Phonics & Reading

We encounter language in four basic ways: hearing, speaking, reading and writing. The first form by which language comes to us is hearing—before we are able to express language, we hear it used by those around us. Eventually children learn to speak themselves, and by the time they learn to read the average child has a spoken or oral vocabulary of 400-500 words. The larger the child's oral vocabulary, the easier it will be for him to learn to read.

The transition between spoken and read language comes when a child begins to realize the symbols he sees all around him—on road signs, in the hymnal, on the cereal box—represent the words he hears and speaks. Learning to read is simply learning to decipher these symbols in context.

Phonics is the study of the relationship between letters and the sounds they make. A child who learns to read phonetically learns to understand written language based not on the mere appearance of words on the page, but based on the sounds and oral vocabulary he already knows. Phonetic instruction provides the most thorough foundation for understanding written language because it builds upon prior naturally acquired knowledge, rather than setting up a brand-new learning paradigm that can ultimately confuse and frustrate students.

Of course, there is good and bad phonics instruction. Good phonics instruction is the result of pairing an understanding of Phonics Facts with a good Phonics Habit. Phonics facts are the sounds letters make alone or in combination, also called phonograms. A good Phonics Habit entails the ability to read and pronounce phonograms correctly by recalling them from oral memory.

Without a firm grasp of Phonics Facts and a solid Phonics Habit, a person is limited to reading only words he can memorize. No one can memorize every word in the English language, but with phonics a student can read virtually any word he encounters, whether he has seen or heard the word before or not.

