Phonics for a beginner

[Mom2mthj]

My older three have been using relatively full cores for about 3 years now with varying amounts of MP prior to that. I have never used First Start Reading for any of them. I do have Classical Phonics from using the first and second grade cores with my boys. I had it out the other day and it appears that kiddo #4 who turns four at the end of the month can read of unit 1 in the classical phonics book along with the first several of the bob books I own. He actually brought it to me this morning at breakfast to read me a couple of word lists. He doesn't really know any sight words besides teaching him a couple of days ago the word "the". He was able to sound out the word and. I have a couple of questions...

How long does first start reading take to make it through short vowel, CVC words? Do the phonics lessons introduce blends before moving into classical phonics unit on long vowels? I don't know that this guy is ready for the writing in FSR just yet, but he does like to play around with bananagram tiles.

Do the primary phonics readers in the kindergarten program only use CVC words or do they require sight words? I want to hang out here for awhile, but I have had trouble at this level in the past finding reading material for practice before they just started memorizing the stories. I looked at the library and while they have many new selections labeled "phonics readers" someone really needs to remind publishers that the child needing to be introduced to short e is NOT ready to read the word "ready" or have long vowel words sprinkled in as well.

Thanks for any direction. I wasn't planning on starting reading lessons quite so soon, but I feel like I should start something casual since he figured out the basics and his excitement level about reading is through the roof.

[Michelle T]

Re: Phonics for a beginner

Greetings!

Thanks for the thorough explanation of your situation. My first thought is that what you are doing with your little one is perfect. Since he really isn't ready to write, I would ask if he has the attention span for a lesson. If not, he will continue progressing enough, just through hearing and absorbing he older student's lessons while he plays nearby. Read to him everyday and allow him to "read to you" from Classical Phonics or the phonetic readers you own.

Give your child time to gain fine motor skills and phonemic readiness. Play rhyming games with him. Tell him cat, rat, and ask, " What else rhymes?" Do listening activities. Say things such as, "Bring me a b-a-l-l (saying the letters one sound at a time slowly.) Or, "Touch your n-o-s-e."

There is no need to rush, due to his age, go at his pace. I could suggest the Alphabet Books 1 and 2 to help with develop his writing.

When ready to begin FSR, it will be a comprehensive Phonics, reading and writing program. Books A-C cover all the alphabet sounds using only short vowels. Some common words are taught as whole words to make reading of stories possible. But these are kept at a minimum.

We spend about 20 weeks on these three books to solidify short vowels and master letter sounds and blending. This helps with later lessons in spelling and reading. Book D will introduce long vowels with silent e, consonant blends and h diagraphs. Then Book E moves into vowel teams, soft c and g and the three sounds of y. Words that have not been introduced will not surprise you in the FSR stories. The writing is a key component because encoding aids mastery. If he doesn't write he also cannot do the dictation component in the lessons. Some grammar, capitalization and punctuation is taught through dictation.

We like the Phonetic Readers by the American Language Series, "Fun in the Sun", "Samp and Tramp", and "Soft and White". Those are books with several little stories. For Phonetic Readers that focus on only one or two sounds, the EPS colored readers are nice.

I agree the Bob Books have too many words that are beyond level, even in the first book.

HTH,
Michelle T

[KF2000]

Re: Phonics for a beginner

Hey Dorinda!
I just wanted to share too that I usually help my four year olds begin reading like you are doing - using an assortment of various things we have used well over the years. They usually become pretty confident readers by the beginning of K - still mostly short vowels.

But then I still begin FSR at the beginning, doing the entire thing as scheduled in Kindergarten. I am getting ready to do this for the third time, and I have seen it be a great way to meet the reading "need," and then revisit all the basics while letting the handwriting catch up. Lots of review, but always helpful.


AMDG,
Sarah

[Mom2mthj]

Re: Phonics for a beginner

Thanks for the information on FSR. I was mostly curious if it took a different route than classical phonics and it sounds like it does. I think he has the attention span for a lesson and is very competent with scissors and easier mazes, but he still seems to be figuring out which hand he prefers. He cuts with his left and is still variable with his choice for coloring and mazes so I don't want to start with "handwriting" yet. I would have to think about whether I would go back and start over on reading just for handwriting. It would have driven my daughter nuts if I had done that to her. I guess a lot will depend on how far he gets and how solid he is. He will be four at the end of the month so he has close to a year and a half until kindergarten. Too soon to tell.

Thanks again and hope all of you had a Happy Easter.

[Michelle T]

Re: Phonics for a beginner

FSR and Classical Phonics do follow basically the same pathway which is an Orton-Gillinham path.

Blessings,
Michelle T