Hooked on Phonics thoughts?

Shell wrote in message
My son is 3 and step-daughter is turning 5. Both are learning how to
spell
in daycare/preschool and are thrilled about it. I was reading a book to
my
step-daughter the other day and she pointed out the word "dance" on
everypage. She was so excited to be able to read the word "dance." My
son joined in and was spelling it out loud.

They're both very excited about reading, spelling and recognizing words.
I wanted something to encourage that.

~Shell

All you need to do is keep reading to them and letting them sound out words
for themselves. You really don't need any expensive programs to teach them
to read.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

Shell wrote in message
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"H Schinske" wrote in message
...
"Shell" wrote in message
.net...
I just purchased the Learn to Read program. Does anyone have it?
What
My son is 3 and step-daughter is turning 5. Both are learning how to
spell
in daycare/preschool and are thrilled about it. I was reading a book to
my
step-daughter the other day and she pointed out the word "dance" on
everypage. She was so excited to be able to read the word "dance." My
son
joined in and was spelling it out loud.

They're both very excited about reading, spelling and recognizing words.
I
wanted something to encourage that.

Dd uses flash cards that I printed off the computer. She loves doing her
"words" and will watch over my shoulder as I type and point out every word
she knows. She's particularly fond of the word "and" and picks it out from
all sorts of things, like newspapers and things. I started using them when
she was about 20 months when she showed that she recognised her name and the
word "mummy". My mum taught us all to read like that, and my brother could
write pretty well by just over 3. He had a speech impedement and would write
rather than talk to get understood. Dd hasn't that motivation, and although
she's 3 tomorrow (must go and wrap the presents up!) can only write a couple
of letters, and those have only developed as she's done them by accident
when scribbling and realised that it looked like particular letters and then
done it again and again until she could do it when she wanted to.
She's recently started copy-typing on the computer, which I'm not sure how
much to encourage, as I think she might get frustrated at the slowness of
handwriting. But it's one of her favourite activities. She finds a book or
something with words on and copies it letter by letter, and then we read it
together.

If you want to make flashcards then I write words that she likes in large
type (at least 36 point) in red. Don't do them different colours or they can
use the colours to recognise rather than the letters. I started with her
name, mummy and daddy, but now I'll ask her which word she wants next. I
cover them with sticky-back-plastic so they last better.
When we're doing them regularly (I go through them when she asks to do them
which varies from once a week to sometimes 2-3 times a day) then she gets a
new word if she gets all the old ones right. As she's too many words now, I
don't do them all at once, but pick out some, so she doesn't get bored.

We do other games with them: Like I'll write down a sentence for her to read
using words that she knows ("mummy and daddy like washing the shoes") which
is a bit harder for her to remember to read the words separately.
or put the words out on the table and ask for all beginning with say letter
"d", and she'll read them as we pick them up, or pick out the words that are
a colour and things like that.

If she gets bored half way through then I stop as I don't want her to think
it's work. At the moment she's enjoying it.

The other day she was talking about her teddy, and I said to her that she
used to say "teda" for teddy, and she said "t for teddy" which isn't
something I've particularly done with her, so I was rather surprised.

Basically I'm trying to say that if they're keen then you can keep to basics
rather than spending a lot. With two children I'm sure you can make flash
cards into more of a game too. I think reading to them should encourage them
more than anything else.

Debbie

"Shell" wrote in message
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"Byron Canfield" wrote in message
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"Shell" wrote in message
. net...
I just purchased the Learn to Read program. Does anyone have it?
What
do
you think? Has anyone heard anything about it?

~Shell


You could also try the on-line reading program from Headsprout
(http://www.headsprout.com). It's a try before you buy kinda thing --
your
child can do the first three episodes (four, if you count the mouse
training) free. Then, if it looks like it's working, you can make the
decision whether to purchase.

Great. Thanks!

Another point of note, no other program that purports to teach reading will
provide the guarantee provided by Headsprout (see:
http://www.headsprout.com/FAQs/#r4) -- note, not just "satisfaction" is
guaranteed; "amazement" is guaranteed.

"Your Amazement Guaranteed
Buy Headsprout and give it a real try and we guarantee you will be amazed.
Take as long as you want to complete the program, but you'll know right away
that it works. If you're not amazed at the progress you see within just 30
days, just send us an email within that time to receive a complete refund.
No hassles having to return anything - you keep the Headsprout Booklets and
Progress Map. There's no risk in purchasing Headsprout."


--
"There are 10 kinds of people in the world:
those who understand binary numbers and those who don't."
-----------------------------
Byron "Barn" Canfield