OPG, Phonics Pathways, The Reading Lesson

[dessertbloom]

Of these three (and only these three please!) which one worked for you? Did you use it as written or did you have to tweak and/ or supplement (ie Bob Books, Explode the Code, etc)?  Did you try one of these three and it didn't work for you even with tweaking and/or supplementing? If you have used any of these, what did you like, what did you not like? Did you use one of these to supplement after finishing another phonics program (ie 100 Ez Lessons)   Please don't suggest taking a look at something other that these three. I have all three books in front of me, but I'm experiencing a severe case of analysis paralysis! lol  

[ElizabethB]

I hav not had a remedial student from PP or OPG. I don't know any students who have used The Reading Lesson and have not seen it. The format of PP makes it easier to use as a follow on, but you can't go wrong with either. I have used PP with both my children and with many of my remedial students over the last 15 years, it was not readily available when I first started tutoring 22 years ago.

[Zoo Keeper]

Phonics Pathways has been wonderful and all that was needed for 4 out of 5 of my school aged children (one of my children is dyslexic and needed a second phonics program *after* PP in order to get enough explicit practice to gain fluency). 

[WahM]

I love OPG! Some say it's dry, but I do not think that's the case. It has some built in "games", physical activity, short lessons, very effective, and once they're done with it no more phonics instruction is needed.

[carriede]

I chose PP over OPG. PP has a simpler layout. Both kids love it.

Edited April 23, 2016 by carriede

[CTVKath]

My oldest is about halfway through Phonics Pathways and we've had no issues with it. Very easy to use. The only hard part (for me) has been matching up readers to go with it because my daughter wants to read stories. I've used a mish-mash of Bob Books, Modern Curriculum Press readers (old ones from eBay), Step 1 books and Step 2 books.

 

I plan to use it again with my son when he's ready.

[sunshineslp]

What is OPG?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

[Um_2_4]

The Reading Lesson.

I added after a few lessons, ETC book 1 for writing/reading practice.

I have a whole crate of phonics readers, so I go through and pick some each week. I'm not fond of bob books (don't shoot me!). I got regular Harcourt phonics readers.

 

ETA: I had phonics pathways, but I prefer the 2nd book (Reading Pathways) once they were ready. I found PP too overwhelming per page. I am a fan of simple plain work spaces (loved MUS style for example) and select most of my books with that in mind. For reading Pathways, I use a cardstock page to cover the other lines or would photocopy and cut apart pages as needed. (Draw one and read it aloud type game)

Edited April 23, 2016 by Um_2_4

[Rasa]

OPG for DS#2, Explode the Code as a stand-alone program for DD#3. OPG worked great for my "let's-get-it-done" kid. My chatterbox DD couldn't stand the font in OPG ("Why does this uppercase I look like lowercase l?"), and Phonics Pathways didn't click either.  Two pages a day of Explode the Code got her reading.  Perhaps writing things down helped her focus and memory.

[Targhee]

Phonics Pathways

We liked it and used it pretty much as is. We did add in Bob books after a time. It took me a little bit to figure out how to use it, but then we were good.

I haven't used the other two programs. PP worked well for my youngest two, who are bright but needed more than 100EZ. My older two are rapid on the uptake, learned to read easily (and young) and 100EZ worked great for them, but PP is more incremental.

[alisha]

I chose The Reading Lesson for my first child a few years ago.

 

I checked out the other two from our library, and it seemed like it was teaching you, rather than them, at least at first. So, basically, you had to wade through a whole bunch of chapters about how to use their method and book before actually doing any teaching of the child. Granted, I never got to the point of actually trying them with my child.

 

The Reading Lesson was pretty much pick up and go. I did add Bob books, but it wasn't necessary, I just wanted a "real" book for him to FINISH reading once he learned the basics. I also liked Reading Lesson because there were none of the markings over the words. I didn't want my young child to have to learn to read phonetically and based on markings over his letters, I wanted him to learn to read the way he'd find it in a normal book. I'm sure there are many reasons to use them for teaching reading, but I thought all they added was more confusion and things to decipher on the page.

