Nancy Laney Skultety

Given encouragement, kids enjoy reading because they accept the challenge to read as one more fun game to play. This book assists parents in giving their child extra help in reading.

It begins with a list of 101 "non-decodable" words—that is, words that cannot be sounded out because they don't follow basic phonetic rules. Among them are words such as laugh, through, walk, would, and others containing letters that are not pronounced. The author advises parents on how to teach children to recognize these and other "non-decodable" words.

Next, parents get tips on teaching phonetic rules that enable children to sound out "decodable" words, which are the majority of words they will encounter as beginning readers. Chapters that follow feature practice activities, games, and projects, all focused to enhance children's reading skills. Answer keys appear at the back of the book. The accompanying CD-ROM features games and activities that will help boys and girls learn to read.

Nancy Skultety was a first-grade teacher for several years before taking up her present career as a reading specialist. Associated with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, she plans and teaches a variety of lessons designed to reinforce reading and writing skills to students in grades K-through-6.