Hooked on Reading!
Written: Feb 21 '01 (Updated Mar 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: fun program, teaches phonics, comprehension and reading
Cons: expensive - look on ebay for better price
The Bottom Line: Easy to use and follow. Improvement almost immediately. Stresses phonics, blending sounds and Comprehension. Gave my son the confidence he needed.
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| ned1's Full Review: Hooked on Phonics Books |
For years I have scoffed at Hooked On Phonics. What dumb parent would waste all that money trying to teach a child to read? What parent would want such young children to read and if they learn to read that young, they certainly wouldn't comprehend what they read. I always proudly said, "I would NEVER be so stupid as to actually buy that program".
Of course after 12 years as a parent I have learned that never usually sooner or later you may actually try something.
So what would make me change my mind and the firm opinion I had that this had to be the most unreliable/ineffective way to teach your child to read? My 7-year-old son in tears telling me he was stupid because he didn't read well did.
First let me tell you, my son went to kindergarten in California, the school he went to taught "reading" based 95% on look say and 5% on phonics. Yeah he memorized a lot of words, but he surely couldn't read well for his age at the end of the year.
I had worked with him on a daily basis and read to him every day since he was born, and despite all my attempts to reinforce the concept of phonics when we moved east he was way behind the phonics taught kids in reading.
I thought he read fine in first grade a little slower than some but certainly not enough to be held back. 2nd grade started and again he was not the slowest but not average either. By Christmas he was having a breakdown about being stupid and not reading as good as the others. His confidence was at rock bottom despite being a very intelligent child.
I needed help and I needed it fast before he completely hated going to school. Since he already had a basis of phonics, I figured I'd give hooked on phonics a try. It was expensive - $250.00 (with no nice monthly billing plan like Muzzy).
Yes the price was steep, but if it could give him the confidence he needed to love school and reading again, I would pay anything. If it worked I also have two other children who can use it, so I would get my monies worth out of it. If it didn't, it has a money back guarantee so I really couldn't lose.
My son is at the top age level for the set I purchased (the deluxe one with extra books) and I was afraid that it would be too simple and he might lose interest. I was also afraid he might be insulted that I bought it and refuse to use the program. I was wrong on both counts. I was also wrong about the comprehension thing (more later on that).
The set comes with five boxes full of tapes, books, flash cards and workbooks. There is also a parent's guide and progress chart with stickers. May I interject here that my son is not a do anything for a sticker kind of kid so his attitude about the stickers and program really shocked me.
I read the parent's guide and when my son got home from school he eagerly went up to the privacy of my bedroom to work on it. I popped in the first tape and thought no way -you sort of sing the alphabet and say the letter sounds. I thought he'd roll his eyes and leave the room. He did it and did not complain once.
The tapes constantly stress stop the tape, make sure you get what we discussed and rewind as much as you want to before moving on. This program WON'T work if you pop junior down with the tape and books and expect them to do it without you. The tapes and workbook always stress discuss the books so your child comprehends what they read.
There are letter flash cards to review that deal with individual letters and sounds as well as blending sounds. At certain points in the tape it also asks you to place stickers on the progress chart. My son begs to do this he loves to get those stickers and even more when he gets one that signifies he finished the whole box of materials.
Since starting this program his reading has improved significantly. His love of school has returned. He never says he's stupid and can't read and his face beams with confidence when he tries and succeeds at reading. He begs to do this program every day after school and on the weekends.
His younger brother who is almost 6 has started with box 1 and we can already see an improvement in his comprehension of letters and the sounds associated with them.
I'm not sure this program will work for everyone, and at this price you need to seriously consider why you are purchasing it and if you feel it will help your child's particular situation. All I can say is Hooked on Phonics worked for us and I'm glad I bought it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ned1
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Member: Nancy
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Off to Basel (1/21) - in search of Swiss Miss Barbie - back (1/26)
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