 

 

[ReadingMama1214]

I've been using OPG with my daughter and we are about 1/4 of the way through (70 or so lessons in). I really like how open and go it is. It seems to be an affordable and effective method. I do tweak it a little bit. I write the lessons in a notebook so that I can use a bigger font and less clutter. I also adjust the sentences that there are for the student to read. I add my daughters name and sometimes change them to appeal to her interest. We do supplement with Progressive Phonics, Bob Books, Nora Gaydos readers, and some others from the library, but only for reading practice and as a break from lessons in order to work on fluency. They're not needed. I also do some crafts and games to supplement the lessons. Again, they're not needed, but they make lessons more fun and interesting for us. I don't go over the top on the crafts and games. Usually they're pretty simple and easy to make. 

[MrsWeasley]

We used OPGTR. We did supplement with Progressive Phonics, Bob Books, etc... I like that it did eventually taught him to read. I liked the cost. I did feel like it was a slog at times, and there were times where it moved faster than he was ready. It's not completely secular, which I didn't realize until we were pretty far into it. IDK if I will use this for my third kid when he's ready or not.

[dessertbloom]

Thanks, everyone. One more question...whichever program you use, how well do you expect your dc to know the words in the lesson before moving on. I mean, is it enough for them to be able to sound it out quickly, or should they be able to look at the word and know it? My 2 dds can sound out anything with short vowels (with digraphs, consonant blends, etc), but they only know a handful or two of words that they can look at and read instantly. And sounding out may be a quick "c.a.t", but it's not "cccaaattt" as suggested in PP.  How do you know when to proceed and when to take a break and work on fluency?  They first started blending about a year ago, so we've been at this for a while....  

Edited April 24, 2016 by dessertbloom

[908874]

What is OPG?

 

 

Homeschooling mama of 4... Preschool 3, preschool 4, 1st, and 2nd:)

Opg=Ordinary parent guide :)

[dessertbloom]

Sorry, OPG = The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington 

[ReadingMama1214]

Thanks, everyone. One more question...whichever program you use, how well do you expect your dc to know the words in the lesson before moving on. I mean, is it enough for them to be able to sound it out quickly, or should they be able to look at the word and know it? My 2 dds can sound out anything with short vowels (with digraphs, consonant blends, etc), but they only know a handful or two of words that they can look at and read instantly. And sounding out may be a quick "c.a.t", but it's not "cccaaattt" as suggested in PP. How do you know when to proceed and when to take a break and work on fluency? They first started blending about a year ago, so we've been at this for a while....

My dd is about to lesson 70 in OPG. We are working on long vowels when silent e is present. She usually sounds every word out. She is getting better at hooking the sounds together so that it reads caaat more than c. A. T. But that was only recent and after we explicitly went over it. However, even with choppier blending, she could sound out any of the words including ones with digraphs and long vowels. So we move forward.

 

I do take the occasional week long break to work on fluency and review. Well read more Bob books and other readers. Well play some phonics games and do crafts. Then we go back to where we left off. I've taken 2 breaks from new instruction recently. I do find they help with cementing in the concepts.

[scrapper4life]

I chose The Reading Lesson for my first child a few years ago.

 

I checked out the other two from our library, and it seemed like it was teaching you, rather than them, at least at first. So, basically, you had to wade through a whole bunch of chapters about how to use their method and book before actually doing any teaching of the child. Granted, I never got to the point of actually trying them with my child.

 

The Reading Lesson was pretty much pick up and go. I did add Bob books, but it wasn't necessary, I just wanted a "real" book for him to FINISH reading once he learned the basics. I also liked Reading Lesson because there were none of the markings over the words. I didn't want my young child to have to learn to read phonetically and based on markings over his letters, I wanted him to learn to read the way he'd find it in a normal book. I'm sure there are many reasons to use them for teaching reading, but I thought all they added was more confusion and things to decipher on the page.

