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From Issue No. 6, Summer
1996
Homeschooling with Davis Symbol Mastery.
©1996 DDAI.
The Davis Symbol Mastery program is ideal for a parents who are
homeschooling, or for after school activities and enrichment. Here the use
of Symbol Mastery is not restricted to children who are considered
learning disabled, but is a helpful tool for all learning. Some
advantages of using Symbol Mastery are:
The Davis Symbol Mastery Program &
Homeschooling.
Symbol Mastery is a study method that can be adapted for and will
appeal
to students of any age. Several children in a homeschooling family can
work with clay at the same time, on very different levels. A 4-year-old
might be learning to roll and shape the clay, and starting on the first
letters of the alphabet. His 7-year-old sister might be working through
the word list contained in the Symbol Mastery manual. Their 10-year-old
sibling could use the same techniques to master new terms encountered in
reading a science book.
With Symbol Mastery, the child moves at his own speed and according to
his
own comfort level. There are no worksheets to complete or written tests.
Further, it rests on a concept that should be embraced by all
homeschoolers--mastery. Mastery means that the child will fully understand
a particular idea or concept before moving on, whether it is an aspect of
reading, math, or any other area of study. Once mastered, there is no need
for repetition or drill.
Symbol Mastery also fits in with whatever approach to homeschooling is
followed. A parent following a structured schedule of instruction at home
would probably create a specific time and place for Symbol Mastery. A
parent who "unschooled" might prefer to leave the clay,
dictionary, and a word list accessible at all times, encouraging but not
requiring the child to do Symbol Mastery at any set time.
Symbol Mastery is an ideal way to introduce children age 4 and up to
reading concepts, and to provide a beginning reading vocabulary. It gives
children an understanding of both the meanings of connective words and
their logical relation to other words in the sentence. This increases
comprehension skills. Symbol Mastery also provides an important bridge
between reading methods based on phonics instruction and those based on a
broad exposure to children's literature.
To do Symbol Mastery at home, you will need the
following items:
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Non-hardening plasticene clay.
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Printed Samples of Letters, Numerals, and Punctuation Marks.
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An illustrated children's dictionary.
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A Grammar Book.
The book
The Gift of Dyslexia
explains the steps of Davis Symbol
Mastery. More information, including a manual and instructional video, is
contained in the Symbol Mastery Kit. For homeschoolers, the kit is a
terrific investment, as it can be used for many years and shared among
all the children in the family.
Order the Kit On Line.
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