Any Recommedation for Phonics Enrichment Class ??

karwei,
The talking words DVD teaches how to put 3 letters together to make words. Code Word Caper DVD teaches more advance phonics rules like the silent e, and double vowels like oa, ai, etc. These DVDs including letter factory are essential for learning phonics.

Story book factory teaches the child how to read sentences and understand punctuation. Maths circus is about counting, addition and subtraction. These 2 are not as good as the other 3, but are still much more educational than Hi-5, Dora or Barney DVDs. In fact, my kids do not watch any other DVDs except the 5 Leapfrog DVDs and Richard Scarry's counting video. They ask to watch these DVDs over and over again for more than 2 years.

But then if the child has been watching many other DVDs, then they may not find the Leapfrog DVDs more fun than other DVDs, even though they can learn so much more.
 


Re: More on rigby and ladybird series
So far my kids only bring back a few books from rigby, which I think is not sufficient for teaching them to read.

If we start from ladybird series 1 and progress through 12, then this series alone is sufficient to teach a child how to read books.
 
tamarind,
where can I get the ladybird series?
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Tuffy,
You can get the ladybird keyword series in any bookshop like Popular, Times, Borders etc.

But the series 1 and 2 are very difficult to find. I bought all series 1 - 12 except series 2, cannot find anywhere
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Thanks tamarind! Will try them out. My kids dont watch DVDs...but they watch TV tho. Trying to limit them to less than 1 hr each day. So hard to peel them off once they start. Need to negotiate with them on who's turn next to watch TV before we let them watch their prog. hahaa, so once they finish ONE cartoon, it'll be mummy/dad's turn!

Tuffy, I've come across the ladybird series being sold as a set at Times. Might wanna check it out since u want more than 1 book.
 
Hello, Tamarind
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Hi mommies,

Just sharing my 2 cents worth...

As with preschools, there are many types of Readers in the market. So, it's best that one takes some time to assess the books before investing in the entire series. And it's important to bear in mind that the ease of reading must suit the child's current needs.

For myself, I own a couple of Readers, except for the Ladybird series. A friend of mine highly recommends that too. However, my kids find them boring. In fact, my ds showed no interest in 12c at all. One look at the words and pictures, he scooted off immediately. But he's reading Spiderwick on his own eagerly now.

Some Readers move on at a faster pace. For instance the Rigby Literacy Readers, there are 3 reading levels - Emergent, Early and Fluent. The thing I like about Rigby is the interesting story content. And it contains both friction and non friction contents too. In a way, we acquire new knowledge as we learn to read. For instance, we read about different materials in "What's It Made Of?". And it comes with some teaching points (on the last page of the book) for parents to reinforce learning. But mind you, the speed can be a little too fast for some kids. Again, choose something that suits your kids' learning speed and interest.

There may be different types of Readers but the method of teaching is the same - Look, Say and Read. And at times, the child will read by memory instead of the words. So, be a little creative when reading together.
 
Hi mummies, for those of you who had purchased the leapfrog 5-pack DVDs, could you please share with us the advantage of getting the 5 DVDs as a set compared to individual DVDs?
The price on amazon for 5-pack is USD44.99. Price of purchasing individually is USD (7.49*5) = USD 37.45.
Given that shipping costs is the same (5-pack also considered as 5 DVDs, WHY would anyone get the 5-pack, unless there is something additional in it?
 
Serenade,
Nice to see you here
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Hope to hear more comments from you and other mommies who have experience teaching kids to read
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Totally agree with you that every mommy must access the books before buying the entire series. I also started out buying a few ladybird series books at a time. My kids actually like the pictures in the books, they will examine the pictures in detail. The ladybird series was first published 40 years ago, so some of the toys shown in the books are very old fashioned. But my kids still find it very interesting.

I also agree that it is important to choose something that suits our kids learning speed and interest. This is especially important when choosing a phonics class. My girl is suitable for the fast pace of the Montessori phonics class. Other kids will do better in Zoophonics class which takes a longer time to teach.

Personally I think that it is important to teach phonics first, then move on to to the "Look and Say" method. Then the child knows how to look at the letters and figure out how to pronounce the word correctly.
 
Hi Tamarind,

I'm still learning new stuff on teaching kids to read everyday.
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Knowing the letter sounds is certainly a good start. That's why I introduce my kids letter sounds since young.

For parents who are uncomfortable with teaching kids via TV, you can always get phonics CDs and teach your kids the letter sounds. Phonics websites are also another alternative.
 
Tamarind, thanks for your reply. I did read from Amazon website that they consider 5-pack as 1 item.However, please correct me if I understood wrongly.
I am using the super saving shipping from Amazon, which means free domestic shipping. So it doesnt matter to me whether amazon charges as 1 or 5 dvds right? And given that weight / volume wise, 5-pack and 5 individual DVDs dont differ that much for VPOSTUSA charges, does it make more sense to purchase 5 individual DVDs?

