on the verge

Of reading that is. Henry my five year old, doesn't know it, but it will be such a life changer when it happens. At school since September, he has been memorizing and writing and taking tests on phonograms (72, I think, sounds that make up the English language). For example, one phonogram is "ng" like in the word "ring". The kids must be able to hear the sound, then write it down, ng, on the paper for tests. For the last 6 weeks or so, they have been learning spelling words, using their phonograms and also markings to show certain things (like you underline a letter that 'says its name'). Words like: him, into, bee, music, the, red, truly, and more. I am amazing at how much his class of kids has been memorizing and learning. What is funny is that Henry has all the tools to read, by sounding out the phonograms, but he hasn't caught on that that would be reading. So all his work is just that hard work, the listening, the remembering, the writing (definitely a struggle). But oh, the world that will open up when he can read!