Saturday, August 28, 2010

Hooked on Phonics

I feel so cliche every time I talk about using our Hooked on Phonics program. I guess, eventually, I'll get over the whole "Hooked on Phonics worked for me" corniness.

Anyway, I wanted to post a few extension lessons that Caroline and I have been doing while going through the yellow workbook (level K).

We made a few of the Word Family Worms at http://www.kizclub.com/phonicsactivities.htm. I just printed the pages on cardstock and let her color the pictures before I cut them out and assembled them. I added a flap over the picture window, so she didn't see the picture until she read the word.

I also really like all the phonics worksheets at http://www.kidzone.ws/phonics/. We've done a lot of them in the past - mostly the "a" words. I need to go back and pull the "i" worksheets now. I don't know why they don't have the "o" CVC words.

Here's some cutouts I made for Yellow CD1, Lesson 32 (On the Mat). I had Caroline stack them according to the story.


Full Page Photo


Here's a worksheet that I created for Yellow CD 2, Lesson 1 & 2 (Adding "s" to the end of words.) We are doing this next week.


Wk 1 - Plural Worksheet



Since I know three or four families using the same curriculum, I also thought I'd note a few observations about teaching a 3 (almost 4 year old to read). A friend and I were relating about our experiences today, and I think it's good for me to share that Caroline isn't always the perfect pupil.

I've come to realize that, while Caroline is totally capable of learning to read, it's the emotional maturity that goes along with the learning process that can be difficult. In the beginning, when we worked on a word that she didn't know how to read, she'd get so frustrated that she ended up crying or rolling around on the floor. So, as her mom, it's my job to teach her how to express herself and deal with unknowns. For Caroline, I taught her to greet her new word and say "Hello word, I don't know you. Mommy, I need help sounding this out." I know that probably sounds really cheesey, but it's much better than tantruming on the floor... in my opinion.

Another thing, I've learned to do, now that we have six lines of review words in some lessons, is to break up the lesson. We'll read two or three lines of words and then play "Simeon Says" or do the "Hokey Pokey" or something. Then a few more lines and another game. I'm sure staring at a page of several dozen words can be really daunting to a three year old.

And finally, if she really can't control her emotions, refrain from guessing words, and refuses to respond to my questions such as "What letter does this word start with?," then I just put the lessons away altogether. Which really disappoints her because she hasn't gotten to get her sticker yet.

So, that's all my HOP stuff to share. We just finished CD 1 for the Yellow Kindergarten box and will be starting CD 2 on Monday (our first day of Homepreschool!!).

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