Help! I don't understand...

[Guest]

:confused:how to use a phonics primer. I have looked at Phonics Pathways and OPGTR and just don't 'get' it. Especially the first. How do you use these to teach a child to read? Do you need MCP or ETC? What do they use to practice with?

 

Though these are my 3rd and 4th kidlets, I have never taught one to read. I bought Dancing Bears but I still do not see how any of these work.

 

Just a little panicking here.

 

Also, does anyone else type out the student portions of OPGTR? When we tried it before, my 6yr old was distracted to death.

 

Anyone have any advice for me? I am scared to death of making a mistake.

[lotsofpumpkins]

I'm using Phonics Pathways with my 5yo right now. It tells you how to use it to teach. I haven't used OPGTR but I've heard that it's scripted, so even easier. My 5yo uses ETC book 1 for extra practice, but you don't have to do that. Phonics Pathways recommends dictating words to the child to write on paper or a whiteboard. Or you could let them make words with letter magnets on the refrigerator, whatever!

[ladydusk]

I use OPG. Yes, I type out the student portion (and put them in sheet protectors). Occasionally, I'll write on a white board.

 

Take a deep breath. It really isn't all that scary.

 

Do they know their letters? Do they know their basic sounds?

 

If "no" get the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD. (The series including Code Word Factory 1 & 2 is invaluable) I'm not a video Mommy, this is genius. I let my kiddos watch this pretty much whenever they ask and it is convenient.

 

If yes, skip to lesson 27. Then read the script. It will tell you exactly what to say. The first lesson is sound out "at":

 

Mommy (pointing at letters/words): What does "a" say?

Pupil: "/a/"

Mommy: What does "t" say?

Pupil: "/t/"

Mommy: We read from left to right, put the sounds together. "/a/ /t/"

Pupil: "at."

Mommy: Yes! You read your first word.

 

Seriously, Jessie Wise has made it so it couldn't be easier. Read the parent portion. Just do or say what it says, and you'll do fine.

 

Edit to add: I do use ETC to supplement and BOB books for practice. Neither are necessary, we like both.

[Guest]

The 6yr old knows them all. The 5yr old, not so much. How does ETC fit in?

[Satori]

I wrote them out on a small whiteboard. Right around the time it was getting to be too much, my dd transitioned to reading directly from the book easily.

 

ETC is Explode the Code workbooks. Inexpensive workbooks that we also use as a great review for phonics/reading/writing.

[Snowfall]

The reading in the book IS the practice. :)

[Guest]

So no addtional books are needed? Like Frog and Toad, BOB Books?

[OleanderRain]

I preferred Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons over OPGTR. We also supplement with ETC workbooks and Bob Books. TYCTR is also scripted, which is nice for someone like me who was clueless. I started supplementing with ETC 2 when I was almost halfway through TYCTR and it is working perfectly for my daughter.

[ChristusG]

I looked over lots of phonics programs at the homeschool convention in May. Everything seemed so "over the top" with all sorts of games, accessories, etc. I just wanted something that would teach my kid to read. Then I picked up OPGTTR at one of the booths. I LOVED it. It i so easy.....they tell me what to say LOL!

 

That being said, my child is still not reading.....but I believe we have other issues going on and we're having her evaluated next month. I really liked the layout of OPGTTR though....very well laid out, to the point, and easy.

[ladydusk]

So no addtional books are needed? Like Frog and Toad, BOB Books?

 

I'd say, not necessary, but children *like* reading real books at some point. My M-girl found it to be an encouragement to be able to read a whole book by herself, starting with BOB books, then reading Biscuit, Frog & Toad, Amelia Bedelia, etc. You just try them out, if they can read it, great! Try the next one. BOB books are easy to integrate early. Just skim through, if it has the rules you've done in OPG, give it to your child.

 

We still are working through OPG even though she reads most anything beautifully and with no problems. I want to be certain she learns about syllables/schwa/and those last few "How do you?" so we don't have to review much later.

[Snowfall]

I'd say, not necessary, but children *like* reading real books at some point. My M-girl found it to be an encouragement to be able to read a whole book by herself, starting with BOB books, then reading Biscuit, Frog & Toad, Amelia Bedelia, etc. You just try them out, if they can read it, great! Try the next one. BOB books are easy to integrate early. Just skim through, if it has the rules you've done in OPG, give it to your child.

 

I agree. It's just that if you're just starting out they can't read yet, so the only practice you need is in the books. Once they're able to read some, then you can introduce actual readers. Not until then, though. Some kids like ETC and workbooks, some don't. They aren't necessary for learning to read, though.

[Guest]

Mine actually love workbooks. I was going to go with Oak meadow and got looks of 'you must be joking, Mom' from both of them.

 

So it comes down to don't worry so much about the how, just pick something and start with it?

[Guest]

is it rude to bump my own thread when I have gotten some answers?

[kalanamak]

 

Anyone have any advice for me? I am scared to death of making a mistake.

