thundersweet Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 He reads all the time. He just picks up random words like crazy. He knows all letters and sounds. What would be a good fun program to go ahead and start teaching him to read? Thanks Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I taught my 4yo twins to read with Phonics Pathways. I'm not sure it qualifies as fun, but it was easy to use, effective, and inexpensive. As quickly as mine plowed through it, I was grateful I didn't spend money on something with more levels or bells and whistles. They didn't need that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyGirl Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 All About Reading. It's not cheap but it's fun, a great foundation, and super easy to use. An Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading is less "fun" but incredibly effective and inexpensive. With a kid that's picking it up fast anyway (went through that with LegoMan), I'd get OPGTR to cover any gaps and then once he/she is reading well, move on to All About Spelling to ensure that all phonics and spelling rules are covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I agree with Craftyerin. Phonics Pathways has been exceedingly successful with all 5 of mine at 4-5 years old. Thorough, straightforward, cheap, and easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundersweet Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 I do own Phonics Pathways! I'll dig it out and look through it. Thanks for the AAR suggestion. I had forgotten about that one. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Like CrunchyGirl I found using OPGTR to fill in gaps was easiest with both my DDs (my eldest is through it, the youngest has started it fairly recently) - we did NOT use it as scripted and just did a few words a day, using the phonics taught to point out more words in the books she was already reading with and to me. Both children were started on OPGTR around 3.5 years of age (the second slightly earlier even) and so I wrote the words big for them to sound out - 4 at a time twice a day. Because both had a large sight word vocabulary already we did not read sentences in OPGTR - just pointed out words that followed the rules in their other books and sounded them out there in addition to the word lists in OPGTR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ad astra Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Leapfrog's Talking Word Factory DVD, Starfall Learn to Read app, Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten Level (or OPGTR if you want one book that teaches everything in phonics but it may not be fun for 4yo at the beginning) and BOB Books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I hated 100EZ and we're starting Spell to Write & Read soon, which seems like an amazing program to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Phonics Pathways worked for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Personally I love and recommend The Reading Lesson--it is cutesy, (highly) effective and very gentle. After chapter 5 you will have covered all of the short vowel sounds and be reading many small words so, I recommend getting a library card and/or Bob Books and continuing on in TRL with your kids. I have used it several times and the combo of TRL and library books gets kids to a solid 2nd grade reading level within 10-25 weeks. I've used it with kids ranging in age from 4-8 and each time it has worked. I love it. Very gentle, very easy, not intimidating to the child and since I have the PDF version (there is a hard copy available and I'm probably going to buy that also) I can use and reuse it with any number of kids just on my computer at no additional cost, I can also print pages for practice and make each student their own little reading booklet (I never really do that, but I could.) How ever, TRL only goes to about 2nd grade reading level--short vowels, long vowels, vowel teams, r-controlled/bossy-r vowels (ar, er, ir, ur) and c=s, g=j. (It might cover a little more but I haven't looked at in a month or so.) TRL doesn't teach 3+ syllable words, but it does teach 2 syllable word and some basic compound words. Some of the kids can go straight on to reading more and more advanced materials, other kids need more extensive phonics. For them, I'd recommend something like Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, only I find that a very good free alternative to Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading would be the Ultimate Phonics Word List from Spencer Learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammarGirl Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I'm using OPGTR with my almost-four y.o. It's easy to use, takes just a few minutes per day, and is cheap (got mine from PHP's 60% off scratch-and-dent sale). I make it "fun" simply by being enthusiastic about it and DD's progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 We didn't use a curriculum, just Bob Books followed by library books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammv15 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Time4learning has a really good and fun phonics program.I used Mcruffy and my dc did well with it but it is an all in one so it is not just phonics.I also like progressivephonics.com, soundcitingreading.com, firststepreading.org or com (can't remember), readingbear.org, starfall.com and Youtube (phonics song 2 and hop videos). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 We had good luck with a combo of Explode the Code, a pack of Dolch sight word cards, and Dick and Jane. Neither Phonics Pathways nor 100 EZ Lessons went over well. She'd start to cry when she saw them, but asked for extra lessons in Explode the Code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAtoVA Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I used Explode the Code Primers (A, B and C) with DD #1 (now 6) when she asked to read at age 4. Then moved into the resources I already had for my DS—Leap Frog Letter Factory (and others) OPGTTR, Sing, Spell, Read and Write, Bob Books, free Core Knowledge Phonics curriculum (engageny.com) and a little of Phonics Pathways. With DD #2 (now age 3) I can tell she will want to read early too. She already knows letters and some sounds from Leap Frog Letter Factory and has a great grasp of concepts of print. I purchased AAR Pre-level for her however, as now I think I want something more "open and go." I still will use Explode the Code Primers though and am toying with the idea of Moving Beyond the Page ages 4-5 for some enrichment and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I used http://www.starfall.com/ to supplement PP. My dd really enjoyed this. I did try the Leap Frog vids, and while she very sweetly obeyed and watched, she didn't enjoy them. I didn't use them very much. Personally, though, I would suggest LF vids as well. They are very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundersweet Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 Thank you everyone! Such great ideas:))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black-eyed Suzan Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I used the words/concepts from OPGTR in Carol Barnier's Roadblock game. The game provides the fun! Since you already own PP, I'd substitute that for OPGTR. :) http://www.westfieldacademy.org/adhd/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Alpha Phonics supplemented with Bob Books and sometimes Explode the Code Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meghann Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 As far as a planned out curriculum goes, we have really enjoyed All About Reading with my 4 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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