gevs4him Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Other - we used Rod and Staff until grade 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 We're using an older edition of Let's Read: A Linguistic Approach, by Bloomfield and Barnhart. I am using it a bit differently than intended, in that I explicitly teach the individual phonograms and have dd6 blend them together to read each word, while the program's intention is to present each word as a whole, using a lot of discrimination practice (man/mat, ban/man, ban/bin) and nonsense syllables in the early sections to allow students to correctly intuit the individual phonogram sounds (the stated reason is that phonemes don't exist in isolation, only in syllables - too easy to say /buh/ for /b/ - so they teach them inductivey through a careful presentation of one syllable words). After painfully teaching myself to blend as an adult (so I can learn Greek and Hebrew), I'm convinced that blending is an important skill to have. But the variety of practice in Let's Read is awesome for fluency practice, and their progression and presentation is wonderful (the authors' linguistics knowledge is evident, and put to good use). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 OPGTR, Leap frog videos, Starfall, Nora Gaydos readers, and our Silly Sentences SightWord Game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rieshy Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I have used several systems: Oldest son learned basics at Montessori and then we read 4,000,000 Dr Seuss. Next dd taught herself. One dd I had a stack of old handouts lent to me that had a picture that represented every sound. She memorized the pictures and then the sounds and then the letters. I have no idea what the system was called. It came with stamps of the pictures. Then she graduated to BOB books for a short time then Little Bear and beyond... Three more children learned with 100 Easy Lessons and some BOB books. I tried AAR this Summer with my last but it was too soon. I ended up giving it back because it has too many bells and whistles for me but I am doing the IEW Writing and Spelling with my last 100 Easy Lesson child and feel like it is improving his reading as a side benefit. For my youngest I'm on the wall. My copy of 100 Easy Lessons bit the dust, and at this point the thought of buying a new one and doing it again makes me want to bang my head against the wall. My favorite learn-to-read method so far is having the child teach herself:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellread Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 We're using an older edition of Let's Read: A Linguistic Approach, by Bloomfield and Barnhart. I am using it a bit differently than intended, in that I explicitly teach the individual phonograms and have dd6 blend them together to read each word, while the program's intention is to present each word as a whole, using a lot of discrimination practice (man/mat, ban/man, ban/bin) and nonsense syllables in the early sections to allow students to correctly intuit the individual phonogram sounds (the stated reason is that phonemes don't exist in isolation, only in syllables - too easy to say /buh/ for /b/ - so they teach them inductivey through a careful presentation of one syllable words). After painfully teaching myself to blend as an adult (so I can learn Greek and Hebrew), I'm convinced that blending is an important skill to have. But the variety of practice in Let's Read is awesome for fluency practice, and their progression and presentation is wonderful (the authors' linguistics knowledge is evident, and put to good use). We're using the older edition of Let's Read also. Since we went through much of 100EZ lessons I don't have to teach much-- my daughter just sounds out the words in Let's Read-- when she doesn't sound it out right, I correct and then she resays the word. I love the layout-- because the next words in the book immediately give her a chance to say the sounds correctly and give her tons of practice. It really has helped her-- she learned a lot in 100EZ lessons but then when she started trying to reading regular books she got confused and started guessing at words-- using the Let's Read the way I've described (sounding out the sounds in each word) has gotten rid of all the confusion and guessing. It is extremely logical and regular. Also incredibly easy for me to implement. The amount of practice is really great. Also it is giving us a chance to learn some vocabulary since a lot of the words are not known to her. I don't worry too much about vocabulary though-- as long as she pronounces things correctly I consider it a win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 We started with 100EZ but quickly ditched it and found Headsprout. DS6 loved it right from the get-go. That was 2 years ago. He is a very strong reader now (He is reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid). Although I would love to be able to take credit for "teaching" him - I had essentially nothing to do with it LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I used ideas from Montessori Read and Write and then AAS level 1. Once they jump into reading I add OPGTR so that we can go through learning to read more quickly than learning to spell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Primary