If you had a child in K, what would you use to teach phonics?

[Just Kate]

With my ds (8), I used lots of things (ETC, Progressive Phonics, Happy Phonics). However, I think dd would do better with a phonics program. Any suggestions?

 

(I have been thinking about All About Reading or maybe just use All About Spelling??? I have no idea, actually. :))

[Twilight Woods]

My DD is in K and we have been using OPGTR on the whiteboard and will be starting AAS level 1 by the fall. We also use the Nora Gaydos books to go along with the lessons she loves them and loves putting a sticker on a completed book.

[nmoira]

Phonics Pathways - simple, straightforward, large print, pick-up-and-go

[Mergath]

Dd is actually doing really well with Funnix so far. It moves quick enough to keep her interested, but has enough repetition to give her time to really get things.

 

Where is your dd at right now? Does she know her letter sounds? Is she blending?

[CookIslandsMommy]

Hooked on Phonics, I can't recommend this higher.

 

We started with Bob Books, then started on HOPs...that was at 4.5 yrs and now at just turned 6 yrs old she can read 240 page books all on her own and can read the NIRV Bible, and pretty much 80% of all words in it!

 

Love HOP!

[fraidycat]

I am using Phonics Pathways and Reading Pathways with my K'er DS right now. We're also using Plaid Phonics Level A workbook, but I wouldn't say it's necessary.

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

I'm a McRuffy fan, here! :D

[ALB]

Agree with The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. We used it very successfully with my dd, and now are going through it again with ds. We do use a whiteboard for the earlier lessons, and eventually transition to reading from the book (once there is too much for me to copy each lesson).

[kolamum]

Sing Spell Read & Write. I wouldn't even think twice about it. :D

[HeatherInWI]

I taught both of mine (now in high school and avid readers) with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, followed up with the Rod & Staff phonics cards (which teach pretty much every possible combination). Very inexpensive and worked well for us.

[Mom28kds]

I like ABEKA phonics. I don't use ABEKA for anything else though. I buy "Handbook for Reading" and the K workbook. I also do Explode the code for a different kind of reinforcement but you wouldn't have to. Throw in a few Leap Frog videos and that's it.

[Meriwether]

My current kinder is doing the same as my older kids -HOP K (finished), Phonics Museum K (finished) andy 1st (just started), and Turbo Reader (working through at a page per day).

[kristin0713]

Spell to Write and Read with Cursive First. Love it, no regrets. The foundation it provides is fantastic.

[nukeswife]

I have used McRuffy for K, but I'm not a big fan of their grades 1-4. K is great though.

 

I'm currently using AAR level 1 for my youngest and we are really enjoying it (more than we enjoyed McRuffy when I did it with my dd)

[boscopup]

I started my current K'er in Webster's Speller (free) to learn open and closed syllables. That helps a LOT with "sight words" that you encounter. Most of them can be sounded out easily. Since he knows long vowels in words like "the", "he", "she", "I", and "a", they've been no big deal.

 

We have also thrown in I See Sam readers (first 52 free online), which he LOVES. They are much better than Bob books.

 

Recently, we started doing Reading Eggs and Dancing Bears book A. His reading is now starting to take off and get out of that sounding out every single word every single time mode. :D Both of these include a lot of repetition, which is exactly what he needed. Also, I used the "cursor" idea from DB before I even started DB. That has been very helpful when going through the I See Sam readers, uncovering one phonogram at a time.

[laundrycrisis]

I am using Alpha Phonics, Bob Books, and Letter Factory DVDs. I also have the first two How to Spell workbooks although I am not using them yet for him.

[Bloggermom]

We are using Memoria Press Kindergarten, which uses First Start Reading & Classical Phonics.

[blondeviolin]

We used Funnix for Abby. Emmett is currently using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Sometimes 100 Easy Lessons gets a bad rap on this board, and to be fair it doesn't work for every child. Emmett is loving it, though, and is pleased with his progress. I also have him working through the I See Sam readers.

[AngelBee]

I start with Phonics Road 1.

[swiegers]

I love Hooked on Phonics as well. Both my kids have used/are using it.

[Crimson Wife]

With my oldest, I used The Writing Road to Reading because I had zero budget and I liked it best out of the options my library had. It worked very well but was not very user-friendly.

 

With my 2nd, I used the HOP K-2 kit then AAS.

 

My 3rd child has special needs, and she may require a more intensive program such as Lindamood-Bell's LiPS phonemic awareness one and then Barton or Wilson. We'll cross that bridge if/when we come to it.

[Ellie]

With my ds (8), I used lots of things (ETC, Progressive Phonics, Happy Phonics). However, I think dd would do better with a phonics program. Any suggestions?

 

ETC, Progressive Phonics, and Happy Phonics...are phonics programs. :confused:

 

At any rate, with a child of any age, I would do Spalding. :D

[laughing lioness]

I used AlphaPhonics for all 5 kids, along with ETC. All very different personalities, all excellent readers, with fanatastic comprehension skills.

[KrissiK]

I taught my older three (including the one currently in k) with A Beka phonics. I really like their program. Although I know A Beka gets a bad rap on these boards.