This is almost exactly what I was going to write. From the library part, to Bob books to open and go and the markings. :) Edited April 25, 2016 by scrapper4life

[ReadingMama1214]

This is almost exactly what I was going to write. From the library part, to Bob books to open and go and the markings. :)

I will say that we are teaching reading phonetically and my daughter doesn't see the markings. Our lessons aren't marked up. I think 100EZ is, but I'm not even sure they use correct phonetically markings.

[dessertbloom]

My dd is about to lesson 70 in OPG. We are working on long vowels when silent e is present. She usually sounds every word out. She is getting better at hooking the sounds together so that it reads caaat more than c. A. T. But that was only recent and after we explicitly went over it. However, even with choppier blending, she could sound out any of the words including ones with digraphs and long vowels. So we move forward.

 

I do take the occasional week long break to work on fluency and review. Well read more Bob books and other readers. Well play some phonics games and do crafts. Then we go back to where we left off. I've taken 2 breaks from new instruction recently. I do find they help with cementing in the concepts.

 

This is really helpful, thanks.

[dessertbloom]

I chose The Reading Lesson for my first child a few years ago.

 

I checked out the other two from our library, and it seemed like it was teaching you, rather than them, at least at first. So, basically, you had to wade through a whole bunch of chapters about how to use their method and book before actually doing any teaching of the child. Granted, I never got to the point of actually trying them with my child.

 

The Reading Lesson was pretty much pick up and go. I did add Bob books, but it wasn't necessary, I just wanted a "real" book for him to FINISH reading once he learned the basics. I also liked Reading Lesson because there were none of the markings over the words. I didn't want my young child to have to learn to read phonetically and based on markings over his letters, I wanted him to learn to read the way he'd find it in a normal book. I'm sure there are many reasons to use them for teaching reading, but I thought all they added was more confusion and things to decipher on the page.

 

This is what dissuades me from PP and attracts me to The Reading Lesson! We have the whole Bob Books collection and have been going through those. I like OPG because it is just so logical to me, as far as the order of what skill is introduced when. I like that it has no added markings, and that it is complete. But the sentences in the lessons...well, wow, the vocabulary used!  The Reading Lesson is so visually simple. Lots of white space, plenty of practice with cute stories. We've almost finished AAR 1 at this point and I love it, but my oldest dd has started to hyperventilate and run away when she sees the readers or anything from the activity book. And I really want something all-in-one-book at this point. She likes Bob Books because she says they are simpler and shorter. What is holding me back from The Reading Lesson is that it doesn't cover everything and doesn't always explain the phonics rules that are happening. Ahhh, indecision...   

[ReadingMama1214]

This is what dissuades me from PP and attracts me to The Reading Lesson! We have the whole Bob Books collection and have been going through those. I like OPG because it is just so logical to me, as far as the order of what skill is introduced when. I like that it has no added markings, and that it is complete. But the sentences in the lessons...well, wow, the vocabulary used! The Reading Lesson is so visually simple. Lots of white space, plenty of practice with cute stories. We've almost finished AAR 1 at this point and I love it, but my oldest dd has started to hyperventilate and run away when she sees the readers or anything from the activity book. And I really want something all-in-one-book at this point. She likes Bob Books because she says they are simpler and shorter. What is holding me back from The Reading Lesson is that it doesn't cover everything and doesn't always explain the phonics rules that are happening. Ahhh, indecision...

What if you got a copy of The ABCs And All Their Tricks? That goes over all of the rules I believe. You could couple that with the Reading Lesson

[bttrflyvld]

We loved OPGTR. We used it as is along with I see Sam readers. Perfect combination.

[ALB]

OPG worked well for my first, but she was eager to begin reading and had figured out most of the rules before we ever covered them.  I tried it with my son, but he was much more resistant to it even when I wrote the sentences on a board.  I do think the amount of reading in some lessons can be overwhelming, but it is a good and solid program. The games can be fun.

