Phonics Readers Question

[LilBearsMama]

Hello! This is one of my first posts on these boards. I've been lurking around for a while - thanks to everyone who has shared such great info! I've been learning a lot.

 

I have a question about the phonics readers, specifically the books like the Bob books, or the I Can Read phonics sets like with Biscuit the puppy or Batman.

 

Are these books really a good way to teach phonics?

 

My son is 4.5, so yes, I know he's young - but he's also pushing to read. He sits and "reads" to toys or to family and is picking up on some words. We read a LOT - he is on the autistic spectrum, and both my husband (who is also on the spectrum, Aspergers) and I as well as his doctors think it is and will help with his communication. He does have a speech delay - about a year behind there, but making him slow down to hear the sounds has really helped in getting him caught up. Yet he understands just fine - it's just getting the words out.

 

I've looked at Alpha-phonics, Blended phonics, AAR (not in the budget!), Bob books and so on. The I Can Read series caught my eye because it's animals - mittens, Biscuit, and so on. That he'd pay attention to without a problem. I want him to know phonics and while he is young, he's pushing and trying to read himself which I think is leading to bad habits. Like two words that look similar he thinks are the same word and he's just memorizing words instead of understanding. I've even looked at CLE's learning to read program but I think that's a bit advanced yet! He needs something that will keep reviewing and gently build on what he knows (lots of practice).

 

Will these books work together like the reviews on Amazon have said and can they really teach phonics lessons? Would he need anything other than these little books? I just don't want him learning bad habits and making up sounds, which I've caught him doing, because of then having to unlearn those habits but I'm not sure how to go about teaching properly either.

Edited November 14, 2012 by LilBearsMama

[alisoncooks]

Will these books work together like the reviews on Amazon have said and can they really teach phonics lessons? Would he need anything other than these little books? I just don't want him learning bad habits and making up sounds, which I've caught him doing, because of then having to unlearn those habits but I'm not sure how to go about teaching properly either.

 

Which books exactly are you asking about? All the ones listed above?

 

The I Can Read series would not be what I'd use to teach reading. They -- IMO -- are not phonics based, nor are they for brand-new readers. As far as Alpha-phonics and BOB books, they'd probably be fine to use together.

 

4.5 is quite young, yet. You may just want to start off with some fun letter games (matching beginning sounds, etc). There are many sites online that offer them as pdfs to print.

 

You said you looked at CLE's LTR but think it's too advanced. What about CLE's Kindergarten program (CLE Kindergarten II)? It gently and systematically introduces letters and sounds (also includes some math skills and other skills like cutting/pasting/etc). By the end of the books, the child should be reading short 3-letter words (CVC words). The price is very reasonable, also.

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I have used Teach your Child in 100 Easy Lessons.

 

I have a struggling reader with no clear diagnosis and have tried it with not success at 6, I read to her and so does her dad and sister.

 

She finally had a breakthrough after a few years, so don't give up. She started reading her Rocket reader Bible. She had been memorizing Bob books so I was let down to find that out.

She still struggles, but keeps trying.

 

Just be sure to keep reading and making your child feel loved.

 

One great book is Leo the Late Bloomer ;)

 

We have used Alphabet Island which is fun but is kind of expensive for 1 child ( I have 3 to use it with)

 

Also, have you considered Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading?

 

Or possibly Lapbooking and making little books?

 

We have used Earobics 1 and now have 2. She doesn't really like it too much but is using it. I think she is embarrassed. I try to encourage her all the time.

 

I hope you find something and don't give up!

Edited November 14, 2012 by TGHEALTHYMOM

[LilBearsMama]

Thank you both for the replies.

 

Yeah, I know he's young - I wasn't planning to do much more than the R&S workbooks with him for a long while yet. They seem to challenge him just enough but he also devours workbooks like there's no tomorrow. Part of the reason we went with the R&S one is all the trips to the store for workbooks was getting nuts.

