Welcome to the second day of the Back to School Blog Tour. The featured author today is Philip Gibson. He is a teacher and author that has more than 35 years’ experience teaching English to children and adults in 7 countries. Mr. Gibson spent the next 30+ years traveling the world teaching English to children and adults of all nationalities.
He now lives in Laos where, for the past 12 years, he has been researching, writing, and improving his Word by Word series of illustrated, graded readers for English-speaking children learning to read and children learning English as a second or foreign language. Mr. Gibson continues to teach, to write, and expects to be able to make the complete 12-book series of books available during the course of the next few months.
I was lucky enough to interview Mr. Gibson, and get his take on his school memories, favorite children’s authors, and what writing means to him.
Philip Gibson’s Word By Word series teaches English reading to ELD and early readers.
1) Who was your favorite children’s author and how did they influence you?
The earliest books I remember enjoying were the first books in the Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme. In the U.K., they were known as the Peter and Jane books. I believe in the U.S. a similar series known as the Dick and Jane books were widely used during the same time.
Those books used a systematic, step by step introduction of key words alongside attractive colorful illustrations. The books are now criticized for their lack of phonics emphasis as well as old-fashioned, 1950s cultural stereotypes. They are now largely ignored and out of print. However, they did make learning to read an easy and rewarding process and certainly did the job for me and those of my generation (now in our 60s.)
So now I am developing a new, 12-book series of illustrated early readers using a similar, but updated, format. This new series contains not only systematically introduced sight words, but also phonic emphasis at every stage. They are also culturally appropriate for the modern age. The first 8 books have now been completed and are available. I have made the first two e-books permanently free so that parents and teachers can try them out at no cost.
2) What is your most memorable school moment?
I remember when I was 5 or 6, a classmate coming over and looking at a page I had been writing on. She expressed surprise that I had filled the entire page. It had never occurred to me that I might be more advanced in reading and writing than my classmates.
3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you?
I write every day, usually between midnight and dawn when everyone is sleeping and the house is quiet.
4) What is writing to you in one sentence?
Writing to me is about trying to put out something into the world that will be of actual practical benefit to people… especially children.
The Word By Word Readers Collection bundle is available on Amazon.
Today, his Word by Word series is featured. As a teacher of 18 years, finding a useful and engaging reading program is important. Mr. Gibson does this while instructing the difficult points in learning English. This is a great series for beginning English learners of all ages. The first two books of the series are FREE! Plus, you can also get the first several books in a bundle HERE! The series is great for teachers and parents to work with their children.
Book 1: Lee and Pat – http://amzn.to/1Nh0M3Q
Book 2: Lee and Pat Like to Play – http://amzn.to/1QAcTwZ
WORD BY WORD readers bundle-https://www.amazon.com/Word-Readers-Childs-Introduction-Reading-ebook/dp/B01BQUCBYK
See all the readers and collections at his website – http://www.wordbywordseries.com/
**As with yesterday, the giveaways are still up and going. Here is a list of all the books on discount/free and the big $25 Amazon Gift Card giveaway.
GIVEAWAYS and DISCOUNTS
Here is the current list of freebies, discounts, and giveaways during the blog tour. All discounts, freebies and giveaways will be running through the blog tour dates: 9/12-9/16.
- Win a $25 shopping spree on Amazon! Link to the Rafflecopter giveaway link here!
- Download a free copy of Konrad and the Birthday Painting HERE!
- Philip Gibson’s Graded Word For Word Reader 1 & 2 Free
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018ZQQ98C
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019J1U2RQ
- The Lost Secret of Fairies: Discounted to $0.99
- Win a notebook set, bookmarks or the book Tinker Bee by Erin Liles: http://erinbethliles.weebly.com/blog/back-to-school-blog-tour-giveaway
For an interview with me, Tiffany Turner, head on over to Sandra Anderson’s blog HERE!
Tiffany Turner will be making an appearance at the 
The Indie Children's Authors Connection 