McOmber Readers Package

McOmber is a surprisingly comprehensive phonics-based reading program, deceptively labeled “readers." The gradual and systematic introduction of phonics is coupled with easy-to-read stories that ensure success with every lesson and writing activities that provide reinforcement. There is consistent lesson structure as well as teacher/student involvement. Multi-ethnic children and families are the focal point of the engaging stories and increase the appeal to a broad-based audience. This program would probably work equally well for beginning readers, struggling readers and even for older beginning readers and ESL students.

The Package includes 52 colorful, sequential and progressive Readers coupled with 52 black and white Writing Activity Booklets (10 sets) plus a no-nonsense Teaching Guide. Basically, everything you need although you might want to add some flashcards for reinforcement. Each reader has a central value (i.e. happiness, wisdom) and its stories reflect that value. The phonics progression is straight-forward: short vowels, consonants, word families, blends, long vowels including magic e, and r-controlled vowels.

Each Reader has a preview page that provides a lesson outline (short step-by-step plan for teaching through the book), gives new words and sound patterns as well as reading helps. The inside back cover is a literacy skills review that includes discussion questions for comprehension skills and conversation skills. There is also a review of word patterns and their practice words. Readers are 6.75"x 9" and 14 pgs each, pb.

The accompanying Writing Activities Booklet has the same preview page but its lesson outline focuses on how to use the booklet with the reader. Basically, this book is writing practice that relates to the Reader. In the beginning books, writing lines are 3/4" with dotted middles but through the books that decreases to 3/8" with dotted middles. The first few pages of the booklet are pre-reading activities such as words to practice writing and word pattern lists. Then the student is given the chance to try their hand at making new words with the word patterns. The last few pages of the booklet include matching sentences with pictures, writing sentences, spelling words from dictation, drawing a picture about the story and writing a story about a picture. It also includes an answer key. Booklets are 10 pgs, pb.

The Teaching Guide explains and illustrates the features of both Readers and Writing Activities Booklets. There is additional instruction for the teacher on blending and teaching helps. A Resources section in the back includes: vowel sound introduction order (by Reader), word families (by set), a pronunciation guide, list of values found in each Reader, a list of the reading helps (from each book), vowel pattern word lists, lists of prefixes and suffixes, high frequency words and phrases, a progress chart through the Readers, and a home reading log. In short, it's both an introduction to and a handy reference/overview of the Readers and program.

The McOmber reading program will take your just-getting-started reader from CVC words up to a ready-to-begin chapter books level. ~ Janice