jojomojo Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My ds4 (5 in April) is reading somewhere around a mid-first grade reading level (took an online evaluation). He started out on Starfall, then around 4 he started Primary Phonics (EPS) and Headsprout. I am not really sure how Primary Phonics is implemented though or how far they got (that is what they use at his Montessori school). He's on episode 55 of Headsprout. He seems to enjoy reading. His reading is pretty smooth (reads with inflection and all), but he stumbles over some words now and then (last reader the words short and drink got him). So now that you know where he's at, let me tell you where I'm at lol I am completely lost when it comes to teaching or choosing a good phonics program. I never learned phonics as a kid. I taught myself to read basically. I have been looking into Webster's, but without a TM, I don't think I can pull it off. I do want something as strong I hear Webster's is though. Also, teaching is not one of my gifts :tongue_smilie:I don't do well with scripts, but I also don't do well with vague instructions on what/how to teach. I'm not creative and I have a hard time going beyond what a TM says to do. I guess my biggest problem is that I don't understand the progression of learning phonics/reading/spelling/etc so I can't figure out what comes next. I don't know what to do with him after he is done with HS (which will probably be the end of next month). And I'm too scared to just buy stuff to try out because money is tight. If anyone could help with suggestions, I would really appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We were most pleased with Phonics Pathways. It is not scripted. It can be slightly vague at first, but if you just ask it is easy to implement. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes per day. It is very open and go. You don't have to start at the beginning. It does follow a basic phonics progression starting with short vowel sounds. Obviously you can skip what he already knows and start with what he doesn't know. I did this with my oldest daughter. http://www.dorbooks.com/phonics.html Best wishes, Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) I have been looking into Webster's, but without a TM, I don't think I can pull it off. I do want something as strong I hear Webster's is though. WRTR with a TM might work for you. Also the A-Squared Curriculum/ Accelerated-Achievement demo disk for only $3. After seeing several other programs, I realize how good this is. We started out with it and then moved on. We are using a combo now... OPGTR, HTTS, with supplements from WRTR and AAS. Its working for us, but takes some work. This thread may help too: What phonics did you use? We tried Abeka and she hated the readers with blends and words but no stories. We tried ETC... she got through it relying on sight--not good. OPGTR alone... not enough review and boring. Plus, with no nonsense words she could get through a lot of it by sight too. She really benefits from whiteboard work and phonogram cards with it now, and HTTS has plenty of suggested nonsense words. The MFW technique was good for K, but I had already done all of it with the A2 demo disk, and I was dissapointed at how slow moving it was, with CVC words the whole year. I like OPGTR because it covers everything, not just one grade level. So if you want to copy me... OPGTR, but use a whiteboard instead of having him read from the book, and to be sure to throw in some nonsense words. Make or get flashcards with the phonograms as he learns them so that there will be plenty of review. A flashcard will have ea on the front, for example and the words meat and steak on the back, and DC supplies you with the sounds of the phonogram that they have learned. Edited January 21, 2009 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in MI Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We used Horizons Phonics and Reading when dd was 5, we really liked it. The TM was helpful but not scripted and the workbooks were colorful and fun. The program also came with two readers that contain short stories to read that relate to the lesson for that day. My dd loved the readers. I highly recommend this program. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daughterofsarah77 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 McRuffy Phonics looks very good, and the teacher manual seems very thorough from what I have seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Phonics Pathways, AlphaPhonics, Explode the Code, and OPGTR (Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading) are all very good. Generally, phonics sort of morphs into spelling (Some publishers start spellin in first grade; others start at second.). Phonics teaches children which combinations of letters says what; spelling teaches dc when to use those different combinations. Spalding, SWR, and other similar methods teach children to read by teaching them to spell. A book that really helped me when I started hsing was "Why Johnny Still Can't Read." It explained what phonics really was and why phonics is more effective than sight-reading. You should be able to find this at the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 You could also take a look at http://donpotter.net/education_pages/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usetoschool Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Any true phonics program will work fine for you. It sounds like he is already a decent reader. A true phonics program teaches all of the sounds of the English language (some say 40, others as much as 44 but it really is a matter of details and how you think of sounds). It also teaches all of the ways those sounds can be written. Generally they start with the consonants used most frequently in English and the ones that have fewer different sounds like /m/ and /t/, and the short (/a/ like in the word at, /e/ like in the word met, etc.) vowel sounds and then just progresses to more and more complicated ways of making sounds. This is a link to a basic chart showing the sounds and the way they are formed. Not mine by the way. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2190438/The-44-Phonemes-Following-is-a-list-of-the-44--phonemes-along-with- It is nice to have readers that progress along with the program and give practice on the sounds learned so far. Fluency comes from practice. Separate readers like Bob books will work also. http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Books-Set-Beginning-Readers/dp/0439845009/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232550301&sr=8-1 A phonics based spelling program takes the process and reverses it - groups words into spelling lists by their phonetic rules. We have always used Spelling Workout ( http://rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1232550687-679756 )but if you search for spelling on these boards you will find reviews and suggestions for many others. Something to watch out for is a program that teaches "sight words" to soon and to often. Most English words can be sounded out and an emphasis on sight words, generally in an attempt to 'get them reading' starts kids on a path of guessing and seeing words as 'pictures' instead of words to be decoded from left to right. Personally, over the years, we have used Alphaphonics, Explode the Code, Jolly Phonics, and Right Track Reading Lessons. I have taught my own kids and some friends kids and all of them are fine readers, regardless of which specific program we used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We use A Beka, but I've learned to tweak it. I've heard good things about Horizons and BJU. More scripting, better readers. