able to set your browser to Desktop Mode to try to bypass that. Directions here. 
  4. Look at the lesson 2 words and read lesson II.
Lesson 3
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 3.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 3.
  3. Look at your lesson 3 words and read lesson III.
Lesson 4
  • Remember that 1, 2 and 3 need to take place at three different times during the day.   
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 4.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 4.
  3. Put the starting sound on the word.
  4. Look at your lesson 4 words and read lesson IV.
  5. You are learning to read! That’s wonderful!
Lesson 5
  1. Today is review, lesson V. Don’t worry about the cursive. It’s just an image from the page in the book.
Lesson 6
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 6.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 6.
  3. Look at your lesson 6 words and read lesson VI. If your child is stuck on a word, another way to help is to remind your child that the story matches the picture. Maybe the picture has a clue as to what the word is.
Lesson 7
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 7.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 7.
  3. Put the starting sound on the word.
  4. Look at your lesson 7 words and read lesson VII.
Lesson 8
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 8.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 8.
  3. Look at your lesson 8 words and read lesson VIII. Another help in reading the right word is to ask your child if what he just read makes sense. If he said a word that doesn’t make sense, then that can’t be the right word. What would make sense?
Lesson 9
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 9.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 9.
  3. Look at your lesson 9 words and read lesson IX.
Lesson 10
  1. Review with lesson 10 or choose to read from lesson X.
  2. Choose one sentence to read again fast! They are a little different fonts.
Lesson 11
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 11.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 11.
  3. Look at your lesson 11 words and read lesson XI.
Lesson 12
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 12.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 12.
  3. Look at your level 12 words and read lesson XII.
Lesson 13
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 13.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 13.
  3. Look at your level 13 words and read lesson XIII.
Lesson 14
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 14.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 14.
  3. Look at your level 14 words and read lesson XIV.
Lesson 15
  1. Review with lesson 15 or choose to read Lesson XV.
  2. Choose one sentence to read again fast!
Lesson 16
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 16.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 16.
  3. Put the starting sound on the word.
  4. Look at your lesson 16 words and read lesson XVI.
Lesson 17
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 17.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 17.
  3. Look at your lesson 17 words and read lesson XVII.
Lesson 18

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 18.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 18.
  3. Look at your lesson 18 words and read lesson XVIII.
Lesson 19

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 19.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 19.
  3. Look at your lesson 19 words and read lesson XIX.
Lesson 20
  1. Review with lesson 20 or lesson XX. Choose one sentence to read again fast!  (Parent: If you are having to tell your child many words, please consider stopping and going back to the last lesson he can read confidently and start from there. It’s fine to have to point out a wrong word or to have to remind them by asking, “What letter does it start with?” to help them figure it out. You can also encourage your child to use the picture for clues.)
Lesson 21

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 21.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 21.
  3. Put the starting sound on the word.
  4. Look at your lesson 21 words and read lesson XXI.
Lesson 22
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 22.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 22.
  3. Look at your lesson 22 words and read lesson XXII.
  4. Put the starting sound on the word.
Lesson 23
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 23.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 23.
  3. Look at your lesson 23 words and read lesson XXIII.
Lesson 24

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 24.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 24.
  3. Look at your lesson 24 words and read lesson XXIV.
Lesson 25

  1. Review with with lesson 25 or read lesson XXV.
  2. Choose one sentence to read again fast!
Lesson 26

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 26.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 26.
  3. Look at your lesson 26 words and read lesson XXVI.
Lesson 27

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 27.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 27.
  3. Look at your lesson 27 words and read lesson XXVII.
Lesson 28

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 28
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 28.
  3. Look at your lesson 28 words and read lesson XXVIII.
Lesson 29

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 29.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 29.
  3. Look at your lesson 29 words and read lesson XXIX.
Lesson 30
  1. Review with lesson 30 or read lesson XXX.
  2. Choose one sentence to read again fast! (Parent: If you are having to tell your child several words, please consider stopping and going back to the last lesson he can read confidently and start from there. It’s fine to have to point out a wrong word or to have to remind them by asking, “What letter does it start with?” to help them figure it out. You can also encourage your child to use the picture for clues.)
Lesson 31

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 31.

    • Axe, axe is another way to spell ax.

    • Note to parents: Axe is more widely used these days but major publications such as the Associated Press, Time, and The New York Times all still use ax.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 31.
  3. Look at your lesson 31 words and read lesson XXXI.
Lesson 32
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 32.
    • At the end of the explanation of the words, it says the last word is “for.” That was removed from the word list when it was added to lesson 29, but I haven’t rerecorded the explanation. It’s hard to get a similar sound when I try to re-record things.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 32.
  3. Look at your lesson 32 words and read lesson XXXII.
Lesson 33

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 33.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 33.
  3. Look at your lesson 33 words and read lesson XXXIII.
Lesson 34

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 34.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 34.
  3. Look at your lesson 34 words and read lesson XXXIV.
Lesson 35

  1. Review with lesson 35 or read lesson XXXV.
  2. Choose one sentence to read again fast!
  3. Listen to the story. Click on the first page.
Lesson 36

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 36.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 36.
  3. Look at your lesson 36 words and read lesson XXXVI.
Lesson 37

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 37.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 37.
  3. Look at your lesson 37 words and read lesson XXXVII.
Lesson 38

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 38.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 38.
  3. Look at your lesson 38 words and read lesson XXXVIII.
Lesson 39

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 39. I’m missing a word in this lesson. Here it is.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 39. Don’t forget to practice your extra word.
  3. Practice your extra word. Look at your lesson 39 words and read lesson XXXIX.
Lesson 40

