Phonics Pathways

[naturegirl7]

Anyone use it?

 

What do you like/dislike about it?

 

thanks!

[danivdp]

LOVE it. I lost it though, LOL. So I'm back to 100 easy lessons until I find it again.

 

I like the

 

si si-t sit

 

part right now....my 8yo is still having problems blending and it helps him so much to do the "eyerobics" that my other kids have always done in their head....it's harder for him, and having it printed out like that is way helpful.

[JaneGrey]

I referred to this one when teaching phonics. Kiddo liked the "jokes." (There are a handful of them; they're more like sayings.) I was never thrilled with it, but (looking back) I think it gets the job done.

 

I actually skipped the beginning of the book because I used magnetic alphabet tiles to teach blending and a lot of the reading. It was just much more fun and natural for me to do it that way.

 

Since using this, I've read that it is easier for children to blend vowel-to-consonant letter combos instead of consonant-to-vowel. Alphaphonics begins with the former and Phonics Pathways begins with the latter.

 

I thought Alphaphonics was more visually calming. The font was smaller, the pages weren't as busy (there was lots of blank space), and it was thinner. I can't remember why I passed this up and got PP instead. I think Alphaphonics would also get the job done.

 

PP does not have a script, which was appealing to me. I also wanted something cheap (no huge curriculum) and easy to use (nothing bulky). Plus, it didn't look as crazy as the 100 lessons book, which friends used. I may have just gone with PP over Alphaphonics because more people (whose opinion I respected) recommended/had experience with the former than the latter.

[coffeegal]

Anyone use it?

 

What do you like/dislike about it?

 

thanks!

 

Yes, I used it for a time with all 4 of my oldest children. Ds #1, and Ds #4 completed the book and were excellent readers at 6. (We started at 4.) I attempted to find curricula that were a better match for ds #2 and dd, and will probably always regret not staying with PP. They both read well now, but it was a bumpy road to get there. Babies #5 and #6 will both use PP. We'll back up, slow down, and do what it takes, but we'll use PP. :001_smile:

 

What I like about it, is that it gets the job done and done well. It wasn't always easy to complete, but worth it in the end. Lol, I gave ds #4 a snack after each phonics lesson. One lesson was rather difficult, and I was giving him a raison for every line he read. After p. 130, or thereabouts in my old edition, PP starts to become easier and easier. :D

[Edonian]

I used this with my oldest, who I knew had issues before we even started Kindergarten. What I mean by "issues" is that I knew he was not a "typical" learning style. He would later be tested as learning disabled in both spelling and reading. So, we took it slow and slow. But were faithful with Phonics Pathways. I think the simple and non-busy approach of this curriculum helped him so much. He seemed comforted by it, and more apt to try. There weren't a lot of props and busy things, but just a book and some paper for me to dictate to him. He did learn to read a couple of years later, and by that time we had switched curriculums-but NOT because he and I didn't like it. I loved it and he actually was upset when I told him we would change. I just think he was working so hard and he needed a fresh perspective to help jump-start him again. I still think the Phonics Pathways was a fabulous start, and I would have been happy to continue with it. I still have this book and am saving it for my next one. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Phonics Pathways! My son had some real obstacles in learning to read and it was wonderful!

[mcconnellboys]

It's very plain as it's meant to be used even with adults if necessary. So it's no frills, but it does do the trick!

 

It's very thorough and really follows the rules instead of giving a rule then attempting to apply it while throwing in a ton of exclusions/exceptions (which there are a lot of in English).

 

When using it with a little, I would just do it orally, rather than having them write a lot of stuff.....

[lulubelle]

We like and use PP. I like that it is just chug along one page at a time! It worked very well for my oldest and my second is about 1/4 of the way through. He likes it too. They both really like Dewey and so do I. Lately, I've been thinking of using it over again with my older son for spelling! All the rules are clearly layed out.

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

I also like that it is just one page at a time. We love playing the games, and I like that I get my older son some sneaky phonics review by asking him to play the games too.

[kalanamak]

I liked it, although I was careful not to start until kiddo really knew his letters and sound. He could print and spell far above his ability to track letters left to right and say the aloud as he did so. So, we did it at age 6 after a solid and rewarding intro to sounds via SWR.

 

We liked reading pathways, too. Then we moved into the second half of Victory Drill for....drill. Now we are doing the McGruffy's Speller for more drill and vocab.

 

I say, to for it.

[Cinder]

I used PP with ds2 and now with dd. Like everyone has said, it's no-frills but gets the job done. To add incentive I buy little stickers that they could decorate the pages with when they completed a section. Sometimes they got a sticker for every sentence. It varied with their perceived effort--if they thought it was easy they were willing to do more for a sticker. ;)

 

Cinder

[naturegirl7]

Thanks so much!!

 

DS is actually a really strong reader - but we never really "taught" him how to read. He had picked it up himself early - before we realized that he was reading and not just memorized his fave books. Now that he has moved on to chapter books and has developed an obsession with reference books - it is much more noticable that he needs work on the phonics part of things. He guesses at really big words instead of trying to sound them out. And while he wants to spell, he is struggling with trying to sound it out and spell on his own. He can do it if I help him sound it out, but not so much independently...

We tried phonics when I realized that he was in fact reading, but he was only 3 and hated it. Every program I have tried from then until now, he has declared "baby work" and refused to do it. :tongue_smilie:

I am hoping since this is more "rules" and does focus on spelling, I can sell it to him that way ;) The games are just a great bonus too!