HONING HIS READING SKILLS THROUGH E-LEARNING
[This post also serves as my entry to the PMN FamPics’ March Theme: Learning] 
Naks, the title sounds big shot ano? 
Kala mo kung ano nang seryosong kwento sa Blog na ito. Heehee. But kidding aside, in addition Nico’s fondness of playing online computer games (which I’ve already talked about here), my Little Boy has been really more inspired and motivated to hone his reading skills more since he was introduced to the great e-learning site called Starfall.com a week ago. Thanks to the heads up by Thet (Hi Thet! How I wish I can already reveal your link ) and Cess, we’ve discovered this very interactive e-learning site whose geared towards developing the reading skills of preschoolers in a fun and playful way.
Just look at how hooked Nico was in these photos:
The e-learning site is very helpful to parents who wishes to encourage their children to learn how to read. According to the page on information for parents, the learning activities and methods in the site are research-based and modeled on recommendations from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. And not only that! Starfall is easy to use and there are no complicated instructions too. Now, how cool is that huh?
There are four major learning levels in the e-learning site, and the descriptions of each, I’m copy pasting verbatim here:
- Begin with the Starfall ABCs. Encourage your child to play and explore by clicking on any letter. The order doesn’t matter. Your child will come to recognize the relationship between letters and sounds. This is the “Alphabetic Principle,” the foundation of phonics.
- Move on to Learn to Read row number 1. Each row features one vowel sound. Children listen to, manipulate, read, and eventually master this sound-spelling through a variety of books and games before moving on to the next row. This is systematic, sequential phonics and is recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
- With a basic understanding of letter-sound relationships, your child is ready to explore a variety of genres and topics that will expand his reading vocabulary and comprehension in It’s Fun to Read.
- Our advanced section, I’m Reading, will transition your child from learning to read to reading to learn. These vocabulary-controlled stories introduce children to words they will frequently encounter in reading. Selections read in their entirety model the qualities of fluent reading: intonation, expression, inflection and rate.
Although Starfall recommend that the child progresses sequentially, it also suggest that there is no harm in allowing the child to follow his own interests and create a unique path. “Starfall supports your child’s exploration. Every word on the site is clickable and will read aloud. In this way, your child’s speaking, reading, and writing vocabulary can grow alongside his curiosity,” according to the site.
“On occasion, sit down with your child and use the website together. Talk about your shared experience. This supports your child’s sense of accomplishment by allowing him to share what he’s learned. It will also expand his vocabulary at the same time,” adds Starfall, which is what we are constantly doing when Nico’s in front of the computer.
Online content can also be downloaded for free from the site such that even when offline, parents can establish a regular reading time with the child. You see, Starfall.com, really rocks! And nope, this is not a paid post.
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“For small children, learning is as natural as breathing. Children are wide open to see, listen, taste, touch, admit every little, every big thing…” — John Caldwell Holt
28 responses so far
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Thank you Feng for sharing another wonderful site for preschoolers. Now that summer vacation is fast approaching, I’m looking for new mediums of learning for my son, Yohan. I’m happy that I have learned of two new exciting e-learning sites from you.
Your wonderful post and photos with Nico inspired me to encourage Yohan to enhance his knowledge using the computer.
hi feng, thanks for sharing. will check out this site.
hi feng. sabi na, nico will love that site.
marami pa ako alam noon, unfortunately, nakalimutan ko na ngayon. like i said, my son has outgrown these sites “for babies”… hehe, yabang.. but i need to research once again, kasi it’s my daughter’s turn naman.
love your wallpaper!
Mukha ngang engrossed masyado si Nico. I’ll definitely check this site out. Thanks for the great tip
you’re welcome Rach
I’m pretty sure Yohan will love Starfall too. you see, the e-learning site is fit for preschoolers like Yohan whose familiar already with the Alphabet and are geared to learning how to read.
go, go check it Mhalou!
siguradong magugustuhan ni Alex.
hi Cess! naku sinabi mo pa, talagang hooked si Nico sa Starfall.
salamat sa heads up mo!
hahaha, talagang inemphasize pa ni Troi yung “pang babies” eh noh. palibhasa big boy na sya! now that it’s Sandra’s turn, I’m sure, Troi will remark the same.
re: the wallpaper, ah, that’s my current fave pic of the Little Boy.
you’re welcome Cookie. pero warning lang, better buy two laptops for each of your Hezzies kasi I’m sure, mag-uunahan ang mga yan sa paglalaro sa Starfall.
ah, you hit the right word to describe Nico’s addiction– “engrossed” nga!
i used to read from starfall when my son was about 3, and then completely forgot about it na. thanks forreminding me, i’ll visit the website again!
i also find cbeebies quite fun and educational: http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/
you’re welcome Ruth!
blame it on anesthesia, we Moms always forget!
thanks for the link, I’ll definitely check it out, as in now na!
wow. ang galing naman may e-learning na pala for kids! Itatago ko yung link for my baby when he’s old enough for this.
thanks!
hi Gailey! oh yes, bookmark the page in your browser, ma appreciate nya yan when he’s older.
I saved it in my favorites. Thanks for sharing Feng!
Ako yung naglaro nyahahaha!
Btw, ang tikas ng theme ah! Pwedeng green at red heehee!
walang anuman Mitch.
nalaman ko lang din ang link kay Cess and Thet! heehee.
at tama bang ikaw ang maglaro? sis, pambata yan, dapat si Deye naglalaro!
Mitch, heehee, courtesy of Template Panic tong template. mas gusto ko sya kasi nag-appear ang comments in a main page. at widget ready na rin.
Feng, this is such a great tip! Thanks for sharing this here. I’ll check it out right away. Been looking around for great internet resources for the kids.
you’re welcome MegaMom. go, go check it! yun nga lang, be ready for kids invading your computer space. pwede rin, bili mo ang triplets ng one laptop each. heehee!
Nakarating na kami sa letter K, there was this K for Kittens, pinipilit ni Deye, no not kittens, meeeoooow! Nyahahaha!
heehee, layo na ng narating nyo ni Deye ah! heehee, sige lang, pagbigyan mo na. next time you’ll know, magbabasa na yan ng mga sign boards at kahit san na may letters.
Wow! Nico is all grown up learning how to read. He looks pretty serious too.
Hi Tina
he is, he is! naku, as in dead serious to master all level of games in Starfall. but at least, he’s really reading a lot nowadays.
Thanks for sharing, I think that’s a treasure. I bought Kelvin loads of interactive CDs, medyo gasgas na. I’m sure he will love this site, too. He’s starting to read numbers and I’m encouraging him with his alphabets now.
auee, first off, natawa ako dun sa “gasgas na” kasi yung mga CDs ni Nico, ganyan din. hehe, yun lang hindi dahil sa laging pine play, dahil laging kinakaskas sa kung saan saan.
well then, what are you waiting for, go to the site na! guaranteed, Kelvin will love it there.
Hi Feng! i’m glad Nico loved starfall too. Naks master na ang lahat ng levels! atleast sya read na talaga diba? si iya more on play pa. she loves the music there and the option after every story if they liked it or not. and the animation ofcourse. hindi ko lang pinapalaro everyday at hindi ko na magagamit ang laptop ko! hahaha
LOL Thet. yan ang hirap pag may invader sa harap ng PC
I agree, dapat talaga hindi everyday ang pagpapalaro sa bata, and as much as possible, ideally dapat may time ang pagpe-play. or else, mapipilitan kang ibili ng sariling gadget si Little Girl! 