I will probably try something different with my next one since I sold our copy of OPG.  

[ScoutTN]

We used PP. Did everything orally, sitting on the sofa. Went from PP to Bob books and quickly to real books. Da used Reading Pathways for reinforcement; Dd didn't need it.

 

OPGTR looked too scripted for me. Once I saw PP, I didn't look at anything else. PP is simple, inexpensive and has nice large print.

[ReadingMama1214]

We used PP. Did everything orally, sitting on the sofa. Went from PP to Bob books and quickly to real books. Da used Reading Pathways for reinforcement; Dd didn't need it.

 

OPGTR looked too scripted for me. Once I saw PP, I didn't look at anything else. PP is simple, inexpensive and has nice large print.

How did you do PP orally? Does it do a lot of the Reading pyramids that Reading Pathways does? I borrowed reading pathways to build fluency with my daughter and she won't even look at it. She doesn't like the look of it or something.

[dessertbloom]

Wow, I was just looking at Progressive Phonics, and it seems like it would be easy to match up the topics with OPG. And they also have a few handwriting, flash card, and activity pages to go with. And very nice that it's all free. :)  Thanks, ladies, for all the insight. I think I'm going to try using OPG as a guide because I really feel comfortable with the scope and sequence, not going with the script, doing everything with our letter magnets, white boards, having her write words out, etc, and add reading practice with Progressive Phonics and our Bob Books collections on the side. We'll see how it goes. :) 

[ReadingMama1214]

Wow, I was just looking at Progressive Phonics, and it seems like it would be easy to match up the topics with OPG. And they also have a few handwriting, flash card, and activity pages to go with. And very nice that it's all free. :) Thanks, ladies, for all the insight. I think I'm going to try using OPG as a guide because I really feel comfortable with the scope and sequence, not going with the script, doing everything with our letter magnets, white boards, having her write words out, etc, and add reading practice with Progressive Phonics and our Bob Books collections on the side. We'll see how it goes. :)

Glad you figured it out! Sounds like a good plan. We don't use the script either for OPG and we use progressive phonics. We haven't used out letter tiles at all. Dd much prefers to just write the words. So I plan to start using them as copy work.

[NancyNellen]

I used PP with all five of mine. I chose it because we began homeschooling in 2001 and PP was what the first edition of WTM recommended. It is very much open-and-go. There is nothing to "wade through" in the beginning. Just start on p. 1 and do a page or two per day. It is simple and straight forward. The only phonetic symbols they introduce are long and short vowel signs. That is only briefly...they disappear quickly.

 

Each of my kids spent 18-24 months going through the book. They were very solid readers by the end.

 

Personally, I don't think you can really go wrong with any of your three choices. Sometimes the best thing is just to pick

one and go forward.

[ScoutTN]

How did you do PP orally? Does it do a lot of the Reading pyramids that Reading Pathways does? I borrowed reading pathways to build fluency with my daughter and she won't even look at it. She doesn't like the look of it or something.

 

We just sat together on the sofa and read it. A page or so a day. I did photocopy the game pages to make the blending games. If writing was included in the directions for the lesson, we just skipped that entirely. I don't think reading should be tied to writing skills. 

 

Have you actually looked at it? It is very simply formatted and not too busy. Some kids don't like the little bookworm, but my kids thought he was fun. There are a few pyramids near the end.

 

If you are choosing among books that are all solid phonics instruction, just pick one and go with it. 

[Targhee]

We just sat together on the sofa and read it. A page or so a day. I did photocopy the game pages to make the blending games. If writing was included in the directions for the lesson, we just skipped that entirely. I don't think reading should be tied to writing skills.

 

Have you actually looked at it? It is very simply formatted and not too busy. Some kids don't like the little bookworm, but my kids thought he was fun. There are a few pyramids near the end.

 

If you are choosing among books that are all solid phonics instruction, just pick one and go with it.