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojomojo Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Thanks everyone. A friend has Phonics Pathways, so I'll definitely borrow that and take a look. Our library also has "Why Johnny Still Can't Read" so I'll have to check that out too. Looking up the others now to see if I can find some samples :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 (edited) You have me searching! Many popular programs from an all-in-one companies are heavy on the sight reading, and they seem to be popular! (scary) Here are samples of the flashcards I was referring to. OG is the original multi-sensory phonics program. WRTR and SWR are more complicated spin-offs. http://www.orton-gillingham.com/frmSensationalStrategies.aspx I would use this if I was starting over. I hear about how OG-based phonics is the best, but I never knew there was an OG program. I just discovered this. http://www.howtotutor.com/ Here is some good alpha-phonics info. It is OG based too. Edited January 21, 2009 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 We were most pleased with Phonics Pathways. It is not scripted. It can be slightly vague at first, but if you just ask it is easy to implement. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes per day. It is very open and go. You don't have to start at the beginning. It does follow a basic phonics progression starting with short vowel sounds. Obviously you can skip what he already knows and start with what he doesn't know. I did this with my oldest daughter. http://www.dorbooks.com/phonics.html Best wishes, Jennie We love Phonics Pathways also. I jumped around a lot with oldest dd (it's a miracle she reads so well :blushing:).Found PP for youngest dd. It works great! Economical and easy.Wish I would have found it sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojomojo Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Any true phonics program will work fine for you. It sounds like he is already a decent reader. A true phonics program teaches all of the sounds of the English language (some say 40, others as much as 44 but it really is a matter of details and how you think of sounds). It also teaches all of the ways those sounds can be written. Generally they start with the consonants used most frequently in English and the ones that have fewer different sounds like /m/ and /t/, and the short (/a/ like in the word at, /e/ like in the word met, etc.) vowel sounds and then just progresses to more and more complicated ways of making sounds. This is a link to a basic chart showing the sounds and the way they are formed. Not mine by the way. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/2190438/The-44-Phonemes-Following-is-a-list-of-the-44--phonemes-along-with- It is nice to have readers that progress along with the program and give practice on the sounds learned so far. Fluency comes from practice. Separate readers like Bob books will work also. http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Books-Set-Beginning-Readers/dp/0439845009/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232550301&sr=8-1 This basically describes Headsprout. Anyone know how close HS is to a complete true phonics program? Here's the scope & sequence http://static.headsprout.com/pdf/headsprout%20early%20reading%20scope%20and%20sequence.pdf And after completing a complete phonics program (assuming the child has mastered the concepts taught), where do you go? Separate reading and spelling programs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 This basically describes Headsprout. Anyone know how close HS is to a complete true phonics program? Here's the scope & sequence http://static.headsprout.com/pdf/headsprout%20early%20reading%20scope%20and%20sequence.pdf And after completing a complete phonics program (assuming the child has mastered the concepts taught), where do you go? Separate reading and spelling programs? The S&S looks good, but to be complete you would need to cover all of the phonograms. I think there are 70. Some of the last to be learned usually include gn, igh, dge, wr, io (opinion), eu (feudel). And you would be sure that he can sound out multi-syllable words (lieutenent, suspicion). HTH And yes, separate reading and spelling would come after that (though a lot of people start those before one is done with all phonics). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honey Bee Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I just want to throw in "The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading," its a lot like SWR, except with DVD's which teach you (my kids watch them with me) how to teach the content. My kinder uses it (we are going slowly). I have looked ahead at the scope & sequence very carefully and it is very classical and academic. PR, a lot like SWR teaches spelling, writing, reading, grammar, composition and accurate speaking. There is a good review on SWR yahoo group of the two programs along with other reviews and comparisons. Here's a link to their website http://www.thephonicsroad.com/index.html I hope this will be helpful. I know how much I researched when we began our journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Phonics Pathways is good and fairly easy to follow. I'd start a few lessons behind where he is at to give him practice with a new format and ease him into it. Also, you could read the instructions in Word Mastery and Blend Phonics (free online at Don Potter's Website, http://www.donpotter.net/ed.htm) for ideas about how to teach phonics, they both have pretty good instructions. You could also use either program as a check to make sure he's learned all the phonics taught in each of them. Phonics Pathways teaches a lot more, though, and starts to go into rules, it's a better follow on program. If you sat through my free online phonics lessons, you could tackle any phonics program--including Webster! You could watch them with your son, have him watch the first 10 minutes or so of each until he gets tired, then call pause the movie at the end for the 2 and 3 syllable nonsense and regular words and have him watch those, too. He's a bit young to watch them all the way through. I'd only do one a day at that age, as well. Webster's is actually pretty easy, young teenagers used to teach it in the days of one-room schoolhouses--it's just a little different from the way that phonics is commonly taught now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojomojo Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 (edited) I just wanted to update and thank everyone for the suggestions! I think I'd really love to go with The Phonics Road to Spelling and Reading but I just don't have the funds. I was able to pick up a copy of AlphaPhonics and Phonics Pathways really inexpensively, so I'm going to give these (or one of these) a shot. I haven't given up on the idea of Webster's though. I printed out a copy and still reading up on it :D Edited January 30, 2009 by jojomojo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I was the same way with the Phonics Road. It sounds great. Alpha Phonics is more O-G based. Some have had trouble with the way Phonics Pathways does some things (mainly ending blends), so I would try AP first. GL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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