How do Ordinary Parents Guide and Phonics Pathways compare

[AngelAnnie]

In planning for fall I was going to get An Ordinary Parent's Guide for my 6 year old son. He has learned basic phonics with short vowels and some blends so far, but I have only taught those through reading Bob books and such. I wanted to get a book to teach the rest.

 

I was going through some books to sell and realized I still had Phonics Pathways from my daughter. She hated it, so I never finished it with her. I was just wondering if anyone knows how they compare. I've gotten Ordinary Parent's Guide from the library to see what it was like, but never got to really try it out before I had to return it.

 

I should probably just try Pathways with him for awhile to see if he likes it. It would save some $. I would still appreciate some opinions though.

 

Thanks,

Angel

[Aoife]

I got phonics pathways first. I hated it, my DS hated so we sold it :tongue_smilie: It was just too confusing to use for me. We then got OPGTR which is a FABULOUS book but DS only made it about halfway until it bored him to death as it is just not very fun. So we took a little break while I figured out where to go next. I settled on trying 100 easy lessons along with some other goodies (SSRW, mcguffey) The 100 easy lessons is going SO much better and is IMO a more child friendly book. I still have taken the suggestion though and made little story books out of the reading sections which DS loves. DS hated the "songs" in OPGTR which is funny because he loves songs and is loving the SSRW songs. Another bonus of 100 easy lessons is that it is cheaper then OPGTR and you can usually find it used for way cheap.

 

Sorry about giving you a 3rd choice :lol:

[JennyW]

I'm not big on scripted material, but I had no idea how to go about teaching my kids to read, the the Ordinary Parent's Guide was perfect for us. My daughter really needed hand holding for learning to read, and we made it through the book in Kindergarten and first grade. My son is a natural reader and taught himself to read. I still went through the book with him in the first 1/2 or 3/5 of the school year, just to fill in any holes he had.

 

I highly recommend it. I have no experience with the other book.

[Rosy]

I think OPGTR is better for auditory learners, where PP might be better for visual learners? OPGTR is easier to use and more engaging, but both are good for teaching kids how to decode words. I haven't gotten very far into OPGTR, but so far DD really likes the poems. DD6 got about 2/3 of the way through PP before it just got to be too boring (and she's basically reading fluently anyway).

[MeganW]

OPGTR is VERY scripted. VERY. She says every single thing you are supposed to say – you read it word for word. It is dry, boring, and extremely thorough and effective. Kids that learn to read that way will be strong readers, if you can get through it. It starts at the very beginning with the sound each letter makes. If your kids already know those, you can skip the first 26 lessons. It takes the average kid about 2 years to go through the whole book (10 minutes a day), and they will be reading at a 4th grade level when they are done. Most kids are ready to start this program between ages 4 & 5. If you get to a lesson that they don’t get, you are expected to park it and do the same lesson daily until they get it. You don’t move forward unless they have the lesson down.

 

PP is the fun, unscripted version of OPGTR. Same phonics, same skills, same results.

 

I was determined to use PP for the fun factor, and I got it, but I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around exactly WHAT you are supposed to actually do. So we ditched that and are now using OPGTR. To make it work for more than one kid, I use a big magnetic whiteboard and magnetic letters rather than having them look at the book itself. It’s not the most fun I’ve ever had, but I am confident that I am doing it right and not screwing this up!

[Satori]

We tried all three of the above-mentioned programs (OPG, PP, and 100EZ). For us, OPG was the winner. I ended up not minding the scriptedness and I loved how thorough it all was. Up through half the book, we used a magnetic whiteboard and I'd write the words on the whiteboard. Now it's easy to just read from the book (we've only a few weeks left).

 

I don't think you'd go wrong with either OPG or PP.

[monalisa]

I was determined to use PP for the fun factor, and I got it, but I just couldn’t quite wrap my head around exactly WHAT you are supposed to actually do. So we ditched that and are now using OPGTR. To make it work for more than one kid, I use a big magnetic whiteboard and magnetic letters rather than having them look at the book itself. It’s not the most fun I’ve ever had, but I am confident that I am doing it right and not screwing this up!

 

 

:iagree: I wanted to make PP work, but found OPGTR was much easier for us. My daughter actually really like OPG -- she would laugh at the little stories (they are very often quite silly). She was already reading when we started it, but we jumped in at the point where blends started, and finished it in 1st grade (we did several lessons a day sometimes; I just wanted to be sure she had no gaps).

