Iskra Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I only know of starfall.com and readingeggs.com. Which one would be better for a kid who knows all his sounds but doesn't get blending yet? I'm looking for something fun, and yet something that will definitely get him over the hump and help him learn to sound out words rather than just guess. What's your best online subscription recommendation and why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 What have you used besides on-line programs? In other words, what are you using for reading instruction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FawnsFunnyFarm Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Readingeggs! My kids never got much of anything out of starfall. Ooka Island is hard to understand what they are saying as well as ClickNKids. I figure if I have a hard time hearing what the program is saying, my kids sure are going to struggle with it. My kids love Readingeggs and it really helped build confidence with my one who struggled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 My DD5 really enjoys Reading Eggs. I've recently renewed our subscription, but there were many months in between where we didn't use it at all (it seems she was at a point where she needed to hover and not really progress much, which was fine and so we backed off). Fast-forward to now and she is zooming along nicely. One thing I like about RE is that there are discreet lessons. We've played around on Starfall, but it seems she is drawn to the silly little games/animations that don't really require her to do any reading. Her reading level is now significantly beyond the "lesson" she is on (88, I think), but she is still having fun with it. She is really pushing back against any other reading instruction or explicit phonics work, so I'm allowing her to just read books. I like that she is still getting some instruction via Reading Eggs. If you have any other specific questions, please ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskra Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 We started using the bob books, but after the first two I realized that he is not ready for them, because he doesn't get blending. He says all the sounds correctly of the word he sees, but then doesn't get the connection between that and saying the whole word from those sounds. He needs help with blending, and I have heard that this is a skill that just needs to click on its own at some point, through lots of practice and repetition, so I was thinking an online program that he can do by himself would be best for this, since he can do the lessons as many times as he wants without me, until it clicks. He has watched all the "preschool prep" dvds with the sight words, blends and digraphs, he has clicked through (just as play) all the free stuff on starfall (that doesn't require a subscription), he has watched all the leapfrog dvds as well. That is all the "instruction" he has received. We also own all the Mcguffy readers and speller, but I haven't tried those with him, since he can't blend yet. I have older kids that i am homeschooling, so I always prefer something he can do somewhat independently over something that requires my constant attention, but I really just want to go for something that has worked for everybody and I'm willing to even get something teacher-intensive, because this is an important skill without which we can't go forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskra Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 sdunckel and FawnsFunnyFarm, did your kids discover how to blend through reading eggs or is that something they already knew how to do when you started using reading eggs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abacus2 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Explode the Code online helped my oldest get blending. I haven't looked at the program recently though. It did have the disadvantage of being too focused on speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FawnsFunnyFarm Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Between Readingeggs and working with me, they learned how to blend. I am sure readingeggs helped... a lot! We use Hooked on Phonics and the videos with the newer version were also a huge help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FawnsFunnyFarm Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 The Leap Frog Letter and Talking Words Factories videos all were a huge help too. My kids don't care for the new Leap Frog videos, but those older ones are worth 10 times their weight in gold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsWeasley Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Starfall helped my kids memorize letter sounds, but it didn't help with blending. We had already been doing Starfall for a while when we added Reading Eggs, and honestly, I didn't see any improvement. Maybe if I sat with him, but it seemed like he just clicked things without thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachelpants Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Not online, but Phonics Pathways is amazing at teaching blending. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather7 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Not sure about online programs to recommend. However, our son struggled with blending words for a long time. He could blend letters but seeing them in a word made it foreign to him. It was frustrating for both of us. I am interested in others' suggestions. We moved to a new area at the end of his second grade year and ended up enlisting the help of a "reading coach". He did great with her. A long story short, three years later, he is reading/loving The Hobbit. I'm amazed at his progress and he now loves reading...where there were tears before. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the way his brain is wired, maybe it was being challenged by someone else, maybe just age... Whatever it was, I'm thankful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FawnsFunnyFarm Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 You do have to sit with him, or at least be nearby and helping him. You can't expect a computer program to take the place of you as a teacher/mentor... that goes for everything, forever! That is why so many complain about things like Teaching Textbooks math. People buy it thinking it takes them out of the equation, then their kids fail at math and the parent blames the program when the parent wasn't making sure the student was actually grasping the concepts and not just "playing on the computer". