{Review} Alpha-Phonics

Over the years I have tried quite a few products aimed at teaching your child how to read. From workbooks to computer games to hands-on learning products. I have made my own and I have used others. And when I look back over the years of teaching my kids how to read, I can see which products were used and forgotten and which were used over and over. And what I have learned, is that we prefer the simple and the plain when it comes to reading and phonics products. So when I was approached by the creators of Alpha-Phonics to try their product, I was ready to give it a try and see if it would work for my current struggling reader.

What is Alpha-Phonics?

 On the front cover of the Alpha-Phonics books states this well. It describes Alpha-Phonics as:

"An effective, setp-by-step, intensive phonics program for teaching reading to beginners of all ages. Designed for easy use by teachers, tutors, and parents"

And that is exactly what it is. The Alpha-Phonics primer is one book, with no frills, no pictures, no characters and no color. It reminds me very much of the old 1900 primers I used to use with my older kids when they were learning to read. The book is all inclusive- with lessons, teachers manual and pre-reading exercises all included in the same book.

Alpha-Phonics also sells optional resources to go along with the Alpha-Phonics textbook. These include Alpha-Phonics & How To Tutor Phonics Workbook and the Alpha-Phonics & How To Tutor Little Companion Readers. These can be used in conjunction with the textbook to enhance learning and solidify skills.

How We Used Alpha-Phonics

I am currently working with my 6 1/2 year old on learning to read. He has a base knowledge but was having a hard time picking up speed and moving forward. We were given a copy of the Alpha-Phonics textbook, the optional workbook and the companion readers. We started Alpha-Phonics at the beginning but proceeded quickly through the early lessons,  sometimes doing a few per sitting since they were review for him.

The textbook is set up so that the child learns something new- a letter sound, a blend, etc and practices reading words using that new item. Then the following lesson focuses on practicing reading sentences containing the new and previously learned sounds.

At this time I chose not to use the supplemental workbook, but we did use the Little Companion Readers. My son is very stubborn, to the point where I often don't know what his actual reading level is because half the time he refuse to try just because he wants to. We worked through one, or 2 lessons, per day together. Each week I gave him one of the companion readers to read silently to himself. Each of the kids have a required 30-60 min block of silent reading per day. He was to read the book to himself each day, coming to me if he got stuck. At the end of the week, or when he was ready, he would then read the book aloud to me. Doing it this way took his attitude out of the equation and having him read the book multiple times meant that he had a chance to pick up speed in his reading. Often by the time he read aloud he could read it at a normal rate and even add in some inflections.

The Bottom Line

I really enjoyed the Alpha-Phonics program and it's simplicity. I think my son's reading has improved in the past months that we have used it. I use it in conjunction with his previous language workbooks and our own collection of early readers. 

What I liked most:

• As I have said a few times, simple is so much better for me and this is as simple and no-frills as you can get. 
• I like that it is for any age- even adults can learn to read with this program without fear that it is too "kiddie".
• The price is very reasonable  for a curriculum that can be used on any age, over and over again. 
• It works. My struggling reader picked up speed and confidence. He fought against it less and learned more.

What I struggled with.....well I am not sure I have anything I can list here. But if you enjoy a more flashy program or if you need a script of what to say, Alpha-Phonics probably isn't for you.  If your kids want and thrive on the busyness of a character-covered page, you probably should skip this one. But if you want a reasonably priced curriculum that will do what it promises, I don't think you will be disappointed with Alpha-Phonics.

 

For More Information:

If you head over to the Alpha-Phonics website you will find videos and talks from the creator as well as videos from parents using Alpha-Phonics. You will find links on how to purchase as well as information on the entire line of products. 

You can watch one of these videos below:



 If you give Alpha-Phonics a try, let me know if you like it as much as I did!

{Review} Come on an Ooka Island Adventure!

