School worried son will be confused with PhonoGraphix

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

I spoke with my son’s first grade teacher today. (He is going into first grade)

She wanted to find out how the school meeting went and what they determined. I explained that it really was useless on the schools part becuase they really didn’t give me any concrete answer. The answer I had were because I investigated on my own.

Anyhow, I explained the Phonographix and she said she was worried that he would get confused because they teach by using the sound, letter name, and something to represent the sounds. I told her that is part of the reason we are doing it during the summer so that when he gets back to school he will be a beginning reader. I also explained he was doing well.

Then of course my son and I sit down for our afternoon phonographix lesson and we are doing the first lesson, fat cat sat, I show him a picture and the three corresponding sounds that match the picture and he is supposed to sound it out. He does pretty well at sounding out but isn’t really clear on which sound picture matches that sound. So now I am worried.

Any suggestion. I really like this system because he seems to get it. But he also gets really frustrated really quickly. I am trying to enlist my sister’s help because he likes to do things more with her than with me. I don’t want to push him further than he is ready for but I also want to keep him intersted?!?

Thanks
K.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 07/09/2002 - 12:18 PM

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Hi again K,
How long have you been using Reading Reflex? What were his scores when you gave him the tests in the book? Did you go over just one word in word building? I will help you with the program if you email me directly. This program has been discussed in length on the reading bulletin board, run a search in the archives or like I said, email me directly. I have used this program for the past five years with all ages and settings.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 07/10/2002 - 2:03 AM

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I think that if he goes to school knowing a letter’s sound, then learning its sound and name and a “key word” will just make more sense to him. I mean, it’s not as if Phono-Graphix teaches that their thing that represents it *doesn’t* begin with the sound or anything — or, more importantly, doesn’t teach a different “thing to represent it.” (And I would be curious to see if that thing helped him, which it just might.)

GIve him lots of practice at a high-success level. Odds are the *success* will keep him interested. Kids don’t get half as bored as we do ;)

If three-sound words are tough for matching the sound-picture (aka letter :-)) to the sound, start with two-sound words.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 07/10/2002 - 2:23 PM

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He is doing alright so far. One of the Read America teachers, Michelle, sent me some suggestions on how to do the Fat Cat lesson.

He is asking to do his reading, which I see as a good sign. He usually barks and cries when I tell him we need to read together!!

I have from now until the second week in september to work with him. I think if I can keep him motivated that by that time he should have a pretty firm grasp on reading and sounds.

Thanks
K.

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