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I have used HeadSprout back before it was bought by Reading A-Z. My son thought it was a bit repetitive, but it had lists of practice built in. It used to came with readers and a progress sticker chart. Also, it was one price for one student no matter how long it was used rather than a monthly subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalAlt Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 We started Reading Eggs when Dd was maybe halfway through the Bob books. I liked that she couldn't jump ahead, but could go backwards for review. She was really motivated by it, and for us, it worked well for me to get to be her coach/helper rather than teacher at that stage. Usually they have free 2-4week trials available... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in MO Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 We've had some success with Talking Fingers. We use it for review and fluency. I also liked the fact that they are learning how to type in this program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 sdunckel and FawnsFunnyFarm, did your kids discover how to blend through reading eggs or is that something they already knew how to do when you started using reading eggs? No, I really think that (learning to blend) happened off-line. You're right to just let him coast for a while, as I think that "click" is very much a developmental skill that will happen when he's ready and not a minute before then. I did find that I had to sit with her while doing RE until fairly recently. Some of the games are just difficult to maneuver, even if the child understands the concept being taught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 You can try Ooka Island for 2 weeks through homeschoolbuyers co-op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommytoFour Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 http://www.readingbear.org/(free) helped my son start to blend well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Expose him to a lot of read alouds and audio books at a bit above reading level while you slowly work through reading skills. And if he is still struggling after a few more months you might look at something more Orton Gillingham based. And I agree with others, just plopping him on a computer program will probably not net you the results you are hoping for. Skills like that usually need time and one on one instruction if a child is struggling. And sometimes a very systematic, in depth program for reading, such as All About Reading/AAS or even more detailed such as Barton Reading and Spelling. He needs personal feedback or he won't know if he is doing the blends correctly. A computer program can't provide that. Maybe used as a fun side thing for reinforcement, but not for really tackling the issues, KWIM? Hugs and good luck, OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I like readingEggs while in my lap. That way I can provide coaching when needed. I also comb DD's hair during that time. Sometimes we pretend the monitor is a touch-screen while I use the mouse. One thing I like about the computer is that it is extremely gentle when she gets stuff wrong. When I renewed readingEggs it was through some homeschooling deal, and mathSeeds was thrown in. I hadn't been impressed with it when we first looked at it. It seemed so babyish. But, then one day I needed to comb her hair and she'd hit a wall on reading eggs, and I hate and despise the play area of reading eggs. So, I started her on Math Seeds. I have been pleasantly surprised. DD has become a counting fiend. She sees a group of things and she counts them. Just this morning she said, "I want 5 hugs and kisses. No. I want ten hugs and kisses. Five plus five is ten." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I like readingEggs while in my lap. That way I can provide coaching when needed. I also comb DD's hair during that time. Sometimes we pretend the monitor is a touch-screen while I use the mouse. One thing I like about the computer is that it is extremely gentle when she gets stuff wrong. When I renewed readingEggs it was through some homeschooling deal, and mathSeeds was thrown in. I hadn't been impressed with it when we first looked at it. It seemed so babyish. But, then one day I needed to comb her hair and she'd hit a wall on reading eggs, and I hate and despise the play area of reading eggs. So, I started her on Math Seeds. I have been pleasantly surprised. DD has become a counting fiend. She sees a group of things and she counts them. Just this morning she said, "I want 5 hugs and kisses. No. I want ten hugs and kisses. Five plus five is ten." I love this. Mommy time, AND getting hair brushed (I loved that as a kid) AND getting to do stuff on the computer but with scaffolding from a loving parent. Awesome implementation shawthorne44. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I love this. Mommy time, AND getting hair brushed (I loved that as a kid) AND getting to do stuff on the computer but with scaffolding from a loving parent. Awesome implementation shawthorne44. :) Thanks. Although she doesn't particularly like having her hair combed. She won't sit still otherwise. That reminds me. Once every blue moon a lesson will pop up that requires really fast mouse skills. The ant will be on a treadmill and at the end the questions are coming really really fast. Those are definitely ones requiring mommy on the mouse. Unless it was a older kid doing remedial work, then maybe the kid could do it. We also ooohhh and ahhhhhhh over the animals together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 My kids liked studydog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Thanks. Although she doesn't particularly like having her hair combed. She won't sit still otherwise. That reminds me. Once every blue moon a lesson will pop up that requires really fast mouse skills. The ant will be on a treadmill and at the end the questions are coming really really fast. Those are definitely ones requiring mommy on the mouse. Unless it was a older kid doing remedial work, then maybe the kid could do it. We also ooohhh and ahhhhhhh over the animals together. Chuckle...my daughter didn't like getting her hair combed until she was 13. I was so sad. I loved having my hair combed as a kid. Good info about the fast mouse skills for anyone looking that program.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 We like Read Write Type for building early reading confidence. That said, no online program could ever teach my children to blend. What tends to work best for us is writing individual letters on individual pieces of paper, sounding individually, then pushing together two, sounding together, then all three sounding together. CVC words. Together with a solid phonics program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Teach Your Monster to Read (free) takes individual letter tiles and has them slowly bump together to teach blending. That being said,blending was developmental in all of my kids. They learned to blend when they were ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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