Reading. It's one of the most important skills anyone can have. It's also one of the most stressful parts of homeschooling. I have successfully taught 3 of my 5 kids to read. I was not blessed with self-starters or motivated readers. None of my 3 oldest taught themselves, none of them zipped through words quickly and effortlessly, and none read for pleasure for a long time. You would think that having done it 3 times before, teaching #4 would be a breeze. But like with most things, my kids are all very different and what works for one definitely doesn't work for the next. Lakin and I are in a frustrating place right now in his reading journey. He's stubborn, a perfectionist, and doesn't have a huge attention span. We are making slow but steady progress, and I will take any help I can get when it comes to teaching how to read. I am a firm believer that practice makes perfect, so the more words, books, games that have to do with language the better.

Over the years I have used many different computer programs aimed at teaching phonics and language skills. I have used CD based programs, free website, subscription based websites and free trials of many more. So when I was asked to try out Ooka Island I was pretty excited. Like I said- I will take any help I can get in hopes that it will help make reading click!

About the Product:

Ooka Island is learn to read game designed for kids at the Pre-K to 2nd Grade level. It teaches phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension. It is a self contained application on your computer, available for both Mac and PC, that adapts to your child based on their abilities as they go through the program.

Ooka Island follows a cycle of guided play, e-reader and free play to help keep the kids engaged and eager to learn. The Ooka Island map is full of fun and games such as Alphabet Mountain, The Cake Factory and Bubbly Trubbly that teach things phonics, blending, decoding and sequencing. The player moves through these games during the guided part of each lesson. Then they enter the Popcorn Library to read and earn books. In this e-reader section they listen to a book and complete comprehension activities. You can even print out a book path for them to place stickers on as they complete each book.

In addition to the application, there is a online component to the game where parents can go to see their child's progress. You can view all sorts of reports and analysis and see how your child is progressing. You can also find resources to use offline such as workbooks, book paths, certificates and even music to help keep your child excited!

What did we think?

Lakin LOVES games like this, and he was so excited when it came in the mail. It is very visually appealing which means kids are excited right off the bat.

What I liked most:

• I like that is it self adapting. We have used programs in the past that don't adapt as the child progresses and this leads to boredom or frustration as things become too easy or too hard. 
• This program does a really good job of keeping interest alive. The games change with enough frequency and they have enough movement and story lines involved to keep you thinking. 
• Extra resources. Games like this are only part of teaching your child to read. It's still very hands on with parental involvement required. The activity books are great reinforcement for what they are learning in the game and the other resources work to keep the excitement alive. 
• I liked that it had a lot of directed activities. This meant that Lakin couldn't keep repeating his favorite games  and he couldn't skip those he didn't particularly like. 

Things to think about:

We've tried quite a few computer based games in our reading journey, and what I have learned is that they all have good qualities and they all share a common goal. The biggest variable in the equation is your child. Different kids prefer different games, so I have always been a fan of the "free trial" offered by many companies. This way I can know for sure if my child is going to mesh well with the game. Being a self contained application, this might be hard to do, but I think some sort of Demo CD or online sample games might be a good idea so that customers, and their kids, can get a good feel for the game before making their purchase.  That being said, my child really enjoyed his time on Ooka Island, and I can see that his skills improved because of it.

Want to purchase Ooka Island for yourself?

Ooka Island can be purchased from their website for the following prices:

Individual:
 
    $12.95 per month or $124.95 annually

Family (of up to 4 children):

   $19.95 per month or $149.95 annually

 And right now you can get up to 30% off your subscription by clicking here!

National Geographic Super Readers- Review and Giveaway

 Recently I was given the opportunity to review National Geographic Super Readers program. Any program holding the National Geographic name has a lot to live up to and this program does not disappoint.  They have leveled readers on fun non-fiction topics that go from Pre-Reader to Level 3 (Fluent). The topics are those that kids love- animals, vehicles, volcanoes, etc. To go along with the books, parents and kids can go to the Super Readers website and download a poster of all the books along with badges, bookmarks, and other fun prizes to win as they move through the different levels. These all work together to help make learning to read fun and exciting. 

We received 4 books as part of our review package. One level 2 super reader book, a National Geographic Chapter book,  the Ultimate Weird but True and an Everything Castles book. We also received the poster and stickers.

