Hooked on Phonics: Complete Learn to Read Kit
To be clear, this is curriculum, but it takes very minimal work to get ready to go. It should only take an afternoon of watching TV and separating everything by lesson (into binder in page protectors). After that, just open and go.
Hooked on Phonics reviews
I did Hooked on Phonics and had great results. However, I also taught Phonics in school. I use Hooked on Phonics to tutor children struggling to read.
We have it and my children LOVE it!! It may line up with common core, but children still need to learn how to read. I haven't seen anything wrong with it.
We use it and love it! But if that doesn't work for you, try Logic of English.
Hooked on Phonics firmly lines up with Common Core. That is the only potential downside.
It's whole word instruction with a little phonics thrown in. There are great options for true phonics that aren't common core such as Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.
HOP was a lifesaver for my kids. I purchased the set so I'm not sure about the online format. I did use the online games.
We have the hooked on phonics app as a supplement. i don't know that it is the best for teaching but it has been great for my kids. My son loved the game time. They both liked how it is in lots of little levels. There is a cheesy video, blending, reading, etc and then a little book they read. There are three extra books that go with each unit too. They get stars for finishing each level and can use them to get stuff to decorate/personalize their trophy. I think my kids felt like they were accomplishing more than with just the curriculum we were using.
Hooked on Phonics is what started our homeschool journey. My 4 year-old wasn't socially ready for a preschool class of 20+ kids so I bought Hooked on Phonics and did preschool at home. He was reading fluently by age 4 and by the end of preschool he was ready for 1st grade material and beyond. I am a firm believer in Hooked on Phonics as well as homeschooling in general!
A phonics based program is the way to go. By phonics based I mean curricula which teaches the sounds of the letters and builds words as the sounds are taught (sequentially). Public school students are taught sight word memorization. They learn the most used 100 words first. It may seem they are ahead, however, at some point memorization just doesn't work anymore. When they hit a new word, can they sound it out? Problems begin to really appear about grade 3. Then you see a lot of remedial classes. Students get classified with disabilities, etc. Don't try to "keep up with the Jones's". Work at your child's pace.
We do hooked on phonics with my 7 year old and I use magnetic letter tiles (i use the ones for our allabout spelling) on the board to go over the words too. He is doing really well with it. I also add on explode the code for extra practice. We purchased the entire set.
We used HOP kits from the library and the app on the iPad. He loved it. Every time he finished a kit he got to pick a prize from the dollar store to celebrate.
I hated the book, and phonics didn't work for my oldest so I never even tried it for the other two. If you didn't like the book, then try HOP and see. There's something called The Phonics Game that is part of HOP that looked fun for most kids, but mine wasn't interested.
We used HOP kits from the library and the app on the iPad. He loved it.
My five year old does phonics movies, worksheets, sight words, and she loves reading Dick and Jane. I did some programs but this seems to work the best.
We love all about reading too. It isn't cheap but aside from the workbook it can all be re-used so for my there is a lot of value. It works well for my boys, both are engaged in the lessons.
People know about Hooked on Phonics because they advertised for so many years. That doesn't make it a good program. It's a tedious program with hundreds of little pieces. My daughter learned to read with Sing Read & Spell. Any program takes some time & patience. Learning the letters & the sounds, the blends & the word families. Then after this, it's just a matter of working on it daily.
Additional information
You can also try Progressive Phonics, it's free, you can either print, or download to a tablet. It least it adds a little interest to books besides ones they can read to themselves. Homer has free printables.
Hooked on Phonics App
The app has been one of the best sellers on the Amazon app store. Note: Even if the app is free, it will offer in-app purchases.
Key Points about the app:
- Appropriate for preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade
- Correlates reading standards through 1st grade
- The Hooked on Phonics app gives users access to over 200 songs, videos, interactive games, reading lessons, and ebooks
- The app provides virtual awards and achievements
- Every lesson has suggested ebook stories
- The app works and syncs on multiple devices
- Supports multiple readers
- Tracks each user's progress separately
What does the app look like in action? Check out this Facebook video or this informational YouTube video.
Hooked on Phonics Informational Video
