Introduction

To complement the Sefer, which provides a unique system for learning קריאה skills, I have included below a special teaching technique, which greatly augments the benefits of any קריאה system. This technique, in which I was trained, is based on מסורה and is very effective in enabling all children to read every letter and any word accurately. The following is a description of the technique.

Verbalizing

When learning the נקודות the children are taught to verbalize the name of each אות and נקודה, for example; “קמץ אלף אָ”. After mastering the נקודות they begin to go through the אלף בית in order, reciting each אות with all of the נקודות. Simultaneously, they begin reading words that contain the letter that they are up to and include the preceding letters. This step is completed three times.
The first time, the name of the אות and נקודה is said out loud. They also read the words in this way, saying aloud the name of each אות and נקודה as they go through the word.

Mouthing

After completing א thru ת the children return to אלף and repeat the step a second time. However, this time, instead of saying the name of the אות and נקודה out loud, they mouth it. For example, קמץ אלף is mouthed and only “אָ” is said out loud. The children read the words in this way too, mouthing the name of each אות and נקודה as they go through the words.

Thinking

The third time, the children go back to אלף, but this time instead of mouthing the name of the אות and נקודה the children just think it in their minds. For example, they think קמץ אלף and say out loud “אָ”. Eventually this thought process becomes automatic and even a word with many syllables will not be overwhelming for the child to read. This is because the child is not looking at the whole word, but rather at each אות and נקודה separately.

Kamatz Aleph Uh

This manner of speaking out קמץ אלף אָ, is the way קריאה has been taught throughout the generations. It is told that the great Rosh Hayeshiva Harav Issar Zalman Meltzer זצ”ל used to sing קמץ אלף אָ, קמץ בּית בָּ on שמחת תורה, because of the קדושה that is inherent in saying the נקודות and אותיות in this manner.