Teaching Phonics

As seen in Readng Tip #1, I highly recommend phonics teaching to all children. I've used phonics to teach all the kids I tutor, from as young as 2.5 years old. What I've found is that learning phonics creates avid spellers and better readers. When children can sound out words on their own, they are more interested in reading and will want to try to read more difficult books as well. Spellng comes easy for these phonics-taught kids, which leads to them being to become better writers as well. Teach Teach Teach PHONICS to your kids! If they can talk, they can start learning the sounds of the alphabets.

Here's a little plug from Hooked-on-Phonics about their product and what phonics is:



If you have the financial resource to splurge a little, I recommend purchasing the Hooked-on-Phonics series. You can start your child from as young as 18 months on the toddler edition which is only $19.95.

However, after the Toddler starter kit, for kids ages 3-8, you can move on to or start with the Hooked-on-phonics starter kit. It's pricey, at $199.96 (why $0.96 I have no idea:), but totally worth it. When you're done with this program, your child should be able to read all childrens' books. It comes with the following:

28 Storybooks

8 Celebrated Author Storybooks
8 Workbooks
8 DVDs
Quick Start Guides
8 set of stickers
4 sets of letter and picture flashcards
Access to my.hookedonphonics.com online Learn to Read experience for each lesson and unit
3 Phonics flipbooks
4 Review workbooks
1 Sing-along CD
1 DVD with music and cartoons
1 Make-a-book kit

The next set you should get will be the Master Reader set. Upon completion of this set, I can guarantee that your child will be able to read all chapter books and be a master speller.

Boy, Hooked-on-phonics should really pay me for this posting! lol...but they did create a fine product with their reading line. I'm not impressed with any of their other subjects, especially their Math program as you are not paying for a curriculum but simply exercises. If you are strapped for cash, I found the following video that you can start of with to teach the sounds of the consonants and vowels to your child. I will continue to post videos and instructional worksheets for phonics find excellent for teaching along the way. However, if you can spare a little cash this summer, I highly recommend you purchase the hooked-on-phonics sets. You will be able to use it for all your kids. Perhaps you can even go in on it with some neighbors or good pals with kids around the same age group and start a mini summer phonics home-school program together for your kids!!!