Coping with the great gap between spelling and pronunciation in English is a hard task. The C.O.M method overcomes that difficulty in the following way: the pupil has to learn by heart only 15 basic words (the pronouns and their auxiliary verbs in the present tense and a few prepositions). The texts include these basic words and words which are pronounced exactly as they are written. The pupil feels that he "knows" to read English and gains self-confidence. Then the pupil is taught phonological patterns. After each group of patterns the pupil reads sentences and stories. A pattern is never used in the texts unless it was already taught in one of the previous sections. The pupil is always familiar with what he/she has to read; he/she gets used to "translating" words into phonological models, with /without sound deviation/s.

Coping with the great gap between spelling and pronunciation in English is a hard task. The C.O.M method overcomes that difficulty in the following way: the pupil has to learn by heart only 15 basic words (the pronouns and their auxiliary verbs in the present tense and a few prepositions). The texts include these basic words and words which are pronounced exactly as they are written. The pupil feels that he "knows" to read English and gains self-confidence. Then the pupil is taught phonological patterns. After each group of patterns the pupil reads sentences and stories. A pattern is never used in the texts unless it was already taught in one of the previous sections. The pupil is always familiar with what he/she has to read; he/she gets used to "translating" words into phonological models, with /without sound deviation/s.

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Here’s a witty, engaging, and dynamic interactive guide that uses sparkling dialogue, riveting characters, and appealing graphics to pique and hold the interest of students – even those who don’t like to read – to help them in college-level reading comprehension. Break It Down! tries to improve and sharpen the students’ study skills, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies – in a fun, funny, and refreshing way. It introduces unique steps, methods, and approaches – like Brainups™ -- to aid them in college. Educators and authors Vicki Vernon Lott and Clifton Estus Laird aim to provide students good strategies for life-long learning. Start discovering them now!What Students Are Saying About “Break It Down!”It really made English fun! Not only did it help in English, but it also helped to improve my study habits for other classes. -- Jacqwese Stephens.Established a new and easy way to learn at a level I could enjoy. -- Jessica Smith.Helped me understand a subject that I couldn’t comprehend. -- Devon McVea.It’s the primary reason why I changed my major from Criminal Justice to English. It helped me expand my vocabulary and think more critically. -- Danielle Cooper.Improved my college-level comprehension 100%. -- Tristain Bell.An amazing book that, I believe, all students should read. Because of this book, I now know how to express myself properly in a society full of confusion. -- Asia Terry.What Instructors Are Saying…Students respond to “Break it Down.” The book´s tips and tricks are presented in a way that encourages students and helps them not only improve their reading and writing skills, but also offers an accessible approach to academia. – Michael Salerno. Break It Down does a great job of preparing students to meet the various academic challenges they will face throughout their college years. The book truly earns its name and is a wonderful tool for standardized test preparation. -- Randolph Walker

Here’s a witty, engaging, and dynamic interactive guide that uses sparkling dialogue, riveting characters, and appealing graphics to pique and hold the interest of students – even those who don’t like to read – to help them in college-level reading comprehension. Break It Down! tries to improve and sharpen the students’ study skills, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies – in a fun, funny, and refreshing way. It introduces unique steps, methods, and approaches – like Brainups™ -- to aid them in college. Educators and authors Vicki Vernon Lott and Clifton Estus Laird aim to provide students good strategies for life-long learning. Start discovering them now!What Students Are Saying About “Break It Down!”It really made English fun! Not only did it help in English, but it also helped to improve my study habits for other classes. -- Jacqwese Stephens.Established a new and easy way to learn at a level I could enjoy. -- Jessica Smith.Helped me understand a subject that I couldn’t comprehend. -- Devon McVea.It’s the primary reason why I changed my major from Criminal Justice to English. It helped me expand my vocabulary and think more critically. -- Danielle Cooper.Improved my college-level comprehension 100%. -- Tristain Bell.An amazing book that, I believe, all students should read. Because of this book, I now know how to express myself properly in a society full of confusion. -- Asia Terry.What Instructors Are Saying…Students respond to “Break it Down.” The book´s tips and tricks are presented in a way that encourages students and helps them not only improve their reading and writing skills, but also offers an accessible approach to academia. – Michael Salerno. Break It Down does a great job of preparing students to meet the various academic challenges they will face throughout their college years. The book truly earns its name and is a wonderful tool for standardized test preparation. -- Randolph Walker

