I read about a different way to teach children to read, by Anna Letitia Barbauld in a biography about her. She was a teacher, and she wrote poetry and children’s poetry, among many other things including mentoring women in the Lord. I sent this to one of my granddaughters with young children.

I’ll try and explain this simple, creative method.

She wrote her very young children her own reading lessons for them.

She would write lessons that Charles, her son, would like because they would be about him and her, and about people and animals and household things and garden creatures he met with every day.

She would write each “lesson” on a single page. Bold letters with wide margins.

One lesson would be about Charles through his day: waking up, eating breakfast, playing with Papa and Mamma, exploring the garden, taking dinner and tea, and, at the end of the lesson, going to bed.

These lessons in Charles’ life are occasions for introducing vocabulary and ideas related to them.

Interspersed are lessons about animals and their behavior, the parts of the body, social etiquette, counting and money. They too are presented as moments in life of mother and son.

For example, Counting is introduced by Mamma summoning Charles to give her “Three kisses. One, two three.”

When I read this, it set my imagination on fire, and I began considering what fun it would be and how it would hold the interest of a child, if the story is about them and the life they know.

I could imagine a story for little Annie that was about her birthday party when she was obsessed with purple dragons! So the story would be about the purple dragon party, the colors of the cupcakes and body parts of dragons, favorite presents etc.

Teaching to count as the children progress could be done by counting guests and how many pieces a cake should be cut into so everyone gets a piece. How many balloons? How many days until the party etc. The days of the week can be attached to events they are looking forward to.

One lesson could be about visiting Grandma and Grandpa’s house” it would, of course, include Luna the dog they all love, as well as the chickens, rabbits and stories that have been read to them.

The warmth of the fireplace, the deep snow and the tools needed to clear it. Oh, the list is endless!

I even envisioned the older siblings helping to write the story, adding themes and ideas. Drawings or photos could be included.

Here is one of her lessons for her son when he was three –

“Anna went into Mrs. Robleys Garden

yesterday and gathered primroses

And saw gold fishes in the pond

And there was a pretty little dog in the parlor and

Anna was a little afraid of him at first, but when she

saw he was very quiet and good natured she came

and pet his ears.”