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What does it mean to be "done with phonics?"

I am trying to figure out what to do with my 6yo ds (well, he will be 6 in 3 days). He places very solidly in Beyond, so I am considering using Beyond. He is ready for the emerging readers set. But we've not exactly DONE phonics. We did MFW K this year, mostly just for the Bible/science, as he was already beyond the phonics portion of that when we started. Wee have included a few of the phonics activities there, but it only takes you through cvc words. Anyway, my question is, should I be doing something to make sure he's gone through full phonics instruction, or is he good to be working with the emerging readers set, and doing the spelling, etc?

I did request The Reading Lesson from the library so I can take a look at that and see - should I work on that with him over the summer to make sure he fully understands phonics rules before we start the emerging readers? Or is he "done" with phonics, since he can read books that are rated at 2-3 grade level, including reading aloud from the NIrV Bible with about as much trouble as I have with the big names of people and places?

I'd suggest going through TRL, even if it takes longer than the summer, before starting the ERS. I did NOT do that with my oldest who was 4 when we did MFWK and I had no idea she was beyond the phonics of it already. So we quickly moved to MFW1 as soon as she was 5 and she was beyond that! So, we stopped phonics and I let her read. Now, even though she reads WELL beyond average, she is an atrocious speller! It's been really hard for her and I feel going through a phonics program would have really helped keep her spelling at least closer to her reading level. And you'd be amazed at how much it seems she knows her phonics when you hear her figuring out new and long words, only to fnd it's not application of knowledge but guessing until she gets it right. Can't do that with spelling!
Even though my next child has taken off win reading and can do the ERS now, I'm still continuing phonics with him. We will either do alternating days of ERS and phonics, or just do ERS daily and phonics every other day or so. I'll likely start phonics-only school a month before starting the rest to get a head start. I let him play on ClickNKids online phonics program for fun When we aren't doing our phonics book. He is really enjoying it since it's on the computer and it reinforces the skills. I even let my DD9 that didn't do phonics sit and "oversee" his progress for her own benefit

I'm curious about this too. Tamara when you say you are doing phonics with your 2nd child along with the emerging readers, what phonics program/book are you doing?

I agree, that even though a child is reading and seems to be beyond phonics, they still need it or still need something. Everything I've looked into says phonics rules move quickly to teach a child to read and spelling is the phonics rules to teach spelling. With my oldest she was reading well and still reads really well for her age, but her spelling is terrible. She used very little phonics instruction past the basics. She has practiced spelling words since K- but looking back she never learned the why to a word and probably needed more review. Maybe it is just a coincidence that her spelling is so behind but for my next dd who is now six and is reading the beginners bible, I am going to continue with phonics instruction! What program, I am not sure!
I have so many that I purchased to compare but they don't seem to be teaching anything besides decoding and copywork. Since she already knows how to read the words for the phonics rules and since they move so fast through each rule, it seems to be just copywork and not really helping with her spelling?? I'm really wondering if she should slow down and master each rule and the basic words before moving on- structured spelling instruction I guess! ok so maybe just a very thorough spelling program that teaches the rules too.

I agree you should use a phonics program all the way through.

My DD was in ps until this past year...up to 2nd grade. They do not teach phonics much at all, rather sight words. I am going to be doing a remedial phonics program with her this summer because she has hit a wall with reading and its because she cannot sound out words on her own due to the lack of phonics in her younger years. I WISH I had hs'ed her the entire way and she would be reading MUCH better now

I am using the Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading for my boys. it is going well with my 5YO

Still thinking on this one: He is doing some phonics-based spelling, but very little of it. He can easily decode to the end of TRL, so I'm not sure if we need to go back and figure out where to start explaining why the words work that way. He can't do the end of Ordinary Parents' Guide yet (though he can do some of the final multisyllabic words)....but that has some BIG words. Not sure how I'd figure out where to start him in that one either. My 8.5yo did MFW K and 1st (which he was beyond afa reading, but we called the 1st grade phonics "spelling"), and that's all he ever did for phonics. He is a great speller. Hm.

I would highly suggest having some structured phonics time in there....Even though he is probably doing a great job with reading and possibly spelling..phonics skills will give him more strategies to work with forever. I know I was part of the whole language movement and was neglected in phonics instruction. It wasn't until I became a teacher and taught first grade phonics that I started to really understand why some words are the way they are. Perhaps you could purchase the reading lesson CD and that could be independent work and then you could work through the emerging reader set. I understand the desire to jump into the next step ( we are right there with our dd) but you won't regret spending some time on phonics. I always found it made my strong readers become even strong readers and spellers!

My DC are both using the ERs and phonics workbooks (ETC). They seem to really enjoy them and I can get some chores done while they are working on them.