Learn to Read with Hooked on Phonics

A Review of the Popular Reading Program

Aug 6, 2009 Linda Hayase

Homeschool parents looking for a phonics reading program may want to consider Hooked on Phonics, which helps kids learn to read with phonics software, books, and games.

Television viewers may recall the famous ads with smiling children proclaiming, “Hooked on Phonics worked for me!” The popular reading program has evolved over the years, and has now become a standard educational favorite among homeschool parents, teachers, and children.

Hooked on Phonics for Preschoolers

Homeschoolers who want to help their preschool children get a head start on reading can start building a foundation with the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read Pre-K Edition. Through the use of fun games and activities, kids ages three to four are introduced to basic phonic skills, letter names, letter sounds and phonemic awareness.

In addition to storybooks and workbooks focused on pre-reading skills, two age-appropriate CD-ROMs are included. Children begin each day’s lesson by singing the familiar “Alphabet Song” and following along with the illustrated alphabet in the workbook.

Preschoolers progress through three levels: yellow, red and blue. The yellow level teaches children uppercase letters, rhyming, beginning word sounds and alphabetical order. Kids continue on to the red level, where they learn lowercase letters and sounds of words. The blue level reviews the entire alphabet and focuses on letter sounds.

Parents can review phonic skills with their beginning readers through the use of letter flash cards and picture cards. Progress posters and stickers add an element of fun in tracking successes. A parent’s guide is provided with instructions on how to present each 15 to 20 minute lesson. The Hooked on Phonics pre-k program provides a solid base for kids to learn the alphabet and pre-reading skills.

Hooked on Phonics for Kindergarten to Second Grade

The Hooked on Phonics flagship program is the Learn to Read Kindergarten to Second Grade kit, covering three years of instruction. Beginning readers ages four to eight learn letter sounds, then progress to reading words and sentences with lessons designed to take 20 minutes a day.

Kindergarten children focus on fundamental phonics skills using Hooked on Phonics’ learn-practice-reading approach. Each Learn to Read Kindergarten lesson uses grade level books and engaging software to teach beginning and ending sounds, long and short vowel sounds, phonics combinations, and basic sight words.

Learn to Read First Grade takes kids to the next level of reading proficiency by focusing on consonant blends, multi-syllable words, and words with suffixes. As in other levels, students track their progress with fun charts and stickers.

Kids move on to advanced reading skills in the Learn to Read Second Grade level. Multisensory tools, including the CD-ROMS and controlled vocabulary books, help young readers tackle complex vowel sounds, consonant blends and phonics combinations.

Hooked on Phonics Master Reader

Emerging readers ages seven and up who have mastered basic reading skills but need to increase fluency can take their abilities to the next level with the Hooked on Phonics Master Reader program. Master Reader may also be used to remediate struggling older readers and move them toward the goal of independent reading.

Four Strange Museum chapter books, 64 story cards and interactive computer games work together in Master Reader to teach advanced phonics skills. Kids learn to increase their reading speed, decode long words and boost overall comprehension.

Hooked on Phonics for Kids Learning to Read

Hooked on Phonics has won numerous educational awards including the Teacher’s Choice Award for the Family, Teacher’s Choice Award for the Classroom, Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Educational Products, and the National Parenting Seal of Approval.

The proven program based on phonic rules was developed in 1987 by a father who wanted to help his son’s reading struggles. Over twenty years later, Hooked on Phonics continues to provide guidance to parents in teaching their children how to become confident readers.

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The copyright of the article Learn to Read with Hooked on Phonics in Homeschooling is owned by Linda Hayase. Permission to republish Learn to Read with Hooked on Phonics in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.