Review of the Month
Get the scoop on one of our favorite resources for beginning readers - Progressive Phonics. We've used this, and our kids loved it. Best of all, it's free!
Like any good mom, I read to my children almost every day when they are little. I remember the evening my oldest daughter, then four years old, pointed at her story book and said, "That says box."
Box? I hadn't taught her how to read.
Of course we had learned all the alphabet songs, played with the little letter manipulables in her Teach My Toddler set (which I will review later!) and watched tons of phonics songs on Youtube. But I was unprepared for the realization that I suddenly needed to locate a quality reading curriculum. Where to start?
Box? I hadn't taught her how to read.
Of course we had learned all the alphabet songs, played with the little letter manipulables in her Teach My Toddler set (which I will review later!) and watched tons of phonics songs on Youtube. But I was unprepared for the realization that I suddenly needed to locate a quality reading curriculum. Where to start?
I stumbled upon Progressive Phonics quite by accident. It was founded by Miz Katz N. Ratz. (Any relation to the cartoon felines on the cover?) Their website offers a complete series of printable reading books, phonics guides, manuscript practice sheets, alphabetti readers, and comprehension activities, all in printable pdf form.
The stories are funny. The cartoons are cute. Our kids loved them. But how do they work for a homeschool?
Here's where I get into the nitty gritty of our experiences, but first a disclaimer. I did not use the complete series. Our children already knew their alphabet letters, so we came in on the Beginner level starting with basic reading skills. (Think words like cat, dog, pig.) This equates to about kindergarten-level lessons.
Starting off does require a lot of initial printing. You will print readers, activity sheets, and several manuscript practice sheets. All of these materials are conveniently accessible to anyone, even without a user account or login. I found it easiest to print the readers in stapled booklet form, but keep the worksheets as loose-leaf pages in a spiral binder.
The stories are funny. The cartoons are cute. Our kids loved them. But how do they work for a homeschool?
Here's where I get into the nitty gritty of our experiences, but first a disclaimer. I did not use the complete series. Our children already knew their alphabet letters, so we came in on the Beginner level starting with basic reading skills. (Think words like cat, dog, pig.) This equates to about kindergarten-level lessons.
Starting off does require a lot of initial printing. You will print readers, activity sheets, and several manuscript practice sheets. All of these materials are conveniently accessible to anyone, even without a user account or login. I found it easiest to print the readers in stapled booklet form, but keep the worksheets as loose-leaf pages in a spiral binder.
Once set-up is done, the rest is pretty easy. Every day your child reads one or two stories with you. Our kids tried to sound out all the words, but the lesson is designed so that starting readers can feel accomplishment reading the red phonics words while you read the smaller text alongside.
Then there's an activity sheet coordinated to the day's "phonics family" words. These worksheets have excellent "tips and tricks" for budding writers: for example, shaping the word "bed" with your fingers to keep letters B and D straight.
Now for the tough part: What did we not like?
Aside from my nitpicking of the curriculum's manuscript style (the lessons teach half-circle shapes for lowercase B and D, rather than complete circle formation), my only real complaint is that I wish it had more.
Then there's an activity sheet coordinated to the day's "phonics family" words. These worksheets have excellent "tips and tricks" for budding writers: for example, shaping the word "bed" with your fingers to keep letters B and D straight.
Now for the tough part: What did we not like?
Aside from my nitpicking of the curriculum's manuscript style (the lessons teach half-circle shapes for lowercase B and D, rather than complete circle formation), my only real complaint is that I wish it had more.
While the Progressive Phonics lessons give you everything you need for a K-1 reading program, it contains no math component, so we ended up mixing it with other curriculums. In kindergarten that's not such a big deal, but beginning in elementary grades, some homeschool parents find it complicated to have to mix and match materials.
Takeaway: Progressive Phonics is probably one of the best free courses available for your beginning reader. By the time your child reaches first grade, she will be fluent enough in reading to transition to any elementary curriculum package on the market.
At Connie's Corner, we're walking this journey together! If I see an outstanding resource, I'll feature it here for you. And since my reviews are unpaid, you can be sure they're 100% honest.
Takeaway: Progressive Phonics is probably one of the best free courses available for your beginning reader. By the time your child reaches first grade, she will be fluent enough in reading to transition to any elementary curriculum package on the market.
At Connie's Corner, we're walking this journey together! If I see an outstanding resource, I'll feature it here for you. And since my reviews are unpaid, you can be sure they're 100% honest.
Connie's Corner