[sagira]

I'm going to be teaching my dd in K this fall. As with ds, I'm going to be using Tanglewood's free Really Reading program first. To add something new, I will then use online free program such as Progressive Phonics. I think I will follow up with OPGTR, but only if I see it's necessary.

 

Really Reading - http://www.tanglewoodeducation.com/1g.htm (click on apple)

Edited March 12, 2012 by sagira

[NicAnn]

Phonics Pathways - simple, straightforward, large print, pick-up-and-go

 

This is what we use. Takes 10 minutes and it is simple.

[Homemama2]

I taught my older three (including the one currently in k) with A Beka phonics. I really like their program. Although I know A Beka gets a bad rap on these boards.

__________________

 

 

:iagree: When I started homeschooling, I avoided Abeka like the plague b/c of what I had heard from various forums. However I ended up using their phonics after other programs caused lots of tears. I love their phonics, although I tweak it some.

[curlygirlzx2]

We used OPGTR and Time4learning. DD also played around on Starfall starting at age 4.

[Lots of boys]

We are using OPGTR and AAR 1. I can't say enough good things about both !

[Love My Life x4]

I used OPGTR and ETC last year with Rylee in K and am now using it with McKenzee Grace!

[SkateLeft]

My kids have all used K12's Phonicsworks. My youngest is using it this year. It's my hands-down favorite phonics program.

 

My older ds also used McRuffy, which I like a lot.

[mommy5]

We do have a DD that is just starting K. We are using PAL-R and PAL-W, soon to start AAS1 and she also does Reading Eggs. We tried 100EZ lessons with my last child and he was bored ... I started Phonics Pathways with her and she seemed bored ... We all love PAL.

[Ellie]

I taught my older three (including the one currently in k) with A Beka phonics. I really like their program. Although I know A Beka gets a bad rap on these boards.

Individual ABeka subjects don't get a "bad rap," any more than any other publisher does. Using all ABeka might get a bad rap, as there is an amazingly high burn-out rate among all-ABeka users, especially new homeschoolers, especially new homeschoolers who enroll their dc in ABeka Academy.

 

ABeka's phonics materials get good reviews.

[hsmom2011]

I used Adventures in Phonics (Chrisitan Liberty Press) with both of my dds Dd #2 is just finishing up grade 1. :)

[MinivanMom]

I used Reading Reflex with my two oldest children.

[mom2denj]

This is what we do. =)

Agree with The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. We used it very successfully with my dd, and now are going through it again with ds. We do use a whiteboard for the earlier lessons, and eventually transition to reading from the book (once there is too much for me to copy each lesson).

[smdgl]

Alpha Phonics by Sam Blumenthal. Simple, inexpensive. You'll have to add some simple primers for practice -- Bob books are good to start with.

[EMS83]

Phonics Pathways - simple, straightforward, large print, pick-up-and-go

:iagree: I love this book. DD is in K right now and it's great!

[Dawn E]

I am loving MP's First Start Reading. Ds learned to write his letters prior, so it works well for us. The writing portions could be skipped though for a child not ready for writing. I love that he is learning to read without stress. It is very gentle yet thorough. We also use phonogram cards from Riggs Institute plus all the other phonics in MP K.

[pehp]

We are so early in the process, but we are basically using OPGTR (after I checked 100EZ lessons, OPGTR and Phonics Pathways out of the library--OPGTR is the one that 'resounded' with me the most). I basically read the lesson ahead of time and get the picture, then do all the work w/ my ds on a fairly large whiteboard. I also make up my own silly short sentences. :)

 

So far it is working great. We are both happy. Sometimes I split a long lesson into 2 because I want lessons to be on the short side--my ds is only 4.5 and I don't want to push.

[mommatomany]

We LOVE ETC!! I wish I had found it before this year. We also use The Reading Lesson which I highly recommend.

[LarrySanger]

We used the (free) flashcards and method explained here and which we are in the middle of digitizing here (also 100% free). He was reading well before his third birthday.

[thefragile7393]

Phonics Pathways, All About Reading, or a free download from Tanglewood Education http://tanglewoodeducation.com/grade1.htm

[TheAutumnOak]

Spell to Write and Read...

[NancyNellen]

Phonics Pathways - simple, straightforward, large print, pick-up-and-go

 

:iagree: On my 5th go-round with this book. It gets the job done very well.

[mandymom]

I have been completely pleased with Phonics Road. My ds has really done well with it, and we are looking forward to Level 2 in the fall.

[*Inna*]

Sing Spell Read & Write. I wouldn't even think twice about it. :D

:iagree: I used this program with my oldest two. It's great! We don't do all of the writing though.

[kalanamak]

Phonics Pathways - simple, straightforward, large print, pick-up-and-go

 

:iagree:

 

NOT painful!

[matermagistra]

I am using the same Phonics Pathways book that I taught my older three children to read now with my four year old. I'm pretty sentimental about it. I'm saving it in case I get to use it with my future grandkids. :)

[Deniseibase]

I am using Saxon Phonics with my kindergartener. I used Phonics Pathways with my now 11-year old, and she hated reading for years afterwards, but she is a very mathy, rules oriented child. My son is similar, and the Saxon Phonics, with the step-by-step process and EVERYTHING spelled out seems to be a much better fit.