After graduating in 1969 from the University of Memphis, I visited a second grade classroom excited and ready to teach. During my visit, I found the children terribly behind in reading. As the retiring teacher said "they are delayed and can't learn," I quietly cried inside. After leaving the classroom, I decided that I would bring the class forward by building a solid learning foundation in each child. During the school year, the class advanced in all subjects, and we won the prize for the spring science fair! Our chosen subject for the fair was how water molecules work in the water cycle. The children made models of water molecules using tooth picks and gum drops. As we talked about water and the water cycle, looked at pictures, and read information from books, the children completed their science project. Next, the class drew the water cycle on a large piece of paper, and then the children glued their gum drop water molecules on the paper. Last, the children attached the paper onto the wall outside of our classroom to create a mural where everyone could see the colorful movement of our giant water cycle!

The next year, teaching reading was quite a challenge again as I didn't have a current curriculum. To provide solid reading instruction for the children, I created my own hands-on reading program with various materials that I found, made, or bought. During the year, the reading class was a buzz with happy voices and active hands. Yes, we had scissors, paper, glue, and scraps all over the floor during class, but they were actively learning! I am pleased to say that not one child failed in reading that school year!

Now in my retirement, I want to provide a thorough but easier way to establish reading security in your child, so I am sharing my Link & Read foundational exercises to establish reading security in your child. Foundational reading can be difficult to teach, but by following the Link And Read Method, your child will learn to use the foundational building blocks of reading, fostering success as a fluent reader.

Thank you for visiting Link & Read!

Ms. Frances

Frances Walker-McCampbell, M.Ed.