 

Originally I had planned to just do the About 3 series, ABC series, and possibly follow it up with Kindergarten ll because it seemed the best for what he needs. I guess I just didn't want to hold him back when he seems to really be pushing for it. But I don't want to use little phonics readers like I Can Read if they aren't going to teach what he needs either!

 

We already play lots of games and have for quite a while now as the reinforcement seems to help speech as well.

 

We have done a couple of lapbooks and he enjoys them and made a letter book with little activities on each page about the letter and sounds, etc. Maybe I can find a few more of those kinds of things and keep him busy so he stops pushing himself quite so hard. I don't want to push too hard and he's all happy to sit and repeat words and follow along and sound out, but I don't want to hold back either.

 

Argh! How do you tell the difference there?

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Have you tried Starfall.com? It is wonderful. And free (there is added content you can subscribe to for $35/year which is completely worth is and they have been adding more and more since the beginning of the year when I signed up.) I can NOT recommend it enough. They should pay me :tongue_smilie:

[Dory]

With my kids at that age I just casually went through Saxon Phonics K. We would skip over some things and we didn't do it every day, but it helped introduce the letters and their sounds. On the days that we didn't do a lesson I would just play letter games with them and listen for sounds on things that we would see as we went through the day. I also enjoyed the Bob books.

[cmarango]

Does he know his letters and their sounds? Is he already able to blend two sounds together?

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I had two of my boys learn to read before the age of 4 using only the LeapFrog Letter and Word Factory DVDs and the incremental phonics readers written by Nora Gaydos. For both of the boys, it was completely their idea (and they are strong readers now).

[MeaganS]

My daughter sounds a lot like your son. She's technically ASD, although very high functioning and also has a significant speach delay. I taught her letter sounds using Letter Factory. She learned to blend with an app on our iPad called Magic Reading and letter magnets that we would push together. Now she's reading simple short vowel words like "black." We've been formally doing reading since August. I use OPGTR as my main guide, but she never sees it. She sees the readers i make from the practice sentences in the book and Bob books and Nora Goydos readers. I've also found Readin Bear.com to be very helpful. She'll practice reading on there for 45 minutes at a time or more. It was very good to help her solidify blending skills.

[LilBearsMama]

Does he know his letters and their sounds? Is he already able to blend two sounds together?

 

Yes, he knows the sounds and he can blend some.

 

I'll look into Leapfrog and maybe those readers several have mentioned. He used to use Starfall for his letters but got bored with it and refused to use it. Maybe I can get him more interested in it. He's playing on Time4Learning some (I got a month free for review) and we have Reading Eggs but he doesn't seem overly fond of it.

 

My daughter sounds a lot like your son. She's technically ASD, although very high functioning and also has a significant speach delay. I taught her letter sounds using Letter Factory. She learned to blend with an app on our iPad called Magic Reading and letter magnets that we would push together. Now she's reading simple short vowel words like "black." We've been formally doing reading since August. I use OPGTR as my main guide, but she never sees it. She sees the readers i make from the practice sentences in the book and Bob books and Nora Goydos readers. I've also found Readin Bear.com to be very helpful. She'll practice reading on there for 45 minutes at a time or more. It was very good to help her solidify blending skills.

 

From your sig, I'm guessing they're about the same age (he's and '08 baby). I don't have an iPad but he does love the letter magnets. I'll take a peek at ReadingBear.

 

Thank you for the advice everyone!

[reign]

If he knows his letter sounds I would just pick a phonics curriculm and start. I know some people don't start reading that early but if he likes it go for it. After my girls know the letter sounds ( through leap frog) I start 100 easy lessons and follow up with OPGTTR. 100ezl gets the kids reading fairly fast and littles like the picture at the end. I think OPGTTR covers phonics really well.

[Rosie_0801]

If he can blend two sounds, perhaps try combining ElizabethB's lessons with readers. We use the I See Sam readers because they seem the most incremental and take Elizabeth's lessons VERY slowly. Slowly, as in the first week has taken two months so far. My 5.5 yo dd is doing really well with them, and she's over two years behind in her speech so is roughly where your son is too.

 

Rosie