Victory Drill Book

Description
This reading reinforcement resource has been around for over 30 years, and in use around our house for at least 20! Regardless of the reading program you use, this helpful tool will ensure that your students are progressing in their reading speed through an eighth-grade reading level. Although a abbreviated lists of phonics and spelling rules are provided, most of the book is devoted to word lists. Several columns of words are listed on a page, grouped by a common phonetic construct. The student reads the words while being timed. Words read per minute tell you at what grade level the child is reading according to the followin (no longer included in the book):
  • Pre-K (20 words)
  • K (30 words)
  • Grade 1 (40 words)
  • Grade 2 (55 words)
  • Grade 3 (70 words)
  • Grade 4 (85 words)
  • Grade 5 (100 words)
  • Grade 6 (115 words)
  • Grade 7 (130 words)
  • Grade 8 (130 words)
  • The idea is to have the child repeat the drill every day until she is reading at or beyond grade level. This can be pretty challenging, especially at the onset of reading. Occasional review pages combine words with similar constructs, and pages with paragraphs for practice reading are also included.

    We have found this to be a most useful vehicle for taking the children from decoding to reading. Until a child is able to decode words at some level of speed, it is difficult to have them read for meaning. By the time they reach the end of even a short sentence, the meaning may be lost. Not always enjoyable, some skills just require practice, practice, practice! A child just beginning to read may need to start out with just a column or two per page as an entire page may be too taxing. The print is large and easy to read. Drills only take a minute or two, but will greatly help the young reader sharpen her decoding skills.

    The phonics worksheets (150 pages) are a good supplement. The sheets include page numbers that correspond to the page on which the phonics skill is practiced in the Victory Drill Book.

    The Victory Pre-Drill Book is for use by beginning students. It provides high-speed handwriting practice of the alphabet and correct pronunciation of phonetic letters and letter combinations before students proceed to the Victory Drill Book. The newly revised (now spiral-bound) VDB Teacher's Guide provides direction for page-by-page use of the Victory Drill Book. It presents a sequential presentation of phonetic instruction corresponding to the Victory Drill Book sequence. A CD is also available to help both you and your student hear the correct phonetic sounds of letters and letter combinations. The CD corresponds to the presentation of sounds in the Victory Drill Book.
    Teaching Method
    Traditional
    Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
    Charlotte Mason
    A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
    Classical
    A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
    Unit Study
    A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
    Montessori (Discovery)
    A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
    Other
    Other methodologies
    Religious Content
    Secular
    Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
    Neutral
    Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
    Christian/Religious
    Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
    Learning Modality
    Auditory
    Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
    Visual
    Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
    Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
    Learns through moving, doing and touching.
    Multi-Sensory
    Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
    Presentation
    Sequential
    Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
    Spiral
    Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
    Conceptual/Topical
    Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
    Teacher Involvement
    Low Teacher Involvement
    Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
    Medium Teacher Involvement
    A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
    High Teacher Involvement
    Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
    Additional Materials Required
    No other materials needed
    Everything you need is included.
    Other Materials Required
    There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
    Other Materials Optional
    There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
    Consumable
    Consumable
    Designed to be written in; not reusable.
    Non-Consumable
    Not designed to be written in; reusable.