TIA! Trying to help the mummies save some money since thats our main aim for buying from sprees.
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Hi All,

I'm new here. We never had any readers as my son dislikes anything that looks vaguely contrived. Guess I never had time to find a really interesting set too! We used the Ordinary Guide to Teaching Reading, and it worked beautifully. I did my own phonics cards to go with this. While this was going on, I'd have treasure hunt games all over the house (with words like oven, bedroom, kitchen etc to lead him to the next clue and a little treat at the end of that (like a sticker or a little gimmicky toy). I would also write him little messages ("Mummy loves you" or "Did you like the "whatever book" we read?" and let him keep it in a message box so he cld take out to read. Nothing was more precious than a box of letters from Mummy! A lot of it was sight reading at the time, but I guess it made him appreciate words and their meaning.

When I think about it, the only sort of reader-like books were Dr Seuss ones. He loved them because they're so funny. They're also easy to read because they're very predictable. What a confidence booster for my son when he first read Green Eggs and Ham on his own! We made it a big deal so he could feel it was an achievement, and that spurred him on! Some people have a different opinion about the nonsense words, but I found it gave good grounding in terms of sounding words with phonics. In fact, one test for dyslexia at older ages is nonsense words and whether the child can read them phonetically.

Good luck!
 
Hi Karwei

You can also purchase the leapfrog DVD from tower.com. In fact, it will be cheaper as compared to Amazon. The shipping per set is US$4.99 and it is direct shipping to Singapore. No need to go through vpost. Hope this info helps.
 
... (correction) .. I meant to say "A lot of it was sight reading, but I guess it made appreciate that words can have personal meaning to him".
 
red, my concern was that at tower.com, they mentioned the DVD is Region 1. Some of our dvd players may not be able to play. Amazon didnt state the region code.
Any mummies who purchased from amazon can advise whether the DVDs are region 1 too?
 
red, pardon me...Amazon leapfrog DVDs are also coded for region1. hmmm....let me go take a look at tower.com charges. oh dear, and I saw so many mummies buying from amazon.com previously.
Thanks so much for sharing
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Adeline Koh,
Thanks for sharing ! What you wrote is really very inspiring. And you are a very dedicated mommy ! My girl's confidence was also boosted significantly when she first read Green Eggs and Ham on her own
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Serenade, Adeline,
Do you mind if I include your comments in my blog ?


karwei,
The leapfrog DVDs I got from amazon.com did not have region coding, but I am not sure whether it is changed now. I ordered from Amazon.com using international shipping, did not go through vpost. Note that if you go through vpost, you still need to pay tax. International shipping is tax free.
 
karwei,
thanks for your email.. hmm.. seems like this coding business is rather confusing... let me go think about whether to go ahead with the order. btw, think i now know why the 5 pack is more expensive - if you go with international shipping and it is counted as 1 item, you do save quite a bit as opposed to shipping 5 separate DVDs.
 
tamarind,

the ladybird key works series, is it the peter and jane one?
i think some mummies are selling this at the BP thread?
 
stressma,
Yes it is the Peter and Jane one. Not sure whether they are selling the whole series or individual books ?
 
Hi,

I am thinking if I can teach my 4 year old Phonics. However, I do not have much knowledge on it. Can any mommies recommend any self help books that can step me through the course? Any advice would be great. Thanks.
 
Einstein

mayb u can get the letterland CD from kinokuniya..they have lots of range of letterland books, cards, etc
 
Hi, Einstein

I would also like my 4-yr-old girl to learn phonics, still wondering whether I should send her to MMI Phonics or teach her at home using starfall.com as recommended by some mums here. Does your girl's kindergarten teach phonics? So far, I don't think my girl's PCF teaches phonics because I didn't see any of her Term 1 worksheets related to phonics.
 
Hi, tamarind

I really appreciate your advice and I just went to your blog, is very informative. I wish I could teach my girl like you because I don't know anything about phonics.

I could not remember how my boy learnt to read last time. His PCF only started to teach phonics when he was in K1. I didn't teach him at home or send him to any phonics class. I remember I used to read to him until he can read on his own. Since then, he prefers to read books himself and he loves reading.

My girl is now in Nursery, I don't read to her so often like I used to read to my boy. That's why I start to worry about her being not able to read like my boy. I hope she can pick up phonics as early as possible.
 
bishanmum,
The way you taught your son is called the "Look and Say" method, by reading and pointing out the words. This is how most of us learn to read english in the past.

Nowadays most parents want their kids to learn phonics, because it will be easier for them to read new words. If the child knows phonics rules very well, she will be able to read a word even though she has never seen the word before. She will also be able to spell any 3 letter words by listening to the sound, no need to memorize. If the child has no knowledge of phonics, she will need to memorize the spelling of every word.

It is best to combine both phonics and the "look and say" method.

