It is hard to disagree reading is an essential life skill! In this class, students will learn sounds of the alphabet and begin reading phonetically. Using the Montessori Method, I have taught preschool students ages 3-6 how to read successfully. In this course, students will learn the phonetic sounds of the lower-case alphabet in set of three to four letters, so they can learn encoding and decoding reading skills quickly. The Montessori Method breaks down the phonetic sounds in fun, engaging and interactive lessons, giving students a foundation to build upon. This method sparks joy in reading, and students gain a sense of confidence in their abilities. Each class will include a variety of activities. We will sing songs associated with each phonetic sound. We will build words phonetically with the Montessori moveable alphabet, working up to short, silly stories -keeping it fun!  The students will become familiar with word families, reading and decoding passages or a short book. Students will also create their own phonetic sound books they can make reference to throughout the week (weekly work will be emailed to parents in PDF format for class preparation). Student notebooks will also serve as a guide for learning proper letter formation and encourage not only reading, but also writing skills. After our first class, sounds from the previous week will be reviewed at the beginning of each class. Students will have the opportunity to share what they worked on at home over the week through show and tell. This learning platform will provide an opportunity to gain listening and social skills from the comforts of home.