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I havent read all the replies but we started out with Ordinary Parents Guide and my ds was ALWAYS in tears when I pulled out the book. We switched to phonics pathways and he LOVES it! He always asks to do it now! He loves the games! I also got word works and reading pathways with it!

[nmoira]

 

I havent read all the replies but we started out with Ordinary Parents Guide and my ds was ALWAYS in tears when I pulled out the book. We switched to phonics pathways and he LOVES it! He always asks to do it now! He loves the games! I also got word works and reading pathways with it!

This. DD the Younger loathed OPG.

[Robin's Song]

We tried all three of the above-mentioned programs (OPG, PP, and 100EZ). For us, OPG was the winner. I ended up not minding the scriptedness and I loved how thorough it all was. Up through half the book, we used a magnetic whiteboard and I'd write the words on the whiteboard. Now it's easy to just read from the book (we've only a few weeks left).

 

I don't think you'd go wrong with either OPG or PP.

 

:iagree:

[AngelAnnie]

Thank you all for your help. It seems to be pretty mixed. Just like every other homeschool cir. out there. :)

 

I think for now I'm going to try Phonics Pathways with him since I have it and need to spend $ in other areas. Then if he doesn't like it I can try OPGR.

 

I really appreciate the help.

 

Angel

[In2why]

This reminds me of something I read in one of my Homeschooling books...can't remember which one.

 

The author wrote that the best Reading program for any child is the 3rd one you try. Because the first 2 the child just wasn't ready to read adn by the time you get to the 3rd program the child is ready.

 

I laugh, but I also own PP, 100EZ lessons, and OPGTR so I am laughing with you not at you.

[waa510]

I think OPGTR is better for auditory learners, where PP might be better for visual learners? OPGTR is easier to use and more engaging, but both are good for teaching kids how to decode words. I haven't gotten very far into OPGTR, but so far DD really likes the poems. DD6 got about 2/3 of the way through PP before it just got to be too boring (and she's basically reading fluently anyway).

 

:iagree:My DD is an auditory learner, and OPG has been the perfect fit for her! I often find myself having to mix it up with using a white board for the lessons, or some letter tiles I have to break up a bit of the monotony of the lessons in their format but she is learning and is really developing a solid foundation in phonics. I saw a copy of PP at the library and compared it to OPG and just knew OPG would work so much better for DD. Of course, anything where I'm blabbing on and on will work for her..lucky me! :glare:

[daffodil]

We use OPG, but I don't use the script. I read the lesson myself and then present it to DD in my own way, usually either on the white board or with letter tiles.

Edited July 27, 2010 by daffodil

[crimsonkelley]

This reminds me of something I read in one of my Homeschooling books...can't remember which one.

 

The author wrote that the best Reading program for any child is the 3rd one you try. Because the first 2 the child just wasn't ready to read adn by the time you get to the 3rd program the child is ready.

 

I laugh, but I also own PP, 100EZ lessons, and OPGTR so I am laughing with you not at you.

 

:iagree:

We have all three and ended up using PP as the last one and it worked great!!!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Thank you all for your help. It seems to be pretty mixed. Just like every other homeschool cir. out there. :)

 

I think for now I'm going to try Phonics Pathways with him since I have it and need to spend $ in other areas. Then if he doesn't like it I can try OPGR.

 

 

 

LOL Ask 20 different homeschoolers what the best history curriculum is and you will get 25 different answers. Ask 20 different homeschoolers what is the best math curriculum and you will get 50 different answers (because who can do just 1 math curriculum :D) Ask homeschoolers what the best phonics program is and get numerous answers! "best" is a hard word LOL.

 

When we started homeschooling 3 years ago I got Abeka for everything because everybody told me it was the BEST. :glare: I love my kids to much for that! That was the WORST possible fit for us. Thats the hard thing about forums like this because things that work for some, and they rave about can be (and usually are for many) complete bombs and waste of money for others. (Could that be the reason I have 4 math curricula sitting on my shelf for my 5 year old ds-- and that is with selling one already! :001_huh:)

[ElizabethB]

Both are good, both are better from a white board. (I love my white boards!)

 

You can supplement with my game to make it a bit more fun, also play games with magnetic letters where they try to see how many words they can make in a minute with 6 or 7 letters (1 or 2 vowels and some common ending letters like T, D, P, N are good choices.)

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html

 

Here are my tips for teaching a young child to read:

 

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