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More phonics advice needed


Garga
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I've been trying to teach my son to read since he was four. He'll be 7 in two months.

 

We tried Teach Your Child to Read in 100 EZ Lessons. Disaster.

We tried Hooked on Phonics--better, but he still struggles to read.

 

What should I try next?

 

He sort of can read, but it's a HUGE struggle. I am realizing that he just doesn't know some of the sounds still.

 

What's a program for a kid who halfway knows how to read, but we need to go back and help him get better? (A lot better.) Right now the Amelia Bedelia books are too hard. Frog and Toad is iffy. He's probably almost at the Frog and Toad level, but it's shaky and we need to use something to help him get better. Just practice isn't working. We've been "practicing" for about 6 months and there is no progress.

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you may want to look at Alpha-Phonics. I havent used it yet but it has great reviews and i have spoken with a few people who have used it and they all say it is excellent! It has no frills or fluff and is very straight forward. Just thought I would mention it. You can check out the web site. God Bless!!

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I haven't used either of the ones you've tried. I started with Phonics Pathways, and felt like it was little more than lists of words, and I didn't feel confident in how to *teach* my child to read. I got OPGTR, and we have started by reviewing most of what we've already done, but I feel like with JW's help, I'm actually teaching my dd how to read and developing in her the necessary habits to read well. My dd is improving and enjoying it more too. I'm actually surprised that more people don't like OPGTR because I've found it to be such a thorough, well thought out program. Editing to add that I am wary of using videos to teach reading. Although children might absorb information from them, I tend to think they are counterproductive in creating the habits necessary to produce a reader. JMHO, YMMV, etc. :)

Edited by squirtymomma
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For older students who know some phonics,

 

My phonics lessons,

Webster's Speller,

Back on the Right Track Reading Lessons,

Rx for Reading: Teach them Phonics by Earnest Christman. (May be listed as Prescription for Reading.)

 

My how to tutor page explains how I work with older students (which includes a few students who have completed some of K or 1st grade phonics)

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

 

Nonsense words are also good, my concentration game makes both real and nonsense words (linked from the how to tutor page, also correlated to the lessons used w/ Blend Phonics and my phonics lessons.)

 

I would also add in some spelling. Spelling and reading are 2 sides of the same coin. Reading is decoding, spelling is encoding. If you learn to the encoding level, it's much more likely to stick in the brain.

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For older students who know some phonics,

 

My phonics lessons,

Webster's Speller,

Back on the Right Track Reading Lessons,

Rx for Reading: Teach them Phonics by Earnest Christman. (May be listed as Prescription for Reading.)

 

My how to tutor page explains how I work with older students (which includes a few students who have completed some of K or 1st grade phonics)

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

 

Nonsense words are also good, my concentration game makes both real and nonsense words (linked from the how to tutor page, also correlated to the lessons used w/ Blend Phonics and my phonics lessons.)

 

I would also add in some spelling. Spelling and reading are 2 sides of the same coin. Reading is decoding, spelling is encoding. If you learn to the encoding level, it's much more likely to stick in the brain.

 

Elizabeth, what is the difference between Back on the Right Track and Rx for Reading? Is one more parent-friendly? Is one quicker than the other?

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It's a comprehensive reading/spelling/almost-everything-for-English-skills method. With the manual (Writing Road to Reading) and phonograms cards, and a few peripherals if you want, you'll have it made in the shade for at least the next couple of years.

 

I wouldn't be too frustrated with either your ds or yourself; you did start in pretty early, and many dc are just not ready to read when they're that young.

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Mine were 2 of them. At age 7 they could only read Bob Books (A & B). Have you tried those? Also reading a page aloud then having your dc read the SAME page aloud to you works well. Chose only VERY short, easy books - Step Into Reading series or HOP books from the library. Be patient, reading takes LOTS of time. It took us almost 2 yrs to finally complete 100EZ lessons in grades 1 & 2.

 

Here's a copy of what we did from another post: Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons - until lesson 50 - stopped did Bob Books - back to 100 EZ until lesson 75 - stopped - read Bob Books - 100EZ until lesson 100 - Bob Books - then Phonics Pathways - ALL this was done over grades 1-3

 

Grade 2 - CLE reader 1 ; short easy readers

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Elizabeth, what is the difference between Back on the Right Track and Rx for Reading? Is one more parent-friendly? Is one quicker than the other?

 

They are both very detailed and user friendly. Rx for Reading teaches short and long sounds together, so is a good complement to a normal phonics program because it approaches things in a different way. Right Track for Reading has a bit more explanation (but a few less rules), but also has a few more multi-syllable words. Rx for Reading is probably quicker if you skip the stories (they are not well written, I skip them.)

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He sort of can read, but it's a HUGE struggle. I am realizing that he just doesn't know some of the sounds still.

 

My 2nd dd was that way too, and it took daily drilling of the phonics sounds, both with flash cards and with sand letter cards. If you need a set of phonogram cards there are several places to buy them. All About Spelling has a set you can buy...while you are at it a set of letter tiles to make words with might bring a fun hands on element to what you are doing. Spell to Write and Read sells a set, as well as The Writing Road to Reading that Ellie recommended. The back of the cards give you sample words so you understand what sounds are being said. They will have minor differences in how they teach the sounds, but again I don't think any of the differences are a big deal.

 

If he does fine with EE and vowel consonant e words then, the I See Sam Books are great and working on the same sounds and words repeatedly. The link above has free versions, but they can also be purchased from the I See Sam website.

 

Personally I use the Explode the Code books along with All About Spelling with some SL dictation thrown in. (AAS also has dictation, so I don't need the SL. I just already own it, so why not use it?)

 

Heather

 

 

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