Let's Read: A Linguistic Approach

by Leonard Bloomfield, Clarence Lewis Barnhart, Cynthia A. Barnhart (Editor)

Originally published in 1961, Let's Read is a simple a systematic way to teach basic reading. Developed by noted linguist Leonard Bloomfleld, it is based on the alphabetic spelling patterns of English. Bloomfleld offered an antidote to the idea that English is a difficult language to learn to read by teaching the learner to decode the phonemic sound-letter correlations of the language in a sequential, logical progression of lessons based on its spelling patterns. The learner is first introduced to the most consistent (alphabetic) vocabulary and then to increasingly less alphabetic and less frequent spelling patterns within a vocabulary of about 5,000 words. The second edition of Let's Read brings Bloomfleld's innovative program into the twenty-first century without changing the sequence of exercises but with revised text and an attractive new design and layout. Authors Cynthia A. Barnhart and Robert K. Barnhart, who have long been involved with Let's Read, have refined the original edition with new vocabulary and content based on feedback from longtime users. The new edition lightens the first learning load by presenting lengthy patterns in two lessons rather than one, adding more connected reading and new vocabulary, and introducing some sight words earlier in the sequence. The authors have also added a list of multisyllable words at the end of part 1 that fall within the patterns of the first lessons, and they have added some longer stories later in the program. The notes introducing each part of Let's Read have also been revised to be more informative, and new illustrations have been added.

Genres: Education

512 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1961

Reviews

[Redwood3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's Read! is THE fundamental, must-have book for everyone who has anything to do with teaching young or old alike how to read. It was developed and written out of the Harvard Reading Laboratory, and then it began to migrate--to become THE text for The Landmark School and its tutoring system for students who have moderate special learning needs. From there, in my case, it travelled to London and has been used and referred to whilst teaching those same kids with needs, as well as in my classrooms, living room, and online with ESL/TOEFL students.

Have you seen the movie The Book of Ely with Denzel Washington? It would be so easy to make comparisons: I and any number of close colleagues could sit in a blackout and re-construct word for word, diagram after diagram, of Let's Read! and restore that most valuable skill to anyone who could learn. What a valuable book.

Of course it deserves five stars. Not a lot of books do. This one does. Home schoolers, parents, classroom teachers, tutors--anyone who can read and teach should have the series. All the best to you.

[Dianna]

This is a book to teach children how to read, written by a famous linguist. He makes some really good points in the opening essays, and I would love to try this book with my son.

Unfortunately for me, interlibrary loan doesn't always last as long as I'd like it to, and this book had to go back before I was done. Now I have to decide if I want to buy it.