does anyone still use Phonics Museum?

[greenmamato3]

does anyone still use Phonics Museum for K/1? i never hear about it?

 

if you've used it in the past but switched away, i have a few questions for you:

1. what did you switch to?

2. was it for a subsequent child or a child for whom PM wasn't working

3. what was the main impetus behind switching?

4. did you miss anything about PM later?

 

 

thanks. just doing some thinkin' :tongue_smilie:

[missmoe]

I used PM with three of my children with great success.

 

My ds didn't do so well with it. He didn't like any of the extra stuff! The games, hands-on activities, and worksheets drove him crazy. So we used Sonlight's phonics program and we loved it--short, sweet, and too the point!

[Meriwether]

I'm using it for the sixth consecutive year. My third child is in PM 1st. I also use HOP, Turbo Reader and Easy Readers.

[greenmamato3]

awesome. this encourages me to keep it for our third child instead of selling it off. we used it for the first two with great success.

 

what's HOP?

[julzar]

I used PM for my older dd in 1st grade and my younger dd in k and 1st and it was a great experience and fit for them. Both of them, however were ready for writing to be incorperated into their reading program. I am very pleased with both of their reading abilities and I credit PM with a lot of that.

When it came to my youngest, a very active boy, I knew it would be a struggle. His fine motor skills were not there yet and the readers (which I loved with my perservering girls) are very long and I knew he did not have the attention span, so I switched to Phonics Pathways- it worked and we used it for most of his K year, but he started dreading it- he just needed more fun and hands on. So I am using AAR now and he LOVES it! It is easy for me and great for him.

My main reason for switching was certainly the child. I really liked PM and I think that the thing I miss most is the content of the readers. I loved that they were often stories about history and had great vocabulary, but I know that I did what was best for ds, so I am content. HTH!

[greenmamato3]

actually this *is* incredibly helpful because it describes much of what i anticipate might happen with our DS3. i have PP on my bookshelf and used it in conjunction with the PM actually all along the way. i just bought a used copy of OPGTR for DS3 b/c i *know* PM won't work well for him. i've looked into AAR since we are already an AAS family. did you do the pre-reading level {i'm assuming not}. level 1? do you feel that it's much different than AAS? could i just implement parts of PM, esp the beautiful art cards, coloring pages, and readers but also just use my AAS cards to teach?? hmmmm .... kinda thinkin' outloud here just in case anybody wants to chime in.

 

thanks, pp, for the honest advice about active DS .... definitely our littlest is WAY more kinesthetic than our first ds.

I used PM for my older dd in 1st grade and my younger dd in k and 1st and it was a great experience and fit for them. Both of them, however were ready for writing to be incorperated into their reading program. I am very pleased with both of their reading abilities and I credit PM with a lot of that.

When it came to my youngest, a very active boy, I knew it would be a struggle. His fine motor skills were not there yet and the readers (which I loved with my perservering girls) are very long and I knew he did not have the attention span, so I switched to Phonics Pathways- it worked and we used it for most of his K year, but he started dreading it- he just needed more fun and hands on. So I am using AAR now and he LOVES it! It is easy for me and great for him.

My main reason for switching was certainly the child. I really liked PM and I think that the thing I miss most is the content of the readers. I loved that they were often stories about history and had great vocabulary, but I know that I did what was best for ds, so I am content. HTH!

[julzar]

We did not the the pre-reading level of AAR and actually jumped ahead in the level one book since we were part of the way through PP. I think you could combine programs, just depends on how much time you want to spend. Sounds like you have been combining so maybe it would not be too hard for you. With schooling 4 kids, I just needed something open and go, that covered all the bases and was not a struggle.

 

As far as the difference between AAS and AAR, AAR presents one letter sound at a time as opposed to AAS presenting all the letter sounds for the letter together. I think the single sound at a time is better for the beginning reader.

 

I used PP with ds to begin with because I did not want to invest in another expensive program, but I feel like it has been worth it. The games in AAR for reading practice have been great!

[greenmamato3]

thanks -- i want to have some ideas in my battery for *if* PM just isn't clicking with him.

We did not the the pre-reading level of AAR and actually jumped ahead in the level one book since we were part of the way through PP. I think you could combine programs, just depends on how much time you want to spend. Sounds like you have been combining so maybe it would not be too hard for you. With schooling 4 kids, I just needed something open and go, that covered all the bases and was not a struggle.

 

As far as the difference between AAS and AAR, AAR presents one letter sound at a time as opposed to AAS presenting all the letter sounds for the letter together. I think the single sound at a time is better for the beginning reader.

 

I used PP with ds to begin with because I did not want to invest in another expensive program, but I feel like it has been worth it. The games in AAR for reading practice have been great!

[Meriwether]

awesome. this encourages me to keep it for our third child instead of selling it off. we used it for the first two with great success.

 

what's HOP?

 

Hooked on Phonics. I got it for my Dd for her 4th birthday. I didn't intend to start formal lessons that year, but she insisted. I bought PM but also used the HOP. When she finished the yellow HOP book we started Turbo Reader so we had two reading systems going at the same time. We she finished Turbo Reader, she did VP's First Favorites. It worked well for Dd so we have continued the pattern.