 

Does kiddo know the sounds of the letters? (I taught mine the sounds, not the names, at first). You can use Letter Factory or you can use fridge magnets, and say /b/, etc. Once kiddo knows that, I went SWR cards (you could do the opening pages of PP just as well) and point your finger under the letter and say the sound **properly** (/b/, not "buh"). Once kiddo can repeat these fine, move to the (in the PP book) short vowel "ca de fi ba su" etc page (the largest print). Do those daily and slowly mooch on through the pages.

 

Just start. You'll do fine!!!! Be patient. A little bit daily, every durned day. I I could do it, you can do it, I p-r-o-m-i-s-e!

[Classically Minded]

OPGTR works all by itself - you don't need anything else. If you or your child want some extra reading, they have put together a handy guide to show you when to introduce what Bob books and other readers here:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/readers-guide?___store=default

[Lovedtodeath]

I, personally, would not use OPGTR without the accessories.

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/the-ordinary-parent-s-guide-to-teaching-reading-combo-pack.html

 

You teach the sounds with the phonogram cards, then you build the words with the magnets. As you put the words down from left to right you sound them out. You get your child to imitate you. The time at which it clicks is different for each child. Some need more reading readiness type activities like in Before the Code (rhyming, the first sound of words, etc.)

 

You can use the word cards to build sentences in a fun reading game. You can also have your child use the magnets to spell words as you read them in order to review what they have learned.

 

We used the Accelerated Achievement Demo Disk. It is only $3 and outlines a lot of games with the phonogram cards.

 

HTH!

[Lovedtodeath]

 

is it rude to bump my own thread when I have gotten some answers?

I don't think it is. :)

[RachelFlores]

We have been using Phonics Pathways for four weeks now and we both are loving it. Dd had two years of alphabet instruction before this with letter recognition and letter sounds, but she was still weak on her short vowel sounds. That is no longer the case. We use the book as is. Each page is her "reading" page for the day (although I had her do more than one when she was learning her vowel sounds). Phonics Pathways does not suggest using readers like Bob Books until after they get through all the cvc lessons. We are still working on cv lessons. I really love the systematic way they introduce blending. I tried to just start dd on readers before I bought phonics pathways and blending letters on her own just was not comming to her. With phonics pathways I can tell dd is finally getting it and feeling successful at "reading" her page. She actually ASKS to do reading and sometimes wants to do an extra page. Yesterday dd told me "Mom, I love reading." and I cant think of higher praise than that. Once dd is ready for readers I will suppliment with Bob books, starfall.com and books and reading a-z books, but we still have at least a month more of JUST using phonics pathways. (we usually follow their lesson schedule suggestion of reading page, memory game and then phonics game, but sometimes we just do the reading page)

[~Kirsten~]

I haven't used Phonics Pathways, but I've used OPG. Sometimes I wrote out the words/sentences on index cards. Sometimes I used a whiteboard. Most of the time, though, I just use a lot of post-it notes to cover the sentences above and below where we're reading. I also use a tiny post-it to cover the rest of the sentence we're working on, to keep the focus on one word at a time (in the beginning parts).

 

I've found that typical readers don't work as well with OPG, because many of them depend on sight words, and OPG doesn't use nearly as many sight words. So until you're rather far along, you haven't taught the child to read most of Frog and Toad. The Bob books work much better, but I have two children who use the pictures in books extensively, so Bob books don't work for us, as they just guess what the pictures mean. :tongue_smilie:

 

Try not to panic, though. For us, OPG worked very well on its own. I use/used it with younger children, though, who wouldn't have been ready for the small lines and writing in ETC. In an older child, ETC would probably be a great complement, though I don't know that it's absolutely necessary with OPG. HTH!

[Lovedtodeath]

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

 

You might look at this page for some more information on teaching phonics to a young student. This site is a great resource.

[Hedgehogs4]

i have used both OPGTR (currently with dd5) and 100 EZL with DS (9). I prefer OPGTR because it is so thorough. 100EZL was good as long as we were working in the book, but ds did not transfer the stuff in the book to anything outside of the book. It was a real pain. If it wasn't in their special print with the dots and lines, he couldn't read it. My dd has done great with OPGTR--we are on lesson 75 and she is really retaining what she has learned, even though we took a couple of months off for the summer.

[ladydusk]

OPGTR works all by itself - you don't need anything else. If you or your child want some extra reading, they have put together a handy guide to show you when to introduce what Bob books and other readers here:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/readers-guide?___store=default

 

This is great! I didn't know it was out there ... Thanks!

[Guest]

Well, I took the plunge and bought OPGTR. My local HS store had a used copy. I have done 1 lesson with each of my younger set. The 5yr old was excited. The 6yr old..not so much until I started using the whiteboard. Here we go....

[Classically Minded]

The 6yr old..not so much until I started using the whiteboard. Here we go....

 

My dd6 LOVES the whiteboard!! It made it that much more fun for her when I wrote the words on the board for her to read instead of reading them out of the book.

[Guest]

Oh, the other thing he loves is using an index card to show one letter/sound at a time. Amazing the little things that make it all click.

 

Now if grammar/the rest of LA was so simple for my older set....