How long do you teach Phonics?

[jlpumkin]

My 7yo is a strong reader. I used SL this year and went w/ level 2 regular readers since reading is tied to their LA. She could have easily had readers well beyond that. ETC 4 came with the set as a supplement. She's pretty much blown through it and it seeme to be mostly busy work. So I'm deciding whether to go on to ETC 5 or not. We do weekly trips to the library where she checks out more appropriate level readers: Magic Tree House, American Girl books, Box Car Children - those sorts of things. I'm inclined to think that's enough. What has been your experiences?

[theretohere]

I think you teach phonics until they read well and comfortably. Sounds like she's doing that.
Then when you teach spelling rules you'll hit anything that you didn't with phonics.

[jlpumkin]

See that's what I was thinking, too. Our spelling curriculum this year was a bit weak, but I didn't think we needed too much since she was working phonics ~ so next year, more heavy on spelling and let phonics just fall in there.

[elizawill]

my dd is 8 and finishing up her last phonics program & then she'll be done with phonics. we'll focus on language arts still, but she will no longer be "learning to read", but rather she'll be reading to learn.