Phonics Curriculum

Frolicking - posted on 08/29/2012

We are using IEW's (Institute for Excellence in Writing) Primary Arts of Language: Reading and Primary Arts of Language: Writing. My son is 5, so we've been using the curriculum for three weeks now. So far, I really like it and I am seeing a great deal of progress in his interest level and skill.

Juanita - posted on 08/19/2012

"Easyread by Oxford Learning Systems". This is an online program that uses imaginative synthetic phonics to help struggling children learn how to read. It is specially optimized for dyslexic children and highly visual learners. They also explain the 7 main reasons some children have difficulty learning to read.

This program has helped our two children by using lessons that are less than 15 minutes per day 4 to 5 days per week. We have been using it since Mid March and now there is no more crying! Instead, our children are now want to read on their own. They still need help but are I see a huge difference! I wholeheartedly recommend this program!

For more information you can email me at jjmueller1@verizon.net or visit their website. (If you decide to use the program you can get 10% off if you have a referral--Just use JuanitaMueller as a referral)

Jennifer - posted on 04/28/2012

Try www.FirstStepReading.com It has all the video instruction online for free so you can see what it is. The video instructions are animated, musical, and fun. It goes litterally step by step starting with abcs, letters sounds, phonics, sight words and keeps going. I use it with both my children and I love it!

MaryEllen - posted on 10/24/2011

When I was researching homeschooling my daughter, I looked at several different programs and had settled on AlphaPhonics. I should have talked it over with her - While I was researching, she taught herself to read with just her toys - a Leap Frog plushie and a Leap Frog Phonics Desk - both since discontinued.

The point being, When the timing is right anything will work. If the child is not ready, nothing will work.

Melissa - posted on 10/24/2011

I use an older version of Hooked on Phonics systems found at a yard sale for $20 to teach how to read. However, my kids have learned the basics by watching the Leapfrog DVDs. We especially love The Letter Factory and Talking Word Factory, but there are many others. Check your local library to see if they have them. Jumpstart computer games are also great.

Kelly - posted on 03/26/2009

I do my own thing! Montessori influenced.

I have the kids play with a letter puzzle and have them say the sound it makes as the letter is put into the tray.

A year later, I teach the first 25 lessons of 100 EZ Lessons.

Three months later, I use Montessori cards (consonant-vowel-consonant cards and cards with various phonograms on them)

A few months to a year later depending on the child I have the student start reading out of readers. I make flashcards with the phonograms and review those 5 min a day for a year or two.

Writing: I have Kindergarteners trace only.
1st graders trace and copy.
2nd graders copy.
3rd + narrate and copy; trace cursive

LeAnn - posted on 03/22/2009

The 100 easy lessons book is great plus my sister gave me "The Phonics Game" I don't know if you can still get it. It is very old. cassettes and vhs.. but it is a series of card games. Very fun. My daughter and I have a great time playing them.

Bryony - posted on 03/06/2009

I started my daughter out sight reading at 3 1/2 years old, with colour words I had written in the colours they represented. Then we watched a lot of the Leapfrog learning letter factory and word factory. Mostly, though, we did a lot of sight. When she turned 4 I got the dolch word lists (grade specific). She is now nearly 6 and reading at grade 3-4 level. You don't really need curriculum to start, but I am sure there are a lot of good ones out there. My four year old son has been doing flash cards of words he asks me to teach him like: popcorn, tonka and we sound out very simple ones like zap, tap, lap and so on. I like to do it this way so they can let me know what they want to learn.

Jessica - posted on 02/11/2009

I used Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. My oldest wanted to learn to read when she was 3 1/2 so a friend recommended it. I thought for my middle since she was going to start learning to read in kindergarden I would buy a program so I bought Alphabet Island Phonics I hated it so I sent it back. Reading for my youngest and middle has just been really about practice, practice, practice. So I supplemented in Pahtway phonics for them to just give them a little more variety.

I got both books from Timberdoodle which is one of my favorite sights. They write up info on all the products that they sell which has been helpful. I know their suggestions for math probably saved a lot of tears.