So what did we think of the program and other National Geographic titles? First off, as soon as the books arrived they were whipped from the box and I didn't see them for quite awhile. So obviously my kids loved them. The leveled reader was Sharks, which completely fits with Cohen's latest obsession with sharks, dolphins and whales. It was well written, full of great information and not at all dumbed down. That is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to readers- the language has been dumbed down so much that it doesn't seem as real any more and kids don't enjoy the reading experience when that happens. The National Geographic book was of good length- challenging enough to help readers grow but not so much that one might give up. The kids had a good long look at the poster too- and mentioned that they wanted a bunch of the other titles. So the program's topics are spot on with what [my] kids want to read.

I think the most enjoyed book was the Ultimate Weird but True title. This is the perfect book for my kids- full of picture and random facts. The type of book that makes them come to you with "did you know..." type statements. If I could change one thing it would be that some of the pages were just too busy for me. I preferred the pages that were broken up a bit more with pictures and blurbs about what made it so strange or interesting. This didn't bother the kids in the least though, and they all read the book cover to cover. Multiple times.

The Everything Castles book was also equally impressive. It has a ton of information, lots of pictures and drawings. There is a ton to read, but it is broken up nicely so that young readers wouldn't get overwhelmed with huge paragraphs. There are a few other titles available- Ancient Egypt, Rocks, Sharks, Dolphins and Big Cats- all of which look equally impressive.

You can find out more information about all that National Geographic Kids has to offer on their website. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

And now for the Giveaway! I am giving away a National Geographic Super Reader Book, along with a poster, book marks and badges to 3 lucky winners! This giveaway is limited to residents of the US and will end next Wednesday, November 14, at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the MomsMeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product. All opinions are my own.

Balance: In Reading

I have always been a reader- well at least up until I had kids anyway. Now I read for myself when I can, but usually I am reading for or to the kids. But that isn't the point....

There are so many different books out there- both fiction and non- some of which I would like my kids to read and some I would rather steer clear and avoid altogether.


My kids are not exactly avid readers. They are avid listeners. And they enjoy reading picture books to themselves, but the key there is the pictures. But when it comes to chapter books there have been few that grab their attention enough to make them want to read, to themselves, outside of the their required 30 minutes a day. I have hopes for Cohen and Lakin- who can't quite read long, picture-less books yet. Cohen will sit down and read chapter books- at least the words he can.



So when my oldest found the Horrible Harry books- which are not exactly literature, but not too bad- I was happy that he was reading for pleasure. When Paul and the boys read the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series, I was equally pleased. They were reading!

For school reading I require 2 things-
1. Read 30 minutes a day. I do encourage the older 2 to read novels as opposed to picture books.
2. Read a novel of my choice once a month. These are ones I ask questions about as they read 1 chapter a day.



These are more carefully selected. More classic. More substance. They hate the questions, because they tend to not read very carefully, but they usually enjoy the books.

But in the name of balance, in the name of reading, I now have 2 books I always swore I would never have in my house sitting in our book basket.

and

And that is okay. I read my fair share of non-literature growing up. When I was Rylan's age I lived on R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike books. And I am okay. I still turned into a teen who asked for a dictionary (think big, 20 lb Webster's dictionary) for Chirstmas. And while I spent a lot of time reading V.C. Andrews I also spent a lot of time reading Anne Tyler.


There is a place in the world for all books. Either for learning, entertainment or just escape reality and get lost in a world not your own. And it's okay that my oldest has read The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants over and over in the past couple weeks because he's also been pouring over an illustrated version of Beowulf and just started reading The Book of Three. Balance.

4th Grade Reading List

I have a list in my binder of books for each grade. These are titles I have pulled from a variety of sources. Some are based on literary merit that I want my guys to read. And some are chosen based on subjects I think may help them find the books that speak to them. The ones they just can't put down. I think I have finally narrowed down my 4th graders books for the year. I plan on assigning one book a month- in addition to their required 30 min. silent reading per day. I will ask him a couple questions on each chapter or have him summarize it. And when he reads it entirely he will have some sort of final project- from writing a review to a plot summary to a "book report". I haven't quiet decided what those project choices will be yet.

