Shay,
I know you teach using Phonographix and have had wonderful success with that program. Obviously you’re also a great teacher! I’m familiar with lots of different programs. My question about Phonographix is this: how do you give your students in a classroom setting enough practice with each sound picture? For example: last year I used this method for introducing the sounds of “ae” to a group of 3rd/4th graders. We did a sound sort and made categories of a-e, ai, ay. We then did lots of decoding practice with each sound picture using materials from Wilson, and other programs. I do not have the Phonographix materials, only the book. Do you do several sound sorts? Do you make them up or are they included if you buy the classroom program from Reading Reflex? I just don’t know if the program materials from RR are something I should order or not. But regardless, many of this group did not retain the ability to decode words with ai and ay (from end of school year to Aug.). I’m just using this group as an example. What do you do to give your students (when you have a group) enough practice? This wasn’t a problem when I did private one-on-one therapy. It is a problem when I have five to seven students at a time in a public school setting with parents who do not read with their children at home. I know this is long but I hope it’s clear. I’m not asking you do defend this method or anything like that. I like it but I also blend with other practice materials. Thanks for taking the time to answer. I wish the RR people would present or at least be an exhibitor at LDA or IDA national conferences so people like me could see what the different components (and the readers) of the program look like and how many practice materials are included!
Thanks for listening!
Ann
Hi Ann,
Phono-Graphix is made, as most programs are, to be taught with no other programs. Yes, if you would buy the supplies put out by Read America, you would greatly improve the presentation of the program. If you are teaching third and fourth graders how to read, are you using it as a remedial program? The best thing that I can do for you is talk to you directly. Please email me personally with your phone number and a good time to call and then we can talk. Don’t worry about the phone bill, I never use all of my minutes that are on my long distance program. I usually talk to people on the weekends, I do a lot of tutoring after school, every day. There are a lot of kids that can’t read and write out there. Shay