Jennifer - posted on 02/07/2009

I have 7 children, going on 8, and three have diagnosed dyslexia. This means that I have used a LOT of programs. By far, the best one I've used is the one I am using now. It is Spell to Write and Read. It has K-college level spelling and teaches children to read the correct way, by listening to how words are sounded out, not by sight. Most phonics programs aren't really phonics! Hard to believe but, true. Even my 2yod has begun to learn the phonograms (sounds of letters in words) and can recognize the letters in both print and cursive. I LOVE Spell to Write and Read! :-)

Amanda - posted on 02/06/2009

I use Abeka- it is very advanced though. You would have to start them out with it almost to use it. JMO Have you ever used http://www.starfall.com/ my 4 yr old loves it. I also jut get out the wooden abc blocks and we play word games with them . They use Jumpstart computer games. Depending on you child age, There are tons of things out there. I am sure they all are good. You just have to find the one that fits your family.

Shalae - posted on 02/03/2009

This was my 1st year homeschooling. We use My Father's World and love it! I cant wait to start My Fathers World with my ds next year!

Candace - posted on 01/14/2009

We had used a variety of things. Fun Family Phonics, Explode the Code, LLLATL, we have 100 easy lessons but have not tried it yet. Sonlight has a really cool reader my son enjoys, I Can Read It. Plus various workbooks, charts, games.

Alyssa - posted on 01/13/2009

My daughter is 4. When she was 2 we started watching Leap's Letter Factory DVD. This was really great at teachning the alphabet and sounds that each letter makes. So when we started with acurriculum she had a leg up. That video was really, really great for her. We use k12. I am new to homeschooling and was not sure what or how to teach so I wanted a comprehensive curriculum to help me. We just completed kindergarten and she is reading on her own. Not just little words but any words she wants. I love it! Plus it uses the computer which I think will give her a head startf later in life.



Just my 2 cents!

Thanks,

Alyssa in Connecticut

Christie - posted on 01/10/2009

I have a first grader, We started with Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading in Kindergarten as my main spine. I am very pleased with it. As a former classroom teacher if I every go back I will take it with me. I also added in Bob Books as he learned the skills. Then about halfway through the Kindergarten I add the Dolch list. which improved his reading skills more than I can express. Those tools along with lots of read alouds are our base.

Danita - posted on 01/04/2009

Hello Heidi, I have four children and my oldest has struggled with reading. I have tried three different types of reading/phonic programs and I think my favorite is,Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons. I bought the book from Amazon. Almost every experienced homeschooler that I have spoken with suggested that book. Phonics can be frustrating and challenging to a child. That is what happened to my daughter. The 100 Easy Lessons makes phonics simple and easy so they can be successful from the start. Then when she gets through the book you could start her on the program you have. She will be ready and confident. Good Luck!

Margaret - posted on 12/29/2008

I don't think I'm going to be much help here. I don't remember a time when my daughter didn't read. She easily goes through a book a day. She was holding board books before she could sit up on her own. We would even hand it to her upside down and she would fix it...lol. I'm sure once your daughter starts reading, she'll be addicted like Sarah (almost 14) too. Good Luck.

Ruthie - posted on 12/28/2008

I've used My Father's World, Abeka, The Phonics Road, and Sights for Sounds. I like the later two the best, especially the last because it's easy to use. But I draw from all of them.

Julie - posted on 12/11/2008

We use K-12 Independent. I started my younger son with Abeka and Read in 100 Easy Lessons, but he wasn't getting it. The K-12 program was laid out in a way that clicked with his mind. My older son excelled with Abeka. Amazing how they can be so different!

Christine - posted on 12/11/2008

I have only used Abeka Language for my children. I have bought the teacher's manual to go with it because language is definately not my strong area so I like having the security of being able to find the teaching tools quickly with the said manuals.

