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-   -   Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used. (http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/community/showthread.php?t=526976)

Soliloquy 04-10-2019 01:31 PM

Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
I'll update this OP as people post. Feel free to leave a personal review, ask questions, etc. Even if you see a program already listed, feel free to add your own personal review in the thread.

This listing is not an endorsement by GCM.

Bob Books

Life of Fred early readers

Learn to Read in 100 Lessons, Funnix (sequel)

Hooked on Phonics

Reading Eggs (online)

Teach Your Monster to Read (online or app)

Explode the Code

The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

Sing, Spell, Read, and Write

The Measured Mom. Lots of FREE resources. https://www.themeasuredmom.com/

Vicki_T 04-10-2019 01:50 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Reading Eggs (online subscription) - it's a while ago since I looked at this, but my older two used it and got on fairly well, though my elder daughter got bored before she got to the end as some of the levels are quite repetitive. There are lots of levels, starting with learning individual letters and then gradually building up until the child is reading sentences. Children earn eggs and unlock various rewards including mini games. The main thing I disliked is that it uses sight words, which I prefer to avoid - I know that plenty of people do like to teach them though.

Teach your monster to read (Usborne books - free website or app to purchase, but the app is occasionally available for free) - my youngest child (age 6) is working through this right now, and my 9 year old also plays it just because she enjoys it. Like Reading Eggs, children work through levels starting with learning letter sounds and building up to reading words and sentences. I think it moves a bit faster than Reading Eggs and I've had to reset my son's saved game because he'd guessed answers and progressed beyond his reading level. Children can earn points which they can use to buy clothes and accessories for their monster. There does seem to be some emphasis on learning sight words alongside phonics practise.

Pragmatist 04-10-2019 04:40 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Bob Books-

We used the first set of books for both of my children. I think it was a gentle introduction to reading, but they needed something more to actually learn.

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons

I think it's a solid introduction to phonics. It does use some of it's own symbols for sounds. Neither of my children cooperated with it long enough to actually learn with it.

Explode the Code

Set of 8 workbooks that teach phonics. Also has a teacher's guide that we didn't use but I've heard can be helpful. Both of my children got the most out of these workbooks in actually learning to read and progressing.

ECingMama 04-10-2019 05:18 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons followed by their second book $10, Funnix. It's another 100 lessons.

Daughter finished first 75 lessons at 5.5 and repeated them again at 6.5. Finished Funnix by 7.5. Read for fun at 9. Excellent reader. Fantastic comprehension. Needed spelling help though.

Spell to Write and Read its amazing for spelling. Will try for reading too with #3. Daughter went from 3rd grade to 12th grade spelling in 5 months. We'll repeat 5th through 12th grade words and their derivatives next year.

I also like The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading. It goes to 4th grade reading level. Open and go.

I hated All About Reading, but all of the above sources use the same general principles, IMO.

We like The Little Bear books *library, old.

We also love the Frog and Toad books.

JoannaV 04-10-2019 05:32 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons was awesome for us, it was just what my kid needed. (And I could borrow it from my library for 112 days!)

After that, the books in Sing, Spell, Read, and Write provided a good progression. (This was the old version, so this isn't necessary a useful recommendation, lol. Just happened to have it.)

MaybeGracie 04-10-2019 07:08 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
My oldest learned to read easily with Bob Books/general phonics instruction.

My second learned to read in his own time, using Bob Books, general phonics instruction, practice, and time.

My third used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Lessons, which worked very well for her and she enjoyed the process.

My fourth seems to be teaching himself to read by asking questions about words.

mommychem 04-10-2019 08:50 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
I did 100 Easy Lessons with my older two. I’m now going through it with my son. I attempted it at least three time with my oldest, once when she was four, then five, but she wasn’t ready until about age six. Then we took a break in between and came back. She reads excellently. My second got it a bit quicker than my first. She wanted to do multiple lessons in the same day. Now I’m working through it with my five year old. Sometimes we do 4-5 lessons in a week. Sometimes we do one. :shrug But he’s retaining it and is learning to decode outside of the program though we are only around lesson 30.

Soliloquy 04-10-2019 09:06 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
My eldest was a spontaneous reader, starting 2 weeks before her 4th birthday. That was weird, to say the least! She's also an intuitive speller. Never been taught spelling, spells perfectly.


My second child has a very interesting story about learning to read. When he was 6, he said he wanted to learn to read. So I helped with with Bob Books. After about 5 of them (which took maybe 2 days, they're VERY short and there are about 100 books total) he said he was done. :shrug Okay.

I didn't teach him anymore and he didn't read any other books. Then, about 12 months later, he just picked up chapter books and started reading. He's an excellent reader and an intuitive speller. He's never needed any other instruction in reading and has never been taught to spell.

My next two were much more traditional and learned to read with Bob Books and progressed through simple picture books after that. My 3rd child needs a lot of help with spelling. She's got different language wiring than the rest of us.

What I love about Bob Books is that they are so funny!

Maleldil's daughter 04-14-2019 08:12 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
https://www.themeasuredmom.com is a treasure trove of free printable resources, including printable beginning readers. You could have pretty much a full learning-to-read curriculum from just this site for many kids.
We are currently using All About Reading with my ds, who I'm suspecting is dyslexic. It's kind of a slog and he doesn't like it but his reading is improving.

SewingGreenMama 07-31-2019 06:20 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
My 2nd DS has dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. We have been using Logic of English. This curriculum is wonderful. It has quite a learning curve, but so worth it. We just got his diagnosis, so I'm drafting an email to the company to ask for assistance with adjusting the curriculum for dysgraphia. This system is great, I've been able to use it to help my son with his speech struggles, etc. It's been wonderful. I'll come back and say more once I've heard back from the company.

knitlove 08-01-2019 09:06 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
We are almost finished with ordanary parents guide to teaching reading with wiggle worm. She has completely picked it up this year. (we have been slowly going though this book starting when she was 4 and when ever i asked her what she wanted to do it was learn to read and I found it for less than $15)

Early bird tought her self to read at 4 and probably would have been fine with out any spelling. But I have used apples and pears spelling with her.

If wiggle worm was having any issues at all with reading I would have switched her over to dancing bears which is from the same publisher as apples and pears spelling - sound foundations

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Soliloquy 01-23-2020 02:46 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
I'm hoping to update this sticky soon!

JoannaV 01-23-2020 08:05 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JoannaV (Post 6177277)
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons was awesome for us, it was just what my kid needed. (And I could borrow it from my library for 112 days!)

I own a copy now; my second kid is halfway through and it's going great.

mommychem 01-24-2020 06:21 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JoannaV (Post 6202326)
I own a copy now; my second kid is halfway through and it's going great.

I’m using it for my third. We’re about half through, too. He’s doing great. :tu

ECingMama 08-13-2022 02:16 PM

Re: Learning to Read Resources -- Share what you've used.
 
More comments here? My youngest is eager to learn to read. She loves to say words a part at a time. c-a-t

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maleldil's daughter (Post 6177654)
https://www.themeasuredmom.com is a treasure trove of free printable resources, including printable beginning readers. You could have pretty much a full learning-to-read curriculum from just this site for many kids.
We are currently using All About Reading with my ds, who I'm suspecting is dyslexic. It's kind of a slog and he doesn't like it but his reading is improving.

It's a paid membership site now.


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