We have also been utilizing the free program Progressive Phonics. After printing the first book of the Beginner level, we decided to just read the rest on the laptop. These are not something that Gerrick wanted to read more than once, so printing them would have been a waste of paper and ink. I have printed the word cards and he does enjoy playing the word matching games with those.
I have pulled out the readers from the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Kindergarten kit that I had originally planned to use before I found Reading Eggs & Progressive Phonics. (If you are interested in these, check your used bookstores. I've found the first grade box already for next to nothing.) He reads at least one of them to me daily. We keep them in a basket on top of the workbox drawers. The new ones are kept in a rubber band (in order of difficulty). He always has the option of choosing a previously read book or the front new one.
We didn't use the writing sheets included with Progressive Phonics for very long. Gerrick just didn't enjoy them and I convinced myself that he really doesn't need them either. They were just too much for him. Instead, I bought a lined dry-erase board, and he is copying one word of his choice a day. He only has to write it once to the best of his ability, but sometimes he chooses to do more.
But, as always, the most important things we are doing to encourage his literacy development are talking, taking time to enjoy books and magazines together,...
...and filling our home with good quality books. He was thrilled to be able to pick out all of these recently at a local used bookstore after I exchanged a bagful of books I didn't want anymore for store credit!
Mmm, I like that "word of the day" thing.
ReplyDeleteWonder if Trev would go for a secret "word of the day"?
It sounds like your son is progressing nicely. We have been using Progressive Phonics and it is moving along with my daughter. My son likes to use the cards to play the games. They both don't care for the writing worksheets, but I like your idea of the dry erase board. We have the same ones. I think I will try that and see if it works for us.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. We use a dry erase board too. I think it makes writing more fun. I can't believe that I never thought of bringing unwanted books to our local used bookstore to exchange. I have been donating ours to the library.
ReplyDeleteOur son stuggled with writing as his brain went faster than his hand, we loved/used Hand Writing Without Tears
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hwtears.com/
Boys are so wired differently - I love all the nature you do with your son. I miss that age.
Something we also did was take a shower curtain and put the alphabet in big blocks all over. I would call out sounds and he would swat the letter that matched the sound. This works well with spelling too. There is just something to that action/movement.
Hey, Sherry! You know how much I enjoy stealing from, I mean reading, your blog. I gave you the Beautiful Blogger Award today. You can read more about it on my blog: http://amyscruggs.blogspot.com/2010/02/beautiful-blogger-award.html. I'd be honored if you accept it!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you should mention HOP. I revisited HOP after asking you how Progressive Phonics was coming along.
ReplyDeleteWe have a bunch of boxed sets of HOP titles but the CD-ROMs don't work with Vista. I called HOP and they gave me codes to use on their website--now, I have full access to their current programs!
I'm considering using it for kindergarten--but as I told you earlier on FB...Benjamin couldn't care less about learning to read. So, we'll see. :)
Upon reading this post earlier I immediately checked out Reading Eggs and showed it to Amie. She loves it! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYour son has very neat penmanship! We have the HOP books too, Meara LOVES to read them. We are using the workbooks as well. That system has really helped her to become a good reader.
ReplyDelete