Abeka K for phonics. What is necessary, what is not?

[carlyincali]

I want to use Abeka 5yo K for phonics & reading, but there are 20-something books/items in that category on the Abeka website. Can anyone tell me what is necessary to buy in order to teach phonics to my 5yo.

 

Thanks in advance.

[carlyincali]

Bumping...

[island-mama]

I have not used it, but I have looked at it. It seems like they have what is called a Homeschool Phonics, Reading and Writing curriculum, for $40. It includes the Letters and Sounds, Writing with Phonics and a few readers. I have personally flipped through hard copies of these books, and I felt they would be sufficient for basic phonics. Any additional flashcards or resources would be at your discretion, in my opinion. If I were to use Abeka, that is what I would order! Maybe a mom who has used it can chime in...:)

[Annabel Lee]

Hi Carla,

I've used it about two and a half times (if you total up what I used from it with ea. of my 3 kids).

 

For phonics & reading, you'd need:

My Blend & Word Book, Basic Phonics Readers set, Letters & Sounds K, Writing with Phonics (if you intend to tie phonics into penmanship - this book is handwriting), and the Mini Alphabet flashcards, the Phonics Reading & Writing Curric., the phonics charts & games, and possibly the letter-picture flashcards. That sets you up with PLENTY to follow their curriculum well. You might want to call to ask if the phonics charts (incl. w/ phonics charts & games) are printed in the back of the TM Curriculum guide now... I think I saw that in a friend's newer TM. If I'm recalling correctly, they're printed in the back on a smaller scale in black & white.

 

I had the blend practice cards and the various types of word cards, and let me tell you the only thing those did was guilt me from the shelf for not using them. The kids get it w/o these. I think there might even be lists in the front of the TM if you wanted to make your own w/ index cards, but really, there is enough meat to the lessons that this is really extra.

[Mom28kds]

If you're on a tight budget you could get by with "Letters and Sounds", "A Handbook for Reading" (You could actually get by with just this book). I taught my last child with just these 2 items. If you have the money, the next thing I'd get would be the basic phonics reading set. HTHs

[momofabcd]

FYI - I have it posted for sale under the title Abeka phonics K5.

[Love2teach0307]

 

For phonics & reading, you'd need:

My Blend & Word Book, Basic Phonics Readers set, Letters & Sounds K, Writing with Phonics (if you intend to tie phonics into penmanship - this book is handwriting), and the Mini Alphabet flashcards, the Phonics Reading & Writing Curric., the phonics charts & games, and possibly the letter-picture flashcards. That sets you up with PLENTY to follow their curriculum well.

 

:iagree:This is what I'm using going through it the second time now. I hand-made the blend ladders (very easy) and hand-made various word cards/sounds with a paper clip attached and use them as a magnetic fishing game. I've known moms to use only the first grade Handbook for Reading and Letters & Sounds 1 Workbook only to teach reading. I use those as a follow up for reinforcement after kindergarten. I learned how to read with Abeka phonics and have enjoyed teaching my girls to read with it, too. Phonics is the only thing I use of Abeka's though.

[jennijean]

I just finished up kindergarten using Abeka phonics, and I only used their Letters & Sounds and their handbook for reading and used the blend booklet for pre-K. I have some blend cards, but don't use them much. I also have the charts in the hand-held size, which we review regularly. I also used Explode the Code and a reason for handwriting this past year. For readers, I used what I had--Abeka's enrichment readers for K and some other similar readers like that picked up from yardsales. This year, we're continuing to use Letters and sounds (1) and Language (1) and handbook for reading, along with the charts.

[KeriJ]

I really think you only need Letters and Sounds and a Handbook for Reading. This is our second time through it. My first time, I bought all the "stuff". But this time around, I'm realizing how much of it I didn't need. All of the flashcards and charts are actually in the Handbook for Reading. So it's easy to snuggle up on the couch and work through it as opposed to holding up big flashcards, unless you think that is something your dc would need.

 

If I had to do it over again, I would get Letters and Sounds, A Handbook for Reading, possibly the HFR Teacher's edition and the readers. I would skip the flashcards.

[KrissiK]

I'm on my third go-round with A Beka K5 phonics. The basics you need are - "Letters and Sounds", The "Phonics, Reading and Writing Curriculum" and I would also cuggest the mini-Letter Picture Flascards. You can make everything else with index cards and markers, although over the years I've collected the blend cards and a lot of the other stuff they recommend. You really can go broke with all their doo-dads. I really haven't used Handbook for Reading at all, although some people think it's great.