Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Home School Reading Program

by MelissaB
(Washington State)

As someone who is testing the homeschool waters, I purchased a three part set from Hooked on Phonics earlier this spring called Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read (it's the 2007 edition that they were clearing out the overstock of). Teaching my son to read is honestly my biggest worry and so I figured HOP might be a good place to start (after all remember those commercials...."Hooked on Phonics Worked for Me!!!").

My 5 year old son and I began working with the Kindergarten (aka yellow) book. The set is very colorful and fun for children. Included in the set I bought were three different levels (K, 1, & 2). Each level is in it's own box so you don't get the different levels mixed up. Included in the box is the workbook(s), readers, audio cds, flash cards, sticker chart, & stickers. The sticker chart is really neat and a great way for kids to see how they are progressing in their reading skills - we have ours on the fridge.

The overall flavor of the book is fun. It's easy to do a lesson or two at a time because there are definite stopping points. You can use the audio cd to guide you along or go on your own. We started out using the audio cd (the lady has a nice, gentle voice), but now only use it when we get to the "helper words" pages or other activities that might be better suited to follow along.

One thing I've had to learn to watch for is my son gets into the pattern of rhyming the words because that is what the book has you do when you learn new words (ie "at" words - rat, mat, cat, etc). It's all great on those pages, but when we go on to a review page that combines all the words learned, the words are mixed up and he really has to stop and sound out each of them. The words he had learned weren't ingrained enough to be sight words, so to help him, I made some flash cards on 3x5 notecards of all the words he learned and we'd practice those. He's getting much better, so that added element has helped and was super easy to do.

Overall I'm very pleased with this program. I got the set at a reduced price because they were clearing them out to make way for a newer set. My set is the 2007 set, but I'm assuming the newer sets are very similar. It seems to be a gentle way to introduce reading to non-readers.

Wonderful review of the popular home school reading program, Hooked on Phonics. You provide such great tips, Melissa! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who was worried about teaching my children how to read... three down, one to go! :) Wishing you much homeschool and reading success, Heather

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