Here’s a witty, engaging, and dynamic interactive guide that uses sparkling dialogue, riveting characters, and appealing graphics to pique and hold the interest of students – even those who don’t like to read – to help them in college-level reading comprehension. Break It Down! tries to improve and sharpen the students’ study skills, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies – in a fun, funny, and refreshing way. It introduces unique steps, methods, and approaches – like Brainups™ -- to aid them in college. Educators and authors Vicki Vernon Lott and Clifton Estus Laird aim to provide students good strategies for life-long learning. Start discovering them now!What Students Are Saying About “Break It Down!”It really made English fun! Not only did it help in English, but it also helped to improve my study habits for other classes. -- Jacqwese Stephens.Established a new and easy way to learn at a level I could enjoy. -- Jessica Smith.Helped me understand a subject that I couldn’t comprehend. -- Devon McVea.It’s the primary reason why I changed my major from Criminal Justice to English. It helped me expand my vocabulary and think more critically. -- Danielle Cooper.Improved my college-level comprehension 100%. -- Tristain Bell.An amazing book that, I believe, all students should read. Because of this book, I now know how to express myself properly in a society full of confusion. -- Asia Terry.What Instructors Are Saying…Students respond to “Break it Down.” The book´s tips and tricks are presented in a way that encourages students and helps them not only improve their reading and writing skills, but also offers an accessible approach to academia. – Michael Salerno. Break It Down does a great job of preparing students to meet the various academic challenges they will face throughout their college years. The book truly earns its name and is a wonderful tool for standardized test preparation. -- Randolph Walker

Two Things Stories were created to make bedtime stories fun for my two girls, Diana and Heather. They each think of one thing and then I make up a story for them...on the spot. The only rule we have is not to mention either of the two things in the first sentence of the story. We hope you enjoy the stories as much as we do!

Special thanks to Antonio Toro for bringing the stories to life through his masterful illustrations.

Two Things Stories were created to make bedtime stories fun for my two girls, Diana and Heather. They each think of one thing and then I make up a story for them...on the spot. The only rule we have is not to mention either of the two things in the first sentence of the story. We hope you enjoy the stories as much as we do!

Special thanks to Antonio Toro for bringing the stories to life through his masterful illustrations.

I have often been frustrated and amused by natives who want to be understood only by the collusive, other natives and thus resort to the use of esoteric expressions the meanings of which are only privy to their people or even group. The most enduring manner to memorialize the truth is to render the language understandable, even if it entails going back to its proper roots. Typical of me, I chose the hardest of them all: English, specifically because its rules have been intentionally overlooked or, in some cases, glossed over in favor of a wider comprehensibility, as happened in plastics, computer science or military jargon. Let me put it this way: if there already is a way to say something well, there is no need to create a new way of saying it�to the glaring degradation of the language. The purpose of a language is universal understand of what is said. In the case of the English language, make that �what is said, how it is said, how it is written and even how it is pronounced�. It is pointless for English-speaking people to wrongly interpret the intent of another of their kind or to answer in an equally obfuscating fashion. If I say something, I want to be universally understood in as clear a manner as possible!

I have often been frustrated and amused by natives who want to be understood only by the collusive, other natives and thus resort to the use of esoteric expressions the meanings of which are only privy to their people or even group. The most enduring manner to memorialize the truth is to render the language understandable, even if it entails going back to its proper roots. Typical of me, I chose the hardest of them all: English, specifically because its rules have been intentionally overlooked or, in some cases, glossed over in favor of a wider comprehensibility, as happened in plastics, computer science or military jargon. Let me put it this way: if there already is a way to say something well, there is no need to create a new way of saying it�to the glaring degradation of the language. The purpose of a language is universal understand of what is said. In the case of the English language, make that �what is said, how it is said, how it is written and even how it is pronounced�. It is pointless for English-speaking people to wrongly interpret the intent of another of their kind or to answer in an equally obfuscating fashion. If I say something, I want to be universally understood in as clear a manner as possible!