A King on a Swing (Level D Workbook), Basic Reading Series

The BASIC READING SERIES (BRS) is a successful and proven phonics program for beginners. It has a dedicated and faithful following among teachers and parents who want an alternative to discredited teaching methods. The BASIC READING SERIES is now available in a low-cost, paperback edition for homeschool and classroom learning.

The workbooks for the BASIC READING SERIES contain material with which children can practice their decoding skills independently of teacher direction. The decoding experiences thus provided increase the children's opportunities to discover sound-spelling relationships and to develop automatic word recognition. The workbooks also can be an aid to vocabulary, word-meaning, and concept development, as they lead children to associate words with appropriate visual images and challenge children to deal with the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences. Finally, the workbooks are a useful tool with which to evaluate the children's decoding progress.

The workbook for Level D has six sections of exercises, which correspond (in their sound-spelling patterns only) to the six sections of the Level D reader, A King on a Swing. The exercises are not tied to the story content of the reader, however. Each section is identified by numbered tabs in the margins of its pages. Each section begins with a word chart that presents most of the new words for that section of Level D. Each section progresses from simple exercises based on single words and phrases to more complex exercises involving phrases and sentences.

Parents and Homeschoolers Love the Basic Reading Series

"This teaching method is the most basic and effective way to build a solid reading foundation by building simple phonics concepts. There is a short word list with every story. The stories are only written with what is on the list. Example: Dan, fan, man, ran, can. Your child will be filled with confidence after the first story. The entire series should bring your child well over a third grade level. My child is already reading and sounding out words after the first book. I am extremely pleased." -Goody-2-Shoes, Amazon review

"Absolutely LOVE this reading series. The vocabulary is controlled so our children gain a feeling of mastery reading these stories. The stories are funny, which our 6 year old loves, but not so silly that our more serious minded 8 year old can't enjoy them too." -Melanie Johnson, Amazon review

"These books should be a requirement for children pre-K and up. My 4-year-old son learned to read by the age of 5 using these books. These books are a hidden gem. I am a mom that uses these books to supplement my child's education in school when it comes to reading and not just memorizing words." -Cherline XO, Amazon review

"I remember these books vividly. I was taught reading with these books back when I was in first grade. We went through all the titles and levels. The great thing is the way the books build on skills and are progressive. Based on level, our class was divided into small reading groups and each group was assigned one of the books based on where they were in reading comprehension. A Pig Can Jig, A Hen in a Fox's Den, Six Ducks in a Pond, A King on a Swing, etc. Here I am 40 years later, and I vividly remember these books and highly recommend them." -August A. Galifi, Amazon review

"The 'basal' series I have found most successful and wonderful for readers through the third grade is the BASIC READING SERIES, written by Donald Rasmussen and Lynn Goldberg. In all my 30 years of teaching, the only two classes of students that made it to my eighth grade reading on grade level (or very close) were the classes (pretty much kept intact) that experienced this series in grades one through three. Rasmussen and Goldberg had great perception in knowing how to teach children how to read, and great creativity in developing this program. The essential approach of this series has been around for over 50 years. There is definitely a reason: it's excellent and teaches reading enjoyably." -James Charnock, Amazon review

"I have been doing daycare for over 20 yrs. I have taught close to 100 kids to read with this series. And I mean REALLY read. Most enter as the top reader in their kindergarten classes. Years later they are still exceptional readers. My daughter was tested at 8th grade level reading in the 1st grade and she was not an unusual case. I believe that the systematic use of this phonics book is essential to growing a good reader. The bonus is all the children enjoy this series. I have never heard one complaint when we begin our work. The lessons are simple, short, and last a lifetime!" -Lisa Stewart, Goodreads.com

"I used this series with children identified with 'dyslexia' or 'specific learning disorders' to use the terminology of that era. (A terminology I prefer, by the way, because 'special needs' is too vague.) It was especially helpful with kids who were discouraged by previous failures in reading. The stories were fun, and the logical progression of phonetic patterns gave the pupils a stable, firm foundation for reading and spelling. It was the best of many programs I had tried." -M.C. Sears, Amazon review

Dr. Donald Rasmussen became fascinated with the work of renowned linguist Leonard Bloomfield as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois. After many years as a college professor, he became principal of the Miquon School, a small teacher-parent cooperative near Philadelphia. There, during the 1960s, Dr. Rasmussen and co-author Lynn Goldberg put Bloomfield's theories into practice by developing the BASIC READING SERIES, a whole-word phonics program originally published by Science Research Associates (SRA), later by McGraw-Hill, and now in its 6th edition. Lynn Goldberg was a public school teacher in Philadelphia and reading specialist at the Miquon School during the 1960s, where she and co-author Donald Rasmussen developed the BASIC READING SERIES, a whole-word phonics program that involves the teaching of sound patterns. In the 1970s, Mrs. Goldberg successfully adapted her reading method to the Philadelphia School District's Parkway Program, a remedial program for high school students. She lectured on beginning reading at numerous universities and reading conferences, and her writings were published in professional journals.

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