Teaching a child to read well takes time; the purpose is not simply to be able to let the child loose as soon as possible, but to provide him the proper tools for unlocking language on his own. The rewards of teaching your child to read are some of the greatest you'll ever have academically—you can almost see his mind waking up as the whole realm of learning opens before him. Basically all knowledge is made available by the ability to read, not just of science and history, but knowledge of God and His people, and the offer of this to your child is one of the greatest gifts you'll ever provide.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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111 Items found Print
Active Filters: Preschool (Ages 4-5), Hardcover
Adventures of Mr. Toad
Disney's Wonderful World of Reading
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Pre-Reading - Reader 1
by Marie Rippel
from All About Learning Press
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$14.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Pre-Reading - Reader 2
by Marie Rippel, Renee LaTulippe
from All About Learning Press
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$14.95 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Armor
Usborne Beginners Level 2
by Catriona Clarke
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
Arthur's Christmas Cookies
I Can Read! Level 2
by Lilian Hoban
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Arthur's Pen Pal
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Lillian Hoban
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Barkley
An Early I Can Read Book
by Syd Hoff
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Can I Play Too?
An Elephant and Piggie Book
by Mo Willems
from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Cat in the Hat Comes Back
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Caterpillars and Butterflies
Usborne Beginners
by Stephanie Turnbull
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (2 in stock)
Cowboys
Usborne Beginners Level 1
by Catriona Clarke
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
Daddy is Home!
by David Blomquist, illustrated by Aliki, music by Larry Grossman
from Holt, Rinehart and Winston
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$14.00 (1 in stock)
Danny and the Dinosaur Go To Camp
An I Can Read Book
by Syd Hoff
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Dick and Jane: Fun with Our Family
Dick and Jane readers
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$10.99
Dick and Jane: We Play Outside
Dick and Jane readers
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$10.99
Doctor Dolittle and the Pirates
by Al Perkins
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Doodling Dragons
from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$15.00
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ear Book
by Al Perkins
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-Preschool
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Elephant and Piggie Biggie Volume 1
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Elephant and Piggie Biggie Volume 2
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Elephant and Piggie Biggie Volume 3
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$16.99
Elephant and Piggie Complete Collection - Boxed Set
by Mo Willems
from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$95.00 (1 in stock)
Eres tu mi mama
by P.D. Eastman, translated by Teresa Mlawer
from Random House
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Fish Out of Water
by Helen Palmer
from Random House
Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Foot Book
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Foot Book
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (4 in stock)
Golly Sisters Go West
by Betsy Byars
1st edition from HarperCollins
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Gollywhopper Egg
by Anne Rockwell
from Macmillan
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Great Day for Up
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb
Bright & Early Books
by Al Perkins
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-Kindergarten
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Harry and the Lady Next Door
An I Can Read Book Level 1
by Gene Zion
from HarperCollins
Realistic Animal Stories for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!
by Dr. Seuss writing as Theo LeSieg, illustrated by Scott Nash
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Hop on Pop
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Preschool-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
How Flowers Grow
Usborne Beginners
by Emma Helbrough
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$4.49 $2.70 (3 in stock)
I Am NOT Going to Get Up Today!
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
I Broke My Trunk!
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Preschool-1st grade
2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
I Can Read With My Eyes Shut
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
I Really Like Slop!
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Press
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
I Want to Be Somebody New!
by Robert Lopshire
1St Edition from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
I Wish That I Had Duck Feet
by Theo. LeSieg
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
In a People House
by Theo. LeSieg, illustrated by Roy McKie
from Random House
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
It's Not Easy Being a Bunny
by Marilyn Sadler
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Lion's Book
by Edith Thacher Hurd, illustrated by Clement Hurd
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Johnny Lion's Book
by Edith Thacher Hurd, illustrated by Clement Hurd
from Weekly Reader
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.00 (2 in stock)
Knitting Knights
2nd edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$15.00
Life of Fred Eden #01: Blue
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00 $5.50 (3 in stock)
Life of Fred Eden #02: Bus
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00 $5.50 (2 in stock)
Life of Fred Eden #03: Lake
Red
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00 $5.50 (1 in stock)
Life of Fred Eden #04: Potato Dreams
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #05: Ducks
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00 $5.50 (2 in stock)
Life of Fred Eden #06: Rain
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00 $5.50 (2 in stock)
Life of Fred Eden #07: Mud
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #08: Night
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #09: Dawn
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #10: House
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #11: Windows
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #12: Kitchen
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #13: Electricity
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #14: Dinner
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #15: Evening
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #16: Garden
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #17: Peach
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Life of Fred Eden #18: Going Home
by Stanley F. Schmidt
from Polka Dot Publishing
for Preschool-1st grade
in Life of Fred Eden Series (Location: EAR-LOF)
$8.00
Little Chick's Big Day
by Mary DeBall Kwitz
from HarperCollins
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
LOE Foundations B - Teacher's Manual
2nd edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$44.99
LOE Foundations C - Teacher's Manual
3rd edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$54.99
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $4.00 (3 in stock)
Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Mr. Pig and Family
by Lillian Hoban
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
New Tricks I Can Do!
by Robert Lopshire
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Nose Book
Bright and Early Books for Beginning Beginners
by Al Perkins, illustrated by Roy McKie
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Off to the Races
by Fred. Phleger, M. Phleger
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Old Hat New Hat
Bright & Early Books
by Jan Berenstain, Stan Berenstain
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
On the Moon
Usborne First Reading Level 1
by Anna Milbourne, illustrated by Benji Davies
from Usborne
for Preschool-1st grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Pictorial Primer
for Nursery-1st grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Workbooks (Location: REA-MCG)
$7.50 (2 in stock)
Planet Earth
by Leonie Pratt
from Usborne
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$4.49 $2.70 (2 in stock)
Put Me In the Zoo
by Robert Lopshire
Book Club Edition from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover
Rabbit & Robot
by Cece Bell
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Rob and Roland
by Piet Prins
from Inheritance Publications
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$7.95
Rob and Roland on the Farm
by Piet Prins
from Inheritance Publications
Realistic Fiction for Preschool-2nd grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$7.95
Sailor Jack and Homer Pots
by Selma and Jack Wassermann
from Benefic Press
for Preschool-1st grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Ships
Usborne Beginners: Level 2
by Emily Bone
from Usborne
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
Should I Share My Ice Cream?
An Elephant and Piggie Book
by Mo Willems
1st edition from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Snow
by Philip.D. Eastman, Roy Mc Kie
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Snug House, Bug House!
by