Phonics help

[evansmel]

Hello, this is my first year and it has been going fairly well. The only place I seem to be having a hard time with is Phonics. We are 2nd grade using Abeka and she manages to get most answers right, but she is not really understanding it. I was wondering if anyone else has any ideas that I could use along with Abekas phonics. I have looked at other phonics books at the store and they never have the same sort of stuff as Abeka. She is doing blends and special sounds..
any suggestion will be appreciated. Thanks so much.
Melissa:doubt:

[WCH]

Melissa,
Abeka uses a "ladder letters" approach and not word families. This may be different from what she used in school. (bad,bat,bag not cat,rat,sat,mat) 2nd grade goes much faster than 1st. I would not rush it. Make sure she has each part down before moving on. She can't do a blend if she doesn't know her letter sounds and she can't under stand a special sound if she doesn't know what the letter would normally say. I think it would be a harder program to start in the middle, because their approach is a bit different.Maybe someone else here has started with this later. I'm not sure what other programs would go along with Abeka. We just checked out lots and lots of readers from the library.
What is she having trouble with letter sounds, blends, special sounds?
Is she having trouble reading or just getting the right answers in the books or on the test? What parts of the program are you using?
Some children have a hard time with Abeka's approach and need something different. I'll answer any questions that I can. This is my second time using Abeka's 2nd grade Phonics.
I hope I haven't confused you more.
Wanda

[evansmel]

Thanks for that info. Her problem is mostly just getting the right answers on the sheets and tests. She reads very well and can pronounce the sounds and words. When given a test and told to list the special sounds (ie, ea, ou, ow) she doesn't get it. Like I said she reads very well, so I am not concerned with that. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong, I just can't seem to make it make sense to her. I got some charts from the educational store, but they are word families not the ladder approach.
Thanks again
Melissa

[Dianna]

Her problem is mostly just getting the right answers on the sheets and tests. She reads very well and can pronounce the sounds and words.

Melissa, please consider putting away (or giving away, or selling) the worksheets and tests. The goal of phonics is to teach children how to read. You said that she reads very well. There's no more need for worksheets or tests. Just let her read.

I've met so many children who hate to read, and the worksheets and phonics instruction for years after they already know how to read is the thing that does it. There is no need to keep teaching phonics after a child can read. It's like teaching child how to count - and making them practice counting - for years after they've already learned how to count. It's senseless.

Don't fall into that trap. The publishers want you to keep on doing it because it means more money for them. What would happen if after teaching your child phonics in a year (or two), you just let them read good books? The publishers lose money. They want you to think that you need to teach them phonics year after year. But what happens to your child if you stop and just let her read? She'll become a much more fluent reader, much more likely to love reading and devours books. That's what has happened with all of my children - so far, anyway... I have one more to go.

Take the time that you spend on the worksheets, and instead make it a reading time. If she comes across phonics that she hasn't learned yet (maybe a "ph" in the middle of a word, for example) explain it as she comes to it (when a "ph" appears in the middle of a word, it usually makes an "f" sound). I really didn't have to explain it to my children, though - they just got it after they started reading. And don't make each reading session one in which your child reads aloud. Let her read to herself just as much (if not more), and you read aloud to her, too. All of it is worthwhile.

I apologize for this long message, but reading is my passion, and it's sad to see so many kids hating it because of overloading them on reading "instruction". :sad:

Okay, I'll stop now. :smile2:

Dianna

[evansmel]

Thanks so much for that. That makes me feel so much better. I guess I am still in that really worried that I won't cover everything and meet requirements train of thought.
Like I stated she reads great and LOVES it, well she use to love it more than she seems to lately. Maybe that will help bring it back, to stop stressing over the phonics. Thanks again.
That is kind of like the handwriting with Abeka is all cursive (which I thought was a bit much for 2nd grade), but I already figured out on that one to stop with ALL (there are a lot) of worksheets.

Thanks for all the help and advice. I am sure I will need more in the future.
Melissa :lol:

[Dianna]

Mellisa, you're welcome, and I'm glad we were able to help. Let us know if she regains her love of reading. I don't know what level books she's reading, but I found the Dr. Seuss books (most of them) to not really be for beginning readers... they're not phonetically correct enough. Start with the more basic, phonetically correct books, and then work your way to more complicated books from there. Your daughter may already be past the beginner book stage, though.

Dianna