  1. Review with lesson 40 or read lesson XL.
  2. Choose a sentence to read again fast!  (Parent: If you are having to tell your child words, please consider stopping and going back to the last lesson he can read perfectly and start from there. It’s fine to have to point out a wrong word or to have to remind them by asking, “What letter does it start with?” as long as they can figure it out eventually. You can also encourage your child to use the picture for clues.)
Lesson 41

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 41.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 41.
  3. Look at your lesson 41 words and read lesson XLI.
Lesson 42

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 42.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 42.
  3. Look at your lesson 42 words and read lesson XLII.
Lesson 43

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 43.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 43.
  3. Look at your lesson 43 words and read lesson XLIII.
Lesson 44

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 44.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 44.
  3. Look at your lesson 44 words and read lesson XLIV.
Lesson 45

  1. Review with lesson 45 or read lesson XVLV.
  2. Play this word game.
Lesson 46

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 46.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 46.
  3. Look at your lesson 46 words and read lesson XLVI.
Lesson 47

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 47.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 47.
  3. Look at your lesson 47 words and read lesson XLVII.
Lesson 48

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 48.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 48.
  3. Look at your lesson 48 words and read lesson XLVIII.
Lesson 49

  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 49.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 49.
  3. Look at your lesson 49 words and read lesson XLIX.
Lesson 50
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 50.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 50.
  3. Look at your lesson 50 words. Read lesson L.
Lesson 51
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 51.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 51.
  3. Look at your lesson 51 words and read lesson LI.
Lesson 52
  1. Look at your words. Choose lesson 52.
  2. Look at your words. Choose lesson 52.
  3. Look at your lesson 52 words (mute the audio and read it to the child) and read lesson LII
  4. Congratulations! You read a whole book!
 Lesson 53
  1. Read lesson 1 in your new book! A parent or older sibling needs to read the new words (in the box) to the child before he begins reading the lesson. Show the child the word (point to it with the mouse) and read it to him. Have him read the word to you. You can ignore the list of letters. You can also zoom in at any time. After you read through the words, have the child read the lesson story to you. It’s very short today!
  2. Also, parents, if sight reading was hard for your child, you could skip to phonics and then come back here. In Settings in My EP, click on Next Course under Sight Reading to switch it to phonics.

Lesson 54

  1. Read lesson 2 in your reader.

Lesson 55

  1. Read lesson 3 in your reader.

Lesson 56

  1. Read lesson 4 in your reader.

Lesson 57

  1. Read lesson 5 in your reader.

Lesson 58

  1. Read lesson 6 in your reader.

Lesson 59

  1. Read lesson 7 in your reader.

Lesson 60

  1. Read lesson 8 in your reader.

Lesson 61

  1. Read lesson 9 in your reader.

Lesson 62

  1. Read lesson 10 in your reader.

Lesson 63

  1. Read lesson 11 in your reader.

Lesson 64

  1. Read lesson 12 in your reader.

Lesson 65

  1. Read lesson 13 in your reader.

Lesson 66

  1. Read lesson 14 in your reader.

Lesson 67

  1. Read lesson 15 in your reader.

Lesson 68

  1. Read lesson 16 in your reader.

Lesson 69

  1. Read lesson 19 in your reader.

Lesson 70

  1. Read lesson 20 in your reader.

Lesson 71

  1. Read lesson 21 in your reader.

Lesson 72

  1. Read lesson 22 in your reader.

Lesson 73

  1. Read lesson 23 in your reader.

Lesson 74

  1. Read lesson 24 in your reader.

Lesson 75

  1. Read lesson 25 in your reader.

Lesson 76

  1. Read lesson 26 in your reader.

Lesson 77

  1. Read lesson 27 in your reader. (review)

Lesson 78

  1. Read lesson 28 in your reader.

Lesson 79

  1. Read lesson 29 in your reader.

Lesson 80

  1. Read lesson 30 in your reader.

Lesson 81

  1. Read lesson 31 in your reader.

Lesson 82

  1. Read lesson 32 in your reader.

Lesson 83

  1. Read lesson 33 in your reader. (review)

Lesson 84

  1. Read lesson 34 in your reader.

Lesson 85

  1. Read lesson 35 in your reader. Have someone show you the words and then read you the story.

Lesson 86

  1. Read lesson 36 in your reader.

Lesson 87

  1. Read lesson 37 in your reader.

Lesson 88

  1. Read lesson 38 in your reader.

Lesson 89

  1. Read lesson 39 in your reader.

Lesson 90

  1. Read lesson 40 in your reader.

Lesson 91

  1. Read lesson 41 in your reader.
Lesson 92

  1. Read lesson 42 in your reader.

Lesson 93

  1. Read lesson 43 in your reader.

Lesson 94

  1. Read lesson 44 in your reader.

Lesson 95

  1. Read lesson 45 in your reader.

Lesson 96

  1. Read lesson 46 in your reader. (review)

Lesson 97

  1. Read lesson 47 in your reader.

Lesson 98

  1. Read lesson 48 in your reader.

Lesson 99

  1. Read lesson 50 in your reader.
Lesson 100

  1. Read lesson 51 in your reader.

Lesson 101

  1. Read lesson 52 in your reader.

Lesson 102

  1. Read lesson 53 in your reader.

Lesson 103

  1. Read lesson 54 in your reader.
Lesson 104

  1. Read lesson 55 in your reader.

Lesson 105

  1. Read lesson 56 in your reader.

Lesson 106

  1. Read lesson 57 in your reader.
Lesson 107

  1. Read lesson 59 in your reader.
Lesson 108

  1. Read lesson 60 in your reader.

Lesson 109

  1. Read lesson 61 in your reader.

Lesson 110

  1. Read lesson 62 in your reader.

Lesson 111

  1. Read lesson 63 in your reader.
  2. Congratulations You are finished! Way to go!
  3. Time for Phonics!