Erica - posted on 11/10/2008

I think the best thing we did to get him ready to read was using Leapfrog's, Letter Factory and Talking words videos. My son is very active and is an auditory learner so using videos really helped him. We are using a mix of K-4 and K-5 curriculum from Abeka this year and he is reading mostly 3 letter words, but is starting to blend and do four letter words. He is only 4. His best friend though is only days different in age and she is no where near ready to read. She has watched the leapfrog videos also, she still doesn't know her letters yet. I think that you have to watch for readiness signs and start when they are ready because otherwise you will frustrate them and yourself.

Carla - posted on 11/03/2008

I am using Alpha Omega's Lifepac, just started Kindergarten this year. My twins are reading a lot of small words now, and enjoy sounding out words wherever they go. They had a boost by using the LeapFrog video "The Letter Factory" when they were 2-3 yrs old. This helped them learn the alphabet and sounds each letter makes. Also, helping them get ahead even more right now, is watching the PBS show "Between the Lions". They have learned blends that are introduced at the end of their K5 curric., and has helped them tremendously!
Many friends say that Abeka curriculum has the best Phonics, but its just too pricey for us right now.

Stacey - posted on 10/31/2008

Hi everyone ~ I'm new here...but, thought I would respond. I have homeschooled my three children from day one...and, we have used Accelerated Christian Education curriculum since day one. Their learning to read program is great. Lessons revolved around a letter each week. You learn the sounds, and do fun activities and coloring pages for each sound. Unfortunately, it's expensive....but, I enjoyed it, and each of my kids are very good readers! (Thankfully, my sister-in-law gave me all of the teachers books, so, it wasn't too expensive for me!) Just find something that would appeal to your daughter, and, something for her level! One thing I did find, was that my son & my oldest daughter were not quite ready to start when we started....but, once they caught on, they did well. My youngest daughter was ready a lot sooner to read than the older two! So ~ each child is different.

Sheryl - posted on 10/27/2008

We use Pathways to Phonics/ Pathways to Reading. It isn't fancy, but it get's the job done! I like that it is quick and to the point! I just brought my older two children home so, I am using this for the first time with my preschooler. He enjoys getting to do school too. I selected it because a close friend of mine used it with her boys and loved it. Her boys are great readers. I taught Abeka in a Christian school and it is very time intensive. It is a good curriculum. It was just too much for my active boy. Your daughter might love the "busy work/seat work." My daughter does. I LOVE my reading curriculum for older kids (second and fourth)...Drawn into the Heart of Reading! We get to pick our own books and activities! LOVE IT!

Krista - posted on 10/27/2008

My son is only 4 so we aren't really doing any curriculum yet but I bought the book "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" used from amazon and he loves the quick daily lesson. He already knew his letter sounds and could sound out simple words but this just builds on that one quick lesson at a time. Your daughter wouldn't have to know her sounds though because it teaches that. It is very structured but so far it has worked really great for us (probably because the lessons don't take very long). I always have a small treat (like a marshmallow or chocolate chip) on the table as incentive to finish the lesson.

Pam - posted on 10/27/2008

Just read a lot lot lot! Check out the "Read Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease and you will be inspired. It is so enjoyable and kids pick up so much! Our three year old taught himself to read this summer and we never did any "work" formally with him, just lots and lots of stories during the day and chapter books at bedtime. Our five year old also. We just had a lot of fun talking about letter sounds and read a lot and she figured it out on her own.

Kari - posted on 10/26/2008

I use Alph Phonics, and we love it. We go at what ever pace my child is ready to work at. when they hit first grade I use Alpha Tutor with it (A computer game that is the Alph Phonics program). It reinforces what we taught in the book with adding spelling in a non traditional way. Hope that helps you, there are so many good programs out there!

Kathy - posted on 10/26/2008

I started out with Saxon Phonics with my first son. It is a very comprehensive program but I found it too time consuming for my family. With my second son, I used an old version of Hooked on Phonics that I found in a yard sale. ($1.00). He was reading within a few weeks. My last child, I began with Hooked on Phonics and switched to Christian Light Education. It has worked wonders for him. He is now reading two and three pages of his grade level literature. I have been well pleased!