Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read - A Review

It's her final week.  After two years, my daughter will have completed the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program.

Megan in Kindergarten and now, in second grade

Was it really just over two years ago that she first read the book, CAT?  Today she read The Swish-Smacker Dirt Hacker.  

I wanted to write a review of this product because it worked so wonderfully for my daughter.  I was so NERVOUS about teaching my child to read.  What if I stink at it?  What if my child hated reading?  

Despite having four older daughters, I was quite insecure about teaching my child to read.  My older daughters had primarily learned to read in public school, though a couple struggled due to the lack of phonics.  I knew I wanted to use a solid phonics program, but was surprised at just how many there were from which to choose!

I wanted books... Leveled readers that would build, concept upon concept, with plenty of review.  I wanted to hit as many senses as possible... Seeing, hearing, writing, reading... So that she would retain what she was learning.  For the most part, the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program hit every area.  

The program begins with short vowel sounds. I didn't use the pre-K levels of Hooked on Phonics, but Megan had learned her letter sounds through our preschool Heart of Dakota program. This was important for success!  Make sure your child learns the letter sounds!

Each lesson begins with a video on DVD.  The video is an animated lesson, only a couple minutes in length, that teaches the sounds and the words for that week. We would start each day with this video. Then, my child would read the words in the lesson to me. After practicing the words, there was a short story to read.  Every few lessons the story would be an actual book that covered all the sounds learned in that unit.  Also, after every few units, there would be helper words introduced.  Helper words are nothing more than sight words.  Unlike sight word programs, though, the focus is on phonics, not sight words.  There was only three to five sight words introduced every four to five lessons.  Since we did one lesson a week, this was not at all taxing or overwhelming. 

After five days of reviewing the same lesson, it was usually mastered. We wouldn't move on to the next lesson until it was mastered.  Only a couple times did it take longer than a week to master the unit and read the lesson flawlessly.  After every several units there was a review week.  

The units came with a lot of extras if we needed or wanted reinforcement.  When you purchase Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read new, it comes with a code that gives you access to online worksheets you can print out.  There is also a list of supplemental books that many libraries have that your child can read for extra lesson practice.  I used the worksheets often in the first year or two.  The printables often came with mini-books that I printed out and had my daughter put together.  She loved the mini-books!  I loved the mini-books!  Each mini-book was an extra book to read that covered the lesson.

Every level is structured the same way: Hearing, seeing, reading, and some writing.  By the end of first grade my daughter was excelling.  Over this past summer, after we had finished the first grade program, I had Megan check out and read level 2 readers from the library. I tried the level one, but she complained they were too easy. This year, when we began the second grade material, she was able to advance through most of it in a few weeks. The foundation of her Kindergarten and First grade years was enough to set her soaring on her own!

This week she is completing the final lesson. 

I will be honest and admit that I did supplement.  I wanted more writing so I purchased the Explode the Code workbooks.  The levels complemented the Hooked on Phonics program nicely.  A page or two a day of Explode the Code helped cement the lessons.  I also had my daughter reading other phonics readers.  I  purchased Christian ones, like the Learning to Read series from Christian Light Education, but only the readers were used.  I didn't purchase the workbooks (though I hear they are excellent). I made good use of readers at the library.  I also continued to read aloud to my daughter a lot. 

Overall the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program is excellent.   Occasionally I would find a book I didn't like, that conflicted with my Christian views, such as one with a witch.  I just substituted the book with one that had the same sound we were working on.  Most of the books, while secular, are very fun.  Plus, with supplementing with Christian materials, I had a lot to choose from.  

My daughter is now an avid reader.  Every night at bedtime she reads for an hour to herself.  We do a lot of reading at home for school.  She is easily a grade ahead in her reading level, and advancing.  I am not joking when I state that I believe this is due to her strong foundation she received from Hooked on Phonics.  Yes, as corny as it sounds, my daughter could easily state, "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!"

Many other phonics programs are top quality.  At fifty dollars a year, with the amount of materials and resources provided, I thought this program was great.  Like I said, I added occasionally... but I probably would have added anyway.  I like to mix and max, allowing my children to come at various subjects from more than one way.  Right now I am using bits and pieces of three to four different math programs, at least three different reading programs, and a variety of resources for science and history.  To me, this is the benefit of homeschooling.  Hooked on Phonics was varied enough that it was not boring, and yet the time involved was short enough that I could add this or that and it not be too much.  

I highly recommend the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program for other homeschoolers... or parents that want to help their child learn to read with a solid phonics foundation.