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Explode the code vs BOB books


SereneHome
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Hi all,

 

I am starting to teach my 4 yr old to read and was wondering if you could give me some ideas/suggestions/info. I've taken BOB books from the library, so I know what they are all about, but I keep hearing great things about Explode the Code as well. So, if you used either or both, how are they the same/different? Can they be used together or would that be an overkill?

 

I wasn't born in US, so am not sure what is the best way to go about this. I want them to have a solid foundation as far as reading and grammar is concern.

 

Thanks

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BOB books, as you realize, are leveled readers that introduce the words and sounds slowly and methodically.

 

Explode the Code is workbooks. Each workbook focuses on specific sounds, blends, and phonics rules in a logical progression. For a 4 yo, you might consider the Before the Code books, which teach the sounds. If you 4 yo is ready for blending, you could try the first book. However, there's a lot of writing for a young child in them.

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Yeah, it's not an either/or choice, I hope. They do completely different things.

 

I think the throw everything at the wall until something sticks approach is okay with early reading. :D The vast majority of kids will need a more systematic approach to phonics in there somewhere, but doing ETC later on is okay, as is waiting until K to really start going through a program.

 

And so, in that vein, you might also look at the I See Sam books, the Nora Gaydos readers (they're much like the BOB books), Starfall, Reading Eggs, Progressive Phonics, and other fun starting out things. Or you could look at getting a program like All About Reading or a book like The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading.

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Agreed. Both.

 

My little ones used Phonics Pathways for their phonics instruction. It's one book you both read out of together; no writing required. For readers we used BOB Books and the Now I'm Reading! sets from Nora Gaydos. For fun extras they watched Leapfrog videos and played on starfall.com.

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This.

 

Just a note. . .ETC can be done orally if you child doesn't have the fine motor skills for all that writing. I'm doing that now with my middle two and it's working quite well.

 

:iagree:

 

We did the 3 primers (Before the Code) and ETC 1,2, and 3 either orally of with "finger-tracing." It worked very well.

 

Bill

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OK, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. Thank you. And yes, I was going to start with pre ETC. I just didn't want to buy it without knowing at least a little bit about it. I wasn't able to get it from our library to look at it first.

 

ETA: I have started with Progressive Phonics, but they don't really explain "why" and I need that. He really likes it, though, I think it's the whole I read-he reads process that is oh so cool :)

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ETC+BOB books+Leapfrog Videos=the Cartoon Road to Reading.

 

Good combo.

 

Bill

 

:iagree:

 

We also toss in The Reading Lesson only because I already own it. So we bounce from several things. He's 3.5 and knows ALOT of his letter sounds and a handful of simple words. I'm hoping to continue this path at his pace. We also own I See Sam books and he seems to like the stories better than the BOB books.

 

Yes, we own ALOT of reading stuff. I think it's important to find what works for your child's learning style and for my ds he likes a variety with the same end result. :001_smile:

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ETC+BOB books+Leapfrog Videos=the Cartoon Road to Reading.

 

Good combo.

 

Bill

 

We used this combo too, and it worked great.

 

And don't worry about the writing portions, you can either skip them or write them yourself. DD is in 1st grade and I still do all of the writing in ETC (unless she wants to). And early on, we skipped the writing b/c it wasn't in the style I planned on teaching her with.

 

You could always have a tray of sand and have your child write/trace the letter in there instead of in the book.

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