PCA Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 What do you think is the best for k phonics/teaching to read program? If you had to do it over again what would you use? Abeka, CLE, Reading made easy, phonics pathway, OPG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I would have used Christ Centered Curriculum with all my dc. I am currently using it with my 6yr. old and will start my almost 5yr. old as soon as his books come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muffinmom Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 We used 100 EZ Lessons for K and felt it was very thorough and really got the job done. My son is reading way above grade level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 My older dd taught herself to read, so I used nothing with her (unless you count constantly reading aloud to her, which was what we both loved). With my younger dd, I used Phonics Pathways and will use it again when the time comes with the chublet due in August. But I wouldn't hesitate to try something different with him/her if PP doesn't work. In fact, that's what I did with dd#2. I tried 100EZ because a few of my friends swore by it. It just didn't work for us. PP did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferB Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I really like K12 Phonics. www.k12.com Here's a link to the Course Introduction, which has lots of info for you if you're interested: http://online.k12.com/misc/helpfiles/courseintros/phonics/Phonics_Main.htm My son is on the 1st grade level, which they call "Advanced", and he is reading so well! I really like the way they teach the phonics, using many modes of input from the teacher and output from the child. I think it works really well. There are no stones left unturned in this program. In 1st grade there is also sentence dictation, and writing practice, so it covers a lot more than just phonics and reading, but listening, writing, and copy practice. It uses Handwriting Without Tears for the writing practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 If money is no object then I would go with Sensational Strategies for Teaching Beginning Readers from Orton-Gillingham. sound beginnings which is based on WRTR looks to be a similar program. If it is then a combination of Accelerated Achievement's demo disk (hstreasures.com) and Elizabeth B's resources. (which is my second choice only to Orton Gillingham). I haven't yet decided between the above for DS. I have used MFW K, ETC, OPGTR, Accelerated Achievement, and a couple of online programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I would use the same thing I use now - Jolly Phonics/Grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I'd start with McRuffy. I tried tons of programs and this is by far my favorite. It is what I will start off with with the next ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TengoFive Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 OPG after using 100 EZ Lessons twice. This is my 2nd go round with OPG and its going very, very well with my just turned 4 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southmetromom Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 It was easy to use and worked so well with both of my (very different style learners) children. Just turn the page and do the next set of words. Very easy. They learned to read long ago and I cannot seem to part with my book! Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Webster's Speller from a white board! We used it for K very successfully, I use it with all my remedial reading students as well. (But from the book for my older students, the don't mind the small print and they don't need the interactiveness of the white board.) I'll use it again with my son. I have tried 20+ phonics programs, my favorite before Webster's Speller was PP. Whatever you decide to use, you may want to do the first part from a small white board instead of the book. You start out with 2 letter blends, it's much easier to teach 2 letter blends than 3 letter blends. And, the 2 letter blends that you learn are syllables that later directly transfer to learning 2 to 6 syllable words. I also recommend my free phonics game whatever you use, it's fun practice: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Glad you chimed in Elizabeth. I would try her method first. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCA Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Oh wow, now I am really confused :) So many choices! Thank you all for your replies. Several of these I have never heard of so I will be researching them some more. I am surprised that no one mentioned Abeka, that seems to be a favorite for k phonics, although I have never used it. I have taught my 7 year old daughter to read using the pathway readers and learning through sounds program from Rod and staff. I think it is very good program. Now with my 5 year old son, we are struggling a bit with this program, so I was wondering if I am missing something. If there was a program out there that EVERYBODY uses and loves and I had just missed it when I started :) Elizabeth, it sounds like you have alot of experience in this, I want to read more about your advice and look at your links...thanks! Any other recommendations or advice is welcome ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 What do you think is the best for k phonics/teaching to read program? If you had to do it over again what would you use? Abeka, CLE, Reading made easy, phonics pathway, OPG? Phonic Pathways! I've used it with two children. Both of them read above grade level after going through just half the book over part of a year. I've never used more than half the book and never made lessons take more than 5-10 minutes per day. Just a couple of lessons a week, review the rest of the week. With PP I have used the Explode the Code workbooks, just a page or two a day. Kids both loved them. I also picked up some of the Abeka readers for reading material. For reading material I also used some of the little books from LLATL Blue. Bob books would probably work just as well. I know some kids hate PP, but honestly, I kept lessons so extremely short that my kids thought it was just too easy and never complained. If they would have complained I'd have put the lessons on a white board before ditching the program. We were able to move into real books quickly. They are both great spellers too. I love PP! Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCA Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Elizabeth B. I just spent the past hour devouring your website's information and Don Potter's... very interesting, I have learned SO much already this morning Thank you! Rhonda, thank you for your reply. Making the lessons short makes sense. I was wondering if you know, is Phonics Pathways and OPG close? I noticed the SWB used to recommend PP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 (edited) Oh wow, now I am really confused :) So many choices! Thank you all for your replies. Several of these I have never heard of so I will be researching them some more. I am surprised that no one mentioned Abeka, that seems to be a favorite for k phonics, although I have never used it. I have taught my 7 year old daughter to read using the pathway readers and learning through sounds program from Rod and staff. I think it is very good program. Now with my 5 year old son, we are struggling a bit with this program, so I was wondering if I am missing something. If there was a program out there that EVERYBODY uses and loves and I had just missed it when I started :) Elizabeth, it sounds like you have alot of experience in this, I want to read more about your advice