What is your favorite Phonics Program?

[Guest]

What is your favorite phonics program?

 

I am currently using AAR-Pre-Reading with my 3.5 year old, and my just turned 5 year old. It seems kind of boring with the repetitive ABC song every day, and the craft sheets. We don't always do the craft sheets exactly as they say to, because it takes the fun out it making them do it a certain way. Neither of them are able to pick which words rhyme in the activities. I am considering switching to something else, but if AAR is really good then I will stick it out and finish the pre-reading level first.

[Ellie]

What is your favorite phonics program?

 

I am currently using AAR-Pre-Reading with my 3.5 year old, and my just turned 5 year old. It seems kind of boring with the repetitive ABC song every day, and the craft sheets. We don't always do the craft sheets exactly as they say to, because it takes the fun out it making them do it a certain way. Neither of them are able to pick which words rhyme in the activities. I am considering switching to something else, but if AAR is really good then I will stick it out and finish the pre-reading level first.

 

Spalding. :-)

 

However, I wouldn't do anything that formal with a less-than-5-yo.

[Teneo]

For that age I'd go with something like Foundations A from Logic of English. You'll practice writing in sand, use tactical letters, play with sound, play hopscotch and basketball while learning phonograms, and other fun things.

[FO4UR]

Honestly, I wouldn't use a program with a 3yo.  If she wants to eaves drop and participate with the 5yo, great! If not, great!

 

 

For the 5yo, I would try Happy Phonics and Leapfrog Letter Factory.  Play word-whammer on the board. My dd learned to read early by eaves dropping and playing along.

 

 

Kumon tracing, cutting, folding, etc...

[JustEm]

Phonics Pathways!  When it seems to get boring I just turn the word lists into games. My kids have all requested I teach them to read at 3.5 so I pulled it out then and went at whatever pace they wanted.  My almost 6 year old will be done it by Feb.  My 4.5 year old has been on the same three letter word page for months.  She is not confident that she can read but wants to be able to.  However, every time I try to help her she just says she can't and will throw a fit if I push it.  So she clearly is not ready for it even though she says she it.

[HS Mom in NC]

Phonics Pathways if you really want a curriculum. I used it with my youngest when I had a whole lot on my plate.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_16?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=phonics+pathways&sprefix=Phonics+pathways%2Caps%2C177

 

I wouldn't start with a child under 6 unless the child is literally begging to learn to read on a daily basis for months and months. Then give I would  it a go at about 10 minutes a lesson for a couple of weeks.  If the child isn't picking things up and retaining them quickly and easily, put it away for 3-6 months and try again. My oldest started learning to read when she turned 4 and could read like an adult by her 5th birthday. I never had to repeat or review anything with her. My middle started learning to read at almost 8 and could read like an adult by 11. We did what I suggest starting at age 5.  Nothing much really stuck until she was almost 8.  She started college at 15.  My youngest started learning to read at 6 and can't quite read like an adult yet. 

 

If you want to teach a child to read using real books get a copy of A Homestart in Reading. I used it with real books for my older two.

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Start-Reading-Grades-K-3/dp/0940319004/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239006&sr=8-1&keywords=Homestart+in+reading

 

Either way, read aloud beautiful picture books with them together multiple times a day. Honey for a Child's Heart can help you choose some of the best for each developmental stage.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Childs-Heart-Gladys-Hunt/dp/0310242460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239061&sr=8-1&keywords=honey+for+a+child%27s+heart+by+gladys+hunt

 

For more about reading aloud throughout the K-12 years, look at old threads.

[desertflower]

I think every child is different. You have some who loves workbook type stuff and some who learn kinesthetically.

 

I personally love phonics pathways. Here's my story and hopefully it'll save you some money. I was teaching him with PP using a game or two from the book. I didn't realize that that is why he liked learning. Somehow I stopped the train game and then he stopped reading words from the book. I decided to get All About Reading and combine the games from there with the lessons in PP. It worked. Got him back to reading words, but then he realized he was done sooner with his lessons if he just read the words. lol Anyhow, he just ended up reading words. By that time we were far enough into the book that I had him start reading to me using Progressive Phonics and other readers. I realize now that he likes colorful books. Anyhow, lesson learned to stick to the games from the original book. I'd forgotten that Phonics Pathways had a few games in it.