What PCF kindergarten taught is only the individual letter sounds. There is a lot more to phonics.
 
tamarind,

Thank you so much. After your explanation, now I realise why I always encounter difficulties pronouncing unfamiliar words as I had also learnt by the 'Look and say' method, without any knowledge of phonics.

So am I right to say that I should let my girl pick up the individual letter sounds at home, then send her for montessori phonics to learn those letter sound blendings?

Please correct me if I do not catch what you mean. Sorry for being long-winded because I really want to learn from the experienced mums, like you, over here.
 
bishanmum,
Yes it is best that your girl is very familiar with the individual letter sounds first before sending to the montessori phonics class
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Also note that for the montessori phonics class, the parents are expected to practice with the child at home. The teacher will teach the parents after every lesson. That was how I learn phonics
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tamarind,

If the teacher will teach the parents after every lesson, then I don't have to worry that I can't practise with my girl at home. Do you recommend just MMI or any montessori school is also fine? The nearest MMI to my place is the Brighthill branch but I'm not sure whether the teacher is good.
 
tamarind,

green eggs and ham by Dr suess is suitable for what age group? tot of buying some dr suess books. what abt The cat in the hat?
 
stressma,
Sorry I missed out your post.

Green eggs and ham is good for children who can at least read 3 letter words. The Cat in the hat is slightly more difficult.

I have not tried the series in the spree.

I am happy enough with my ladybird series, my 3.5 year old boy is progressing very well
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bishanmum,
I only know about MMI at Jurong West(near Lakeside MRT), cannot comment about other MMI centers.
 
tamarind,

Thanks for your reply. I guess The Cat In The Hat is very popular because I always see this title in various book stores but not Green Eggs and Ham. May I know where did you get it?
 
bishanmum,
I got it from Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City. You can ask them to order for you if it is not on the shelves.
 
Hi Tamarind,

Looks like you're the expert here : ) hope you can help me. I'm thinking of sending my son to a good phonic class. He is five this year (in K1) but he can only read letters (not in phonetic sound yet), do you think I can send him to the MMI Phonics? I'm afraid it'll confuse him, would he? I'm getting worried cos his teacher told me that he has to buck-up : ( Any advice from you (or any mummies) would be greatly appreciated.

Any kind mummies have comments on Jan & Elly at Serangoon Gdn? I read somewhere that their methods are slow - may I ask how slow?
 
Shrext,
I am not the expert lah. I am still learning while teaching my kids.

I would advise you to make sure your son know the phonics sounds of every letter very well first. You can use the Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD, or try www.starfall.com. He must know the letter sounds very well before he start on MMI phonics, because they take only 4 weeks to cover all the letter sounds. MMI phonics progresses very fast, parents are advised to revise with the child every day at home, otherwise cannot keep up. But I think MMI phonics is very suitable for 5 year old and above, at this age, the child can learn very fast.

My girl went to MMI near Lakeside MRT. I am not sure whether other MMI phonics classes are the same.

At the same time, you should also start him on a reader like Ladybird keyword series or other good series. English is not entirely phonetic, so the "look and say" method is equally important.
 
Hi Tamarind,

You're being humble : ) Thanks for the advice you've given. I'll look for the Ladybird keyword series.

Btw, have you heard of "Read in a Week" http://www.phonicsread.com/benefits.htm programme? They claim that a child can begin reading on the 3rd lesson by using their method of teaching. I'm keen and I'm going for the trial class this saturday. Do you have any comments on this programme?
 
Shrext,
I have not heard of that program. You can check with them, when they say begin reading, read what ? Is it only 2 or 3 letter words ?

Or do they expect the parents to practice at home every day in order to see results ?

Let me know how it goes with the trial class OK ?
 
<font color="0000ff">Hi mommies who want to teach their kids phonics at home,</font>

Please refer to my blog. I have just updated it, scroll down to the portion updated 8 May 2008.

http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2008/02/reading.html

I would like to share a method which is very effective on my boy. He is the kind who cannot sit still to learn, always very itchy hand. But now he knows how to read most of the 3 letter words. Check out my method
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Please feel free to share if your methods too
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I am sure other mommies also have good methods.
 
Shrext,

Hi, hope you can share your view of the "Read in a week" after attending the trial class, I am interested to send my kids also. Is your kids in the program already?
 


More updates on my blog
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http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2008/02/reading.html

The purpose of me sharing my blog is not to encourage parents to "drill" their kids, as one mommy commented on my blog. In fact, my kids are not drilled at all, since they spend less than 15 minutes a day reading or learning phonics. My purpose is to show that it is possible for the parents to teach the child themselves without having to send to expensive pre-schools or enrichment classes. The important thing is to be consistent. Start the child from a young age, spend 10 - 15 mins a day reading, by the time he/she is 5 years old, he/she should be reading very well.

In fact, I feel that teaching my kids to read is the best way to bond with them
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