Phonics ???

[rni'smommy]

I am using The Reading Lesson with ds this year. I noticed that it does not teach phonics rules. Is this important? Will I need to do another phonics program to teach the rules after we finish?

[sarathan]

I'm also using The Reading Lesson and I thought that it *does* teach phonics rules?? Like when it teaches that oo makes the sound as in 'moon'.... isn't that a phonics rule? Maybe I'm confused about what phonics rules actually are, lol. Could someone clarify? Thanks!

[rni'smommy]

I am sorry I didn't mean to confuse you. I know it teaches some I just didn't know if the ones it doesn't teach are important. I guess I didn't word my late night post very well.

[Polly]

You can finish The Reading Lessons and then switch over to All About Spelling or something like that. It teaches the rules. Explode the Code is another one but we haven't had much success with it. It's just busy work in my house.

[water2wine]

I thought I replied to you which is scary because maybe it went some place else, hahaha! Oh well. But I just wanted to say that my little ones that have used and is finishing up the Reading lesson are actually pretty much spelling at what they can read. I'm talking they can play scrabble and my youngest is 5. She does simple words but she can do it. The only thing else we did seriously has been copywork. They actually started it for fun and so I made them a little book of Bible verses (easy ones) and things like My mommy loves me so does Jesus. They love it. They also take the Mc Guffy Readers and do copywork from them for fun. It is not that often I think most of it comes from The Reading Lesson and the CD, because that has been the only thing we have done regularly the rest is just here and there.

On the other hand I have four others that have all had formal phonics training and none can spell at their reading level. It is improving but they were no where near my two little ones at their age in spelling and reading capabilities. But they got some if and some most of their reading training in ps. I really think the way they learn makes a huge difference on how they understand and actually use the phonics in writing. The formal training never stuck for my older kids. Eventually it will all even out I am sure but I can see a definite difference now. I know someone else will have a more formal answer but just wanted to offer that.

[Carrie]

rni'smommy,

The ladies have already done a terrific job of answering your question. The Reading Lesson is a phonics program, which means that it teaches children to read phonetically or by the rules and sounds. It is not a sight word type approach, although it does use some sight words (as all phonics programs do) when a word does not fit the phonics rules. With that being said The Reading Lesson is not a pure rule-based approach such a the Orton-Gillingham method or like Alpha-Phonics or Phonics Pathways.

During my 11 years of public school teaching, we went from using a whole language method to a mixed method and then to a pure phonics approach. What most teachers found was that often kiddos read very well without knowing EVERY phonics rule. Yet, if they do not have a thorough enough treatment of phonics, they are unable to sound out words later when the reading gets tougher. On the flip-side, In a completely rule-based approach, you will sometimes see the reverse effect where kiddos know so many rules that they bog down in the actual reading or do not like reading because it feels too rule-heavy. So, with our phonics picks we have chosen to go with phonics programs that have a balance in the number of needed rules taught in order for kiddos to be strong life-long readers.

The beauty of HOD is that if you prefer a different method or program for phonics, you can easily use your own choice, as HOD works with any phonics program that you choose. Or, if you'd just like to add some targeted rule-based practice, you could add something like Explode the Code.

Blessings,
Carrie

[rni'smommy]

Thankyou. I guess what I am trying to understand is if for example they need to simply know that "ee", and "ea" make the long "e" sound or if they need to know why so they can spell and sound out harder words. I really like The Reading Lesson and its simple format it is just somewhat different from how I was taught. (I was homeschooled and my mom used alphaphonics.)

[my3sons]

...if for example they need to simply know that "ee", and "ea" make the long "e" sound or if they need to know why so they can spell and sound out harder words.

How very exciting to be a second generation homeschooler!?! You must have some wonderful training in your upbringing to fall back on as you homeschool your own dc. I suppose you also have more comparisons though - I'd never thought of that. We're first generation homeschoolers, so it's sort of like we're out on the open prairie here (though I did teach ps and had a bunch of comparisons going on there). Anyway, you are living the dream I have for my dc - to be second generation homeschoolers. We'll see what God's plan is for that though, since He knows better than me. Since Carrie already answered the phonics portion of the question so well, I'll just comment on the spelling portion. I used to teach using Spelling Power and R & S Spelling - both very much "rule" driven programs that continue this way year after year. I actually believed in the rules so much that I used Spelling Power with 32 students in a classroom - bought it myself and implemented it by myself - NUTS - I know! Anyway, a few years ago I decided to give the CM way a try. We did spelling list 2 in Beyond along with all of the activities planned in the Beyond guide. Then, the next year we started dictation with Bigger Hearts. Along with this, we did all of the copywork assignments in HOD as well. We are now in Level 4 dictation in CTC, and I cannot tell you how amazed I am at my ds's spelling!!! These seemingly simple methods have done more for improving spelling than anything else I've ever done with dc. My son even had speech difficulties, and began as a poor speller - but now scored very high in spelling on his standardized test. Anyway, I'd like to encourage you to think outside the box and give these methods a fair shake. How often do you recite a rule when trying to spell something? Other than the "change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'" one, I never do (and that's taught in R & S Grammar anyway. I much more often write the word on paper and ask, "Does it look right?" If it doesn't, I erase it and try another way until it "looks right". This method works - but it IS the HOD combination of copywork, dictation, narration (eventually written narration), and grammar that all work together to teach strong LA skills.

In Christ,
Julie

[rni'smommy]

Thankyou for putting my questions to rest. We like The Reading Lesson so we will keep just keep going.

[mrsrandolph]

All About Spelling is GREAT for rules. Also...any Orton-Gillingham based approach.

We use McRuffy Phonics, and I love it.