What is a good phonics follow-up to 100 EZ lessons?

[BikeBookBread]

What phonics program would be a good follow-on to 100EZ lessons for my 5 year old? (Those of you who read my other thread re: the horrible frustration with 100EZ will be happy to learn that now that I've cut out the awful script and eased up on the writing, my daughter actually looks forward to her lesson and is learning! :thumbup:

 

So far, I've only looked at Explode the Code...has such great reviews. Any other suggestions?

[Emilylou]

We are using Explode the Code Book 1 and 2. and any first readers I can get my hands on.

 

I liked 100ez lessons but feel like my ds5 might have missed out on the repetitive phonics instruction he might have gotten from a more formal curriculum.

HTH

[Amber in AUS]

So here's my thoughts. 100EZ teaches reading quite well, it is a great way of teaching kids to blend sounds and teaches the basic phonograms (we have used it with excellent success and I will use it again) BUT it doesn't go into depth with the vowel combinations nor does it teach the trickier phonograms like eigh, dge etc.

 

Explode the Code is a fine consolodating program if your DC doesn't mind all the repitition, the writing and the black & white pages. I have struggled through getting my DD done with book 1 and on to book 2, but honestly this is doing nothing for her reading ability and only helping in the spelling department. She HATES it!

 

I am on the search for something more thorough that doesn't tie reading and spelling together. They are seperate things in my book. They certainly are for my DD.

 

We have used Webster's Speller which is building her reading ability. We are reading through the lists and discussing the syllables, currently on 2 syllable words. Her reading fluency has definately increased since we started doing that. We are not spelling any of the words at this point.

 

After looking at LOADS of different programs I am leaning towards AAS for phonics encoding because it is systematic and rule based with just enough review not to be tedious. I will continue on with Webster's Speller for reading fluency along with readers (we read everyday) and may introduce some of those trickier to decode phonograms through TWRTR (only because I can't afford to buy multiple levels of AAS upfront and I can get this from the library).

 

Just my 0.02c, HTH.

[jenn4]

I used the Bob books, Dr. Seuss, and Step into Reading books with my children to reinforce the phonics. I am using 100EZ for the 3rd time and I love it. I take it slow though. For my 5 year boy, I do maybe one lesson a week. He likes to do more writing than reading. He loves Explode the Code. One thing to remember about 100EZ is that when you are through, your child is reading on a 2nd grade level. My children took way more than 100 days to complete the book, but they were still ahead of their peers when they finished. After some beginning readers and easy chapter books, their reading skills just took off.

 

I'm glad you are enjoying it more!

[Tree House Academy]

We use and love ETC here. My 5 year old is currently finishing book 3. :)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I also disconnected reading and writing. I had one kid zip through the book like a hot knife through butter. He finished the book in less than six months at a younger age that I ever would have predicted. Good thing he wasn't my oldest. My other two both bogged down around lesson 70 when there were more sight words introduced. I used two different remedies.

 

With my oldest, we paused around lesson 70 and did all 60 books in the Scholastic Clifford phonics sets. They are full color and pretty short. Introduced sounds that he'd not mastered in 100EZ. Then we went back and finished 100EZ, had our reading party and moved on to I Can Read books and other controlled vocab readers.

 

With my youngest, we pushed through the 100EZ, then did some of the Clifford books. Then we moved to the Sonlight I Can Read It books. (FWIW, there were times teaching this child that I would have sworn that learning to read was impossible, despite having taught two other kids how to read and read well.)

 

We are also doing flashcards of Dolch sight words. I have cards I printed and cut apart. There are about 50 words per set. Some of the words don't follow phonics rules. Others are short words that a strong reader should just be able to quickly recognize. I time him on each set, working on improving speed on one set while learning the next set. You can find lists of these words by just searching "Dolch sight words" You might want to throw the word "free" into the search so you get lists rather than sets of cards for sale.

 

The last thing is to search for books that your kid can just read. There is a huge step here to move the kid from reading as school to reading for fun, information, relaxation, inspiration, etc. You'll know you're almost there when they read something on the computer over your shoulder. I Can Read, Road to Reading, Dr. Seuss Beginning Reader books, DK readers and others can all help. Unfortunately there is a lot of variety between levels in different series books. And some of the lower level books are based on movies and characters that have lots of sight words (the worst offender I've seen was a Star Wars book. Too many names of characters or alien races that broke rules, especially when my kids hadn't seen that particular movie).

 

But as much as possible, get them reading real books that they will fall in love with and want to read in the back yard, behind the couch, or under the covers with a flashlight.

[ElizabethB]

If you must teach the sight words, I do recommend teaching them phonetically, here's how to teach all but 5 of the 220 Dolch sight words phonetically:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/sightwords.html

 

I would recommend Webster's Speller taught from a white board (pretty small print for a 5 year old.) We did it in K from a white board, this year when we reviewed a bit, early on in the year we used a white board, but later in the year we worked from the uppercase version.

 

If that seems a bit much to figure out how to use, PP or OPG, just do one or two words from each early on section to make sure he has that sound down, when he gets to areas that are new or needs review, spend more time on that section.

[Pine Ledge Academy]

We have used 100 ez lessons, but then went to Phonics Pathways to work or more phonics and harder words. We did not use it for spelling. We would do 10 minutes in PP, then use easy readers. After that, I have used CLP's phonics workbooks just to make sure I haven't missed anything.

[AngieW in Texas]

Funnix level 2 starts right where 100 Easy leaves off. It's done on the computer, so there isn't a script to follow.

 

 

link to my review:

http://www.thehomeschoollibrary.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1024

[Tess in the Burbs]

we used 100 EL but without the writing. we also did ETC with it. then we did OPG(just reading the words-skipping the first section about sounds). this worked great for both of my kids.