and look at your links...thanks! Any other recommendations or advice is welcome ! I did use R&S Phonics with my two older children. I was also using it with my two middle boys but they just were not retaining it. They are currently using The Phonics Road to Spelling & Reading. (We just started this.) I had looked at Christ Centered Curriculum before but it looked so complicated. As I was looking at it again something nudged me to give it a try. I was a little intimidated because it's a bit pricey and I already have so much here. I was really surprised to find that it is so easy to teach. I love it and now wished I had went ahead and purchased it years ago. With my older we are a month into the program and have REALLY enjoyed it. I just started their beginning math curriculum with my youngest and am thinking to go ahead and have Ethan use it too. Edited May 15, 2009 by Homeschooling6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 None of the above.:D My favorite is Spalding. Teaches dc to read by teaching them to spell so don't have to add anything; also includes penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing. The manual for the Spalding Method is the Writing Road to Reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I used Reading Made Easy with my oldest. Her reading really took off about 2/3 of the way through the book, so we never finished it. I am using it again with my youngest. It is simple for the teacher and my girls have both liked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelouis75 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 It was easy to use and worked so well with both of my (very different style learners) children. Just turn the page and do the next set of words. Very easy. They learned to read long ago and I cannot seem to part with my book! Sandy :iagree: Phonics Pathways was a great program. There were times that my daughter battled me on it, but it was effective. She reads well above grade level, and now she loves to read. I used Bob Books with her, too. Now, they're a real hit with my son who is just learning. I have taken a slightly different approach with him, because he's starting younger. So we started by "playing games" with the letter magnets. Then I began putting Bob Books in his hands. I will probably pull PP out again when he matures a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Phonics Pathways! I've used it with 3 kids and it works well. I grew up on whole language and suffered for it so I really wanted an easy phonics program- and this is it! I also only used about a third to a half of the book and my kids have not needed any more phonics instruction. They have been reading chapter books (like Little House on the Prairie) since the age of 5. They were already familiar with all letter sounds by age 3 and so we went from there. It took about 4-6 months to do the phonics. We didn't do it everyday and we usually spent 10 minutes per lesson (maybe less). Sue *** There are so many great programs that you really can't make a bad choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 None of the above.:D My favorite is Spalding. Teaches dc to read by teaching them to spell so don't have to add anything; also includes penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing. The manual for the Spalding Method is the Writing Road to Reading. Is WRTR meant to be used by someone with training? I meantioned Sound Beginnings b/c it is based on WRTR but designed for the average parent to use. Your thoughts? Just a note for others: the Spalding Method was a spin-off of Orton-Gillingham. ;) AAS would be considered following the OG method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I used 100EL for both kids followed by OPG for advanced phonics. Both kids were reading 3-4th grade level by age 5. And both LOVE to read now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I use the early games and activites in Montessori Read and Write with my dc as preschoolers, then switch them to All About Spelling when they are spelling simple words with a movable alphabet (so the beginning of AAS is review). We also play games and read real books once they get to that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5ray2006 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 I really like K12 Phonics. www.k12.com Here's a link to the Course Introduction, which has lots of info for you if you're interested: http://online.k12.com/misc/helpfiles/courseintros/phonics/Phonics_Main.htm My son is on the 1st grade level, which they call "Advanced", and he is reading so well! I really like the way they teach the phonics, using many modes of input from the teacher and output from the child. I think it works really well. There are no stones left unturned in this program. In 1st grade there is also sentence dictation, and writing practice, so it covers a lot more than just phonics and reading, but listening, writing, and copy practice. It uses Handwriting Without Tears for the writing practice. Jennifer, thanks for posting this link. I'm very interested in K12 and this link really has a lot of info. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhondaM. Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Rhonda, thank you for your reply. Making the lessons short makes sense. I was wondering if you know, is Phonics Pathways and OPG close? I noticed the SWB used to recommend PP. I have no idea. Sorry. :) Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferB Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Jennifer, thanks for posting this link. I'm very interested in K12 and this link really has a lot of info. :001_smile: I was looking for a used Bible study for my 4th grader on the For Sale board, and I noticed that someone has the K12 phonics program for sale still in the package for $65. This is a good deal. You don't really need the on-line subscription for the K12 Phonics, because all the lessons are done out of the books, the on-line portion for Phonics is just to check off the lessons and keep track of progress. You don't really need it for this subject. Here's the link: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100740&highlight=K12 Here's the description: K12 Phonics Set, Gr 1- $65ppd. New. Student and Teacher Books, Sem 1&2, Basic Tile Kit, flashcards, Readers 1-30. If you are considering buying, you should ask if this is the Basic kit or the Advanced kit. The Basic kit is for students just starting out - they know their alphabet, but that's about it. The Advanced kit is for students who have been working on phonics for a year already, and they know their 1 & 2 letter phonograms very well, and can read simple 3-4 letter words, and spell simple 3-4 letter words. There should also be a DVD which explains how to use the program and it shows what each exercise looks like with a teacher (or mother) and a student working one-on-one. The DVD is very helpful in implementing the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2BaMom Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 ..I alternated PP with Bob books (just for some variety) & some work out of the PP workbook. My son is just finishing K and recently tested at the 3rd grade reading level. He never (OK, rarely) complained about the "work" either. Although I probably should mention that he did attend a Montessori preschool where he learned all the letter/sound combinations, so taking him from that to reading was not very hard!! I did try other reading programs, but found that he mostly just needed practice in reading books that advanced at an appropriate rate and were interesting to him. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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