I never considered doing anything but oral work in PP. I'm not even sure how written work would be used.

 

My kids loved their Deweys (there's a template to make your own, we made arms and legs of stiff paper). We use him as a bookmark, or a helper, or a blending tool (instead of your finger).

 

We were able to use PP from the public library - they have half a dozen copies in the system, and I just kept putting another one on hold before my renewals ran out. Free!

[dessertbloom]

Hmm... for those of you who use Phonics Pathways, do you do the games or the spelling notebook recommendation (recommended on p. 243)?   I just sat down to get ready for our phonics lesson today with OPG and realized that the way I was planning to do it really won't accomplish my goal of having something that is no-prep-sit-on-the-couch-and-get-'er-done. Reconsidering Phonics Pathway. 

[ReadingMama1214]

We just sat together on the sofa and read it. A page or so a day. I did photocopy the game pages to make the blending games. If writing was included in the directions for the lesson, we just skipped that entirely. I don't think reading should be tied to writing skills.

 

Have you actually looked at it? It is very simply formatted and not too busy. Some kids don't like the little bookworm, but my kids thought he was fun. There are a few pyramids near the end.

 

If you are choosing among books that are all solid phonics instruction, just pick one and go with it.

We're using OPG, but I got ReadingPathways to help build fluency. Reading Pathways is just the pyramids it seems. Which my daughter didn't seem to like. I did get phonic pathways from the library to look at the games, but didn't photocopy any pages. I'll have to borrow it again for the other games besides the pyramids.

[ReadingMama1214]

Hmm... for those of you who use Phonics Pathways, do you do the games or the spelling notebook recommendation (recommended on p. 243)? I just sat down to get ready for our phonics lesson today with OPG and realized that the way I was planning to do it really won't accomplish my goal of having something that is no-prep-sit-on-the-couch-and-get-'er-done. Reconsidering Phonics Pathway.

We literally sit on the couch and cuddle up and do OPG. Haha. I do write our lesson out but it takes 2-4 minutes tops to do. And I think we can move to the book soon.

[Targhee]

Hmm... for those of you who use Phonics Pathways, do you do the games or the spelling notebook recommendation (recommended on p. 243)? I just sat down to get ready for our phonics lesson today with OPG and realized that the way I was planning to do it really won't accomplish my goal of having something that is no-prep-sit-on-the-couch-and-get-'er-done. Reconsidering Phonics Pathway.

Games, yes!

Spelling notebook, no!

 

I forgot about Spelling notebook - probably because I didn't think it appropriate for the older so didn't think of it at all with younger. My kids on the balance were ready to read long before ready to write.

 

The games are fun (we are a game playing family). My kids let me know if a certain game is no longer fun or no longer needed (by their reaction to my suggestion of the game). It's also nice to be able to turn to a game when we hit a frustration point in the book.

[angelmama1209]

We alternate pp and rp. No prep work, open and go. Depending on their mood, sometimes we do a whole page, sometimes only a section. My oldest was reading before we finished it, but i made her finish it anyway. My next 2 are doing well with it. It's not their favorite, but it gets the job done. We haven't needed to do any of the games and we don't start spelling until phonics is mastered. My 6yo also reads a bob book or dick and jane reader or something similar each day, just because she likes reading books. And I don't make them master a word before moving on, though there are a few pages that have those specific instructions, then we do.

[NancyNellen]

Hmm... for those of you who use Phonics Pathways, do you do the games or the spelling notebook recommendation (recommended on p. 243)?   I just sat down to get ready for our phonics lesson today with OPG and realized that the way I was planning to do it really won't accomplish my goal of having something that is no-prep-sit-on-the-couch-and-get-'er-done. Reconsidering Phonics Pathway. 

 

No, we did neither.

[mom2scouts]

We used The Reading Lesson along with Explode the Code books. It was such a simple method with short lessons. My child finished ETC by the middle of second grade and quickly started reading above grade level.