day 164: summertime—beginning reading help—phonics programs to use with struggling young readers—part i of iv

I have already described the difference between the ladder letter approach (ba says bah, be says behhh, neither of which is really true) and word families in phonics instruction. I recommend that you use a word family phonics approach, hopefully one that throws in sight words as it goes and as your child broadens his word calling list. (As opposed to something that uses sight words only, like a “teach your baby to read” program.) Again, sight words have their place, but let’s give our kids all the tools we possibly can in their learning.


When I taught our first six children to read (and many others through my private tutoring practice), I used what was described in the early years of homeschooling as “the Cadillac of reading programs.” The program was called “Play ‘n Talk.” Eventually, many reviewers and reading specialists heralded it as superior to the popular, “Sing, Spell, Read, and Write” because PnT used a strong word family approach, though it for sure did not have all of the bells and whistles of “Sing, Spell, Read, and Write.”


“Play n Talk” is no longer available. The visionary who wrote it is gone, and, unfortunately, it is out of print. (And it would require some revising to sell it today since it was fairly old fashioned in appearance, text, pictures, etc.) PnT had records(!), then cassettes, then cd’s, containing the word families, with coordinating books for the student to read and hear the sounds. It had many practice items with it, including one of the best phonics practices I have ever seen, the popular “slide and sound,” a cardstock system in which the word families were on the right and the beginning sounds were on the left, and the student practiced reading all of the words in each family with the various beginning sounds. (PnT is still available used in many places.)


For my seventh (and last) child, who had fairly strong dyslexic tendencies (though not to the extent of our second child), I used a program that was developed using the Orton-Gilliam method of instruction, a method that was designed specifically for people with dyslexia. While it used that method of instruction, it is appropriate for all learners—and has a remarkable track record. It is called Phonics Tutor, and I will give more details and links about it in tomorrow’s post.


I have had friends who have had great results with a program called Saxon Reading, from the creators of Saxon Math. This program comes with readers for each sound, which is amazing. (See details tomorrow.) Likewise, I have had friends who have remediated their older struggling readers with Saxon Intervention, a remedial phonics program that moves more quickly and is not so “young” looking and childish in its readers, etc.


“Play n Talk,” “Phonics Tutor,” and “Saxon Phonics and Spelling” are all expensive programs. However, I am under the belief that when it comes to teaching children, you get what you pay for. And learning to read well is a spot where I would truly invest whatever finances were necessary within my resources.

Can you teach your child to read, or finish teaching your child to read, this summer without an expensive program? Definitely. I know dozens of students who have learned to read with an inexpensive book called “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons,” despite its unorthodox methods. These students moved seamlessly from that program into a word family spelling program and had great success in school. I know of others who were taught to read by Mom with only a list of phonics sounds and suggestions in a reading handbook—and stacks of readers from the library each week.


If your child is ready to learn to read, you work with him everyday, he is immersed in a reading environment, etc., you will likely help your child greatly this summer, regardless of whether you purchase an elaborate or expensive program. However, if my child were going into second, third, or fourth grade in a school in the fall and still couldn’t read what the school expects him to read, I would spend the money and the time needed to help him catch up to his peers.


Join us tomorrow as I begin reviewing the programs mentioned here in more detail and give links and comparisons.