Favorite Beginning Phonics programs?

[peachsara]

I'm sure this has been asked many times before - thank you so much for being patient with me!

I want to start soon with a beginners phonics program for my DS (4 years old). Reading is huge in our house and he seems really interested. But, there are so many options, I'm so overwhelmed! And, I wasn't taught to read by phonics, so it is like a whole new world for me.

I know that WTM recommends Phonics Pathways, but have read mixed reviews about this primer. I've heard that Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is good, as is the ETC (get ready, set, and go).

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[theretohere]

We've like the Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching reading here- as long as the child's part is transferred to a white board instead of the book. I like that it goes from prereading to 4th grade- so it's all you'll need.

[sahmmie]

I highly recommend Horizons by Alpha and Omega. They use a spiral approach with lively and colorful workbooks and readers. My dd has progressed from not even knowing her alphabet and almost no letters sounds a year ago, to reading at a 2nd grade level in just over a year. (She completed Horizon's Kindergarten and is 1/2 way through Horizon's first grade). We use their math as well which I also like very much.

[luvmy2girlz29]

I second the Ordinary Parent's Guide To Teaching Reading. You can probably find it at your library to see if it's what you want. Starfall.com and progressivephonics.com are great sites that teach phonics and are free.

Korrie

[philia]

phonics

I can never say enough good things about readingeggs.com.

[elizawill]

i've used "explode the code" in some form or fashion over the past 4 years. we usually rotate it with something else, but ETC is excellent imho. for my daughter, i rotated it with headsprout.com and with my ds, i rotate it with hooked on phonics and reading eggs. hth.

[elizawill]

btw, i see that you're in GA. you can have access to united discovery streaming for free as a homeschooler. they have great phonics type videos too (and tons of other educational videos that rock). also, have you visited starfall.com? that's a great starting point for a 4 year old. lastly, i don't use it - but progressive phonics is free and a lot of people love it. http://www.progressivephonics.com/


hth.

[MissSJ]

We just started with Phonics Pathways and are really enjoying the program. My ds is easily distracted and we found that the pages are pretty clear and not too distracting. I also like that it teaches blending at the beginning of a word in the beginning which is really helping ds understand the concept of blending where previously when we were working on word families with Hooked on Phonics he didn't quite catch on to the blending and said each letter sound separately, thought for a second and then said the word.

The other program we were thinking about was Alpha Phonics, we settled on PPathways because our local Barnes and Noble carried it and it seemed easier to get something I could look through versus ordering something online.

The first lessons are blending a consonant with each of the vowels, for example first "a", then "b-a" (with a distinct pause between) then "ba" (blended) followed by be, bi, bo and bu. At the bottom of each page is some of the blends from the previous lessons so you might see ba, mi, ne, hi... I believe one of the main ideas in having kind of nonsensical blends is the child is working on pure phonics and not trying to guess words (which is what ds was previously doing). The next section starts blending three letter words - ba-t, bat. And so it follows with lessons progressively increasing in complexity up to "His wonderful, remarkable automobile has a super sensitive intercom." on page 235.

Good luck finding a program that works for you!

Oh, and might I recommend the BOB Books when your dc begins to read simple 3 letter words.

[smocklets]

starfall.com --we used the free website and the purchased workbooks. The board game is great too, with several levels.

Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons is good too, once your child is ready. I tried it with my son and he was just frustrated. But after a few more months of starfall, we breezed through the book and it caused a huge leap in his reading skills.

[ambersrose]

We use starfall.com and progressivephonics.com , both are free so they are worth a try

[ChristaN]

We just did starfall and Bob books.

[MyLittleWonders]

Phonics Pathways. We use Hooked on Phonics too, but I think if I had found PP before HOP, I would have just used PP with the accompanying practice book Reading Pathways and BOB books. Ds#1, who usually balks at reading practice time, loves the PP and RP books.

[dotnetdiva]

Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading was the successful tool for us.

Before that, a few viewings of Leapfrog Letter Factory taught the most common sounds of the letters.

We use ReadingEggs.com as a supplement and for fun. ProgressivePhonics is free and very neat. For first readers, we're using Nora Gaydos, BOB Books, Starfall books, and Beehive Reader. We're now to the point where my daughter is attempting to read almost anything, but I want to get her through most of OPG first.

[Rivka5]

Another vote for Progressive Phonics. It's really excellent.

[stlmomof2]

Just wanted to mention that DD is doing Teach Your Child to Read. The book claims that the child will have a 2nd grade reading level at the end. She's on lesson 65 out of 100 and seems to be reading really close to a 2nd grade level.

[sbgrace]

I'm using Headsprout. We did leapfrog letter factory. That's fun and I think all kids will pick up the letter sounds if they don't already know them without any effort with that video.

[elizawill]

yes, i second (or third) the leapfrog dvd's. we love the letter factory & talking word factory. my kids learned a lot from those videos!!!!

[ocelotmom]

I really like Progressive Phonics, too. The leapfrog DVDs are helpful too, but very much a first step, since they only cover one sound each letter makes.

[DharmaDisciple]

I used Reading Reflex by McGuiness as it is hands on moving letter tiles around as you sound them out- it worked for my daughter. I am now deciding whether to use this again as it was so successful or to try Ordinary Parents Guide. Let us know what you decide x

[CParker]

If you haven't already seen this discussion it may be helpful:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1197932

We love Starfall and Progressive Phonics.

My 4 y/o DD was bored with "Learning to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" and outright refused to do anything with BOB books.