Phonics, Starfall, Bob Books, Dr Seuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFM Posted December 5, 2012 Author Share Posted December 5, 2012 Thank you, thank you, everyone for the advice, wisdom, BTDT experiences. I am so nervous about teaching reading. Yet, at the same time I think it's going to be a wonderful experience. I have started to realize that I am not a bells and whistles person. I prefer a more straight forward approach so that we can just enjoy art, music, reading, etc. I would prefer something just open and go and simple. Also, my DH's preference would be something more cost effective. His theory (and I can see the rationale behind it) is to spend the least on something that is effective and then if it doesn't work go into a more "specialized" expensive program. But if 100EZ lessons works with Alpha phonics and ETC then so be it. So, I very much appreciate the input and we continue on my journey to narrow down the options. Off to research.... :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rai B. Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Other—Dd—at preschool-age started with learning the phonograms from Spalding (WRTR 4th edition). At the beginning of K we used Sing, Spell, Read and Write. About 3/4 of the way through K I was disliking SSWR so we switched back to WRTR (5th edition this time.) We did finish/supplement with the readers and the workbook from SSRW because we already had them. When we finished them we supplemented with Funnix 2. I also used a few BOB books and a Mae Carden reader. (Dd didn’t like the BOB books and Carden books are not cost effective for homeschool.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Handbook for Reading (Abeka) and Leap Frog videos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicMom Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 With 3 kids so far, mostly I have used ETC, and beginner readers like BOB books and I Can Read It! books. I have also used Alpha Phonics, some AAR stuff, and tortured oldest ds for a while with 100EZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We used Phonics Pathways and Reading A-Z.com. Love that site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy M Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 ABeka. I have been wondering about this, though--it seems like it's going well, but apparently it will take K and 1st grade to go through all the phonics sounds. Is that typical for phonics programs? (2 years?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilbean05 Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We are in the other category--we just read regular books ALL.THE.TIME. Some are very hard, some are very easy, but we just hang around and read. We also throw in a bit of starfall.com and Baby Brainy ABCs. When the kids start to read, we use Dick and Jane and another collection called Rime to Read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhg Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I used Saxon Phonics. Started it when son was in K, but could have started it when he was about age 4.5 ish as the first lessons are letter sounds. It was very easy to implement and very effective. I read the many great reviews on websites like amazon, cbd.com, homeschoolreviews, on this forum, etc. and I was sold. My son's a fabulous reader and speller because of it IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFJ in IL Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 We are using Logic of English right now. My son *learned* how to read in PS (K-1st) My daughter is learning from me. I have the regular LOE program and the Kindergarten Beta Test version. Both are working very well for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Combo of Phonics Pathways and ETC. If I had it to do over, I would ditch ETC and focus a lot more on memorizing phonograms ala WRTR/Phonics Road. It wasn't until we used PR that spelling and reading really gelled for my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Lily used 100 EZ Lessons. It was great for her. She's in 3rd grade now and I totally think that's the reason she's such a strong reader today. John will be 6 in a couple of weeks. I tried 100 EZ Lessons with him 6 months ago and he was miserable. It just didn't work for him. We switched to Reading Eggs. He thought it was fun, but he didn't learn anything. And I didn't like it at all. Then we tried Funnix Reading. It was OK, but he wasn't retaining what he learned or able to apply it away from the program. Now we're using Horizons Reading and Phonics and it has been perfect for him. That's further than he's gotten before this. And he enjoys it. He's still what I'd call a beginning reader, but he's reading! He picked up a book the other day and the look on his face when he realized he could read it on his own was priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljenn Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I use Rod and Staff Reding and Phonics and LOVE it. It gets them reading quickly. I have also used OPGTR, and like that as well. But prefer R&S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiffanyl Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I use Adventures in Phonics w/ readers from CLP. My son loved this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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