 

Anyhow, PP is a solid very thorough program. I believe I heard from others that AAR takes a little longer for the kids to start reading. If your 5 year is wanting to do lessons, I would go with PP. Your 3 year can tag along easily. My second child has picked up a lot.

 

HTH. I know AAR can be expensive. PP may be at your library. If not it's only $20. It also has a Reading Pathways to go along with it.

[Jess4879]

We use and love AAR, but we tweak it as needed. If your children aren't rhyming yet, I'd drop lessons and just read rhyming books, play games, etc.  If they know the alphabet song, you don't need to keep doing it every lesson.  Same thing with the craft sheets.  There are other suggestions (in the back of the book, maybe?  I can't remember) for using play dough to make letters, doing a letter scavenger hunt, cutting letters out of magazines, etc.  All of my kids enjoyed books and being read to, but they weren't ready to grasp reading themselves until around age 6.  We tried AAR pre-1 with my youngest and he just didn't retain anything, so we left it and tried again when he turned 5.  We only cover 1 letter a week because that's what seems to be working best for him. 

[ScoutTN]

Phonics Pathways.

Inexpensive, simple, non-consumable, good for snuggling on the couch.

I don't do any writing with it.

Nice big print.

[Guest]

Christian Liberty Press :)

[Kathie in VA]

My favorite is Alpha Phonics.  Sometimes I'll use the white board 'cause the kids seem to like it that way.  Many times we just snuggle up and do a some lessons together.  Its very simple to use, completely open and go... no parts or pieces to manage.  i can add in other things like games, Bob Books, etc. but those are just extras.  Alpha Phonics really does cover all that is needed for reading.  My current student is my just turned 4 yo dd.  She started when she was 3 1/2 years old... very slowly.  I'd do a lesson or two when she seemed interested.  I often repeated the lessons each time we got to doing phonics, till it seemed she really got it.  She is my 4th one I am taking through this book!

[SFM]

I have used Spalding, especially with my DS10 who had lots of spelling/reading woes when we first began homeschooling. It works. I use Phonics Pathways now with my DD6, and it is working beautifully. I plan to start with my DD5 in January. 

[Cheryl in CA]

My favorite for a long time was Alphabet Island Phonics.  Now my favorite is Dancing Bears.  I found DB while looking for something for my child with special needs (he'd gone through Level 1 of AI and needed more before going on to Level 2) and liked it so much that I began using with my neuro-typical daughter who was in AI Level 2.  It was a great fit for her too, and she began progressing much more rapidly and fluently than she had been in AI.  So, Dancing Bears is #1 and Alphabet Island #2.  We tried AAR, but it just didn't work for us.

[tiffanyl]

Our Favorite is Christian Liberty Press. It was a great fit for my kids and they loved the little readers that came with it!

[hollyhock]

For a 3yo, playing on Starfall learning the letters and sounds.

 

After that, my favourite is Progressive Phonics. Love that it's free and my 6yo (who just finished all of it) really enjoyed it.

[Sahamamama]

We used OPG when our girls were three, for 5-10 mins. per day. So easy to implement, effective, and affordable. It was a good fit for them.

[LLMom]

I didn't do AAR pre-reading but have used AAR 1 and 2 and really like them.

[Guest]

Thank you everyone.  I was mainly doing AAR Pre-Reading so that my five year old can learn his letters, and what sounds they make.  My 3.5 year old likes to do everything her big brother does, so I was letter her join in.  I definitely am not trying to rush things with either of them.  I ordered Phonics Pathways to take a look at it.  I did OPGTR with two of my older kids when they were younger.  One of my daughters started it when she was five and did excellent with it, but she was a little more advanced than my current five year old.  

[RKWAcademy]

We used AAR Pre-1 when my twins were 4.  They already knew most letter sounds, so we went fairly quickly.  After Pre-1, I tried OPGR and PAL but my kids just weren't ready or interested in either.  We started AAR1 when they were 5.  We enjoy it and are about to move to AAR2.  However, it becomes fairly expensive to move through all of the levels.  My kids finished AAR1 in 4 months, often taking several days for one lesson.  We're sticking with it now because it is working and is enjoyable.  I like the scripted program that is difficult for me to mess up. 

[BatmansWife]

I have used many phonics programs over the years (because Robin just couldn't get it  :lol: ).  Four of my top favorites, in no particular order, are Reading Made Easy, McRuffy, Alphabet Island, and Astronauts to Zippers.  

[sbgrace]

I See Sam and Progressive Phonics-effective, pure phonics, and so enjoyable. Both are available free for printing online, though I did end up purchasing printed I See Sam books.

[CAtoVA]

Sing, Spell, Read and Write has been popular around here for beginning phonics. The readers are colorful and fun. McRuffy Phonics is worth a look as well.

[carriede]

When DS5 was 3.5, we did Phonics Pathways through CVC words. Now we'really doing Spalding for all LA. I like both!

[Mergath]

My dd really liked Jolly Phonics at that age.

[boscopup]

Rod & Staff Phonics and Reading, but I wouldn't use it early like that, as it has a lot of writing.

 

I also like Phonics Pathways.

[ByGrace3]

We love AAR. My ds is in the middle of level 4 and dd is doing pre level. AAR really shines the higher you go...

[Hunter]

If you are looking for free, I really like the link in red, for pure simplicity. I find it to be enough to supplement the McGuffey Readers.

 

**** Year 0 ******************

How to Teach Your Preschooler to Read pg. 1-3 by Samuel Blumenfeld

http://www.donpotter.net/pdf/blumnfeld_home_primer.pdf

Don Potter’s Shortcut to Manuscript (capitals only)

http://donpotter.net/pdf/shortcut-to-manuscript.pdf

 

 

**** Year 1 ******************

Phonics/Reading
Hoenshel’s Language Lessons and Elementary Grammar 1899: pg. 11-20  

https://archive.org/details/hoenshelslangua00hoengoog

McGuffey’s Eclectic Primer 1909

https://archive.org/details/mcguffeyseclecti00mcgu

Handwriting
Don Potter’s Direct Path to Cursive or Shortcut to Manuscript

http://donpotter.net/pdf/direct_path_to_cursive.pdfhttp://donpotter.net/pdf/shortcut-to-manuscript.pdf

Composition and Grammar
Hoenshel’s Progressive Course in English Teacher’s Manual 1912: pg. 11-14

http://books.google.com/books?id=Zn8SAAAAIAAJ&dq=Progressive+Course+in+English+Teacher’s+Manual&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Spelling
Essentials of Spelling Lower by Henry Carr Peason 1919: pg. 1

https://archive.org/details/essentialsspell00suzzgoog
McGuffey’s Eclectic Speller 1879: lesson 1 pg. 13 syllabary charts

http://books.google.com/books?id=yEdOAAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s

 

 

**** Year 2 ******************

McGuffey’s First Reader

http://books.google.com/books?id=yE4LAQAAIAAJ&dq=McGuffey

Don Potter’s Direct Path to Cursive or Shortcut to Manuscript

http://donpotter.net/pdf/direct_path_to_cursive.pdfhttp://donpotter.net/pdf/shortcut-to-manuscript.pdf

Composition and Grammar
Hoenshel’s Progressive Course in English Teacher’s Manual 1912: pg. 11-14

http://books.google.com/books?id=Zn8SAAAAIAAJ&dq=Progressive+Course+in+English+Teacher’s+Manual&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Essentials of Spelling Lower Grades by Henry Carr Peason 1919: pg. 2-20

https://archive.org/details/essentialsspell00suzzgoog

 

 

**** Year 3 *********************

McGuffey’s Second Reader

http://books.google.com/books?id=804LAQAAIAAJ&dq=McGuffey

Don Potter’s Direct Path to Cursive or Shortcut to Manuscript

http://donpotter.net/pdf/direct_path_to_cursive.pdfhttp://donpotter.net/pdf/shortcut-to-manuscript.pdf

Composition and Grammar
Hoenshel’s Progressive Course in English Teacher’s Manual 1912: pg. 11-16

http://books.google.com/books?id=Zn8SAAAAIAAJ&dq=Progressive+Course+in+English+Teacher’s+Manual&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Essentials of Spelling Lower Grades by Henry Carr Peason 1919: pg. 21-45

https://archive.org/details/essentialsspell00suzzgoog

 

[~Victoria~]

We used IEW's Pal Reading course VERY slowly starting at 4 and finishing when he was 5. I didn't do the writing portion, but it set us up so that he is now just doing AAS and reading books at a 2nd & 3rd grade level, he is 6.5yrs now. We will follow the same program with siblings - you can get it on sale through Mardel.