I am starting rather easy. Sort of below his level. I think he will have more trouble (read: he will fight me and complain about doing it) with the comprehension stuff since he doesn't like change and I have never asked him to do stuff like that. So simple books will ease him into that. Here's a list of a few of the books I plan on using. I reserve the right to change my mind of course...

Sarah, Plain and Tall.
He's 3 chapters in right now, since we started school on Monday.

The Sword in the Tree

Again a pretty easy read. I will probably assign it to my 2nd grader at the end of the year too. But I think he will like it.

Stone Fox

The Whipping Boy

Robinson Crusoe

I am not positive I am using this version...it's just the one I have here at the house.

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World

The Great Turkey Walk

Shiloh

A couple others on my list are:

Ben and Me

James and the Giant Peach

The Wind in the Willows


And this one isn't one I have assigned...just putting it in his line of sight. It's the type of book he tends to like....so we'll see if he bites.

Reading Corner

Like most people, okay, well like most homeschoolers, we have books in every room of the house. From the cookbooks in the kitchen to the curriculum/school resource books in my room to the kids books....everywhere. We have one very large shelf that sits in the playroom- it's been in my home as long as I can remember and my dad gave it to me when he downsized a couple years ago. It's got our books, kids books, college text books and it is stuffed full. Since it arrived it has been along one wall, covering up our poster of George Washington. Last week the boys and I took off all the books and moved it so it is jutting out into the middle of the room...

Added a couple comfy places to sit and a lamp...


And now they have a quiet, comfortable place to read...


And the back of the shelf is proving useful too.

Sea Turtles

Reading Lesson:
Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons
All About Turtles by Jim Arnosky

Art Lesson:
Based off of the Foil Turtle and Fish Collage Lesson from Deep Space Sparkle

drawn, outlined, then paintedCale's
---------------------------------------------------------------

Cohen's
--------------------------------------------

Rylan's
----------------------------------------------------

Writing Lesson:

Poetry

Cale's on the Green Sea Turtle

Rylan's on the Leatherback Sea Turtle

They plan to make green paper sea turtles and rewrite their poems on those...but first we need to make a construction paper run....we are down to black, pink and brown.....

Poppy

We've been reading the book Poppy by Avi for the past few weeks and finally finished it yesterday. Since this is our literature week we have been describing characters and mapping plots. Today we made a game. It took a lot of recall on their part to remember the different places in the book, the mice's names, when and where certain negative and positive things happened, etc.

First up, the players. 4 mice: Poppy, Basil, Sweet Cicely and Lungwort

Next they drew the different places- Bannock Hill, Gray House, New House, Dimwood Forest, Glitter Creek, Mr. Ocax's tree and Ereth's log and added them to the board using the map in the book for placement.

Then they laid down the path- with a few different splits...to Bannock Hill, down Tar Road....

Start is Gray House

Finish is New House

With a few good and bad spaces along the way...chased by a fox, attacked by Mr. Ocax, Saved by Ereth, washed down Glitter Creek...

And here's the die....If you roll Mr. Ocax you lose your turn.

Time to Play!

Why I Shouldn't Go to Used Bookstores

but is it really possible to pass up big, hardback books for $0.75 each?

Vacationing

Last week I took a vacation....well, a mental vacation maybe. A vacation from many of my normal daily duties...

I completely ignored the weeds growing in the garden

I ignored the dust on the shelves and the hair on the floors

I ignored the dishes- as much as one can when the dishwasher is broken

I ignored the laundry

I ignored just about everything except preparing meals, baths, and playing/reading with the kids when they asked me to.

What did I do?

On Thursday I read this:

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

On Friday I read this:

New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)

On Saturday I read this:

Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3)

On Sunday I read this:

Breaking Dawn Special Edition (The Twilight Saga)

Although Paul was home some on Sunday so I didn't read quite as much, so I had to finish the book during quiet time on Monday. I was seeing vampires in my sleep. It's been a long time since I have read like that- when I was in high school it was quite common for me to read 400+ page books in one day/night....

But now I am back....I have received 2 of my 3 orders for the upcoming school year. I have most of the curriculum I am going to use, I have 2 units planned, and about 7 more to plan...or at the very least roughly outline...school officially starts the first week in July.