Phonics Fun and the Letter "P"

B has been so excited about learning her letters and phonetic sounds using a program called Frontline Phonics. This is a secular program that I've used with all of my older kids (three successful readers thus far). I started using this program 6 years ago when M was 4 yrs. old. I love almost everything about it (the exception is the "W" flashcard which has a witch). Their approach to teaching is varied in its methods and has many different itegrated items to help teach the lesson of the day. Frontline Phonics uses:

* a catchy (yet annoying) alphabet song teaches the phonetic pronunciation

*a song for each letter sound

* flash cards and pictures visually remind them as they sing the song

* characters picture each sound and are given as rewards cards

* a story uses the letter sound repeatedly and is about the character

*student workbook focuses on initial sound distinction and letter writing practice

*activity booklet gives additional exercises and hands-on experiences for reinforcing the sound

*beginning reader books that progress along with the lessons

*student starts blending and "reading" words after learning 5-6 letters BECAUSE THEY DON'T LEARN THE LETTERS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

I try to supplement a little with my own activities to reinforce the lesson, but the activity booklet has some great ideas you can implement. Whenever possible we do a snack related to the letter of the day. Using as many of your senses as possible to remember something, helps my kids. This picture shows our "P" snacks for that day (Picante sauce with chips, Pretzels, Peanuts, and Popcorn). The older kids are more than happy to help teach the new reader when they get to share in the snack, too.

The workbook is supposed to be consumable, but I like to reuse many of the simpler consumable workbooks for the lower grades. I place a clear, flat, plastic sheet over the page and then have the student use a dry erase marker or an overhead projector marker to do their work. Once they are done, they erase it and the page is good as new ready for the next student to use it. When you have 6 kids on a tight budget, you have to reuse what you can.

Frontline Phonics is a secular program, so I very quickly start to suppliment it with wholesome Catholic early readers. Seton's Faith and Freedom series is fabulous for this, as well as, Catholic Heritage Curriculum's Little Stories for Little Folks readers. Basically, when I am done teaching my kids to read, they've gone through three different early reading programs. Each program has its strengths and weaknesses. I figure this way, I've hopefully filled in the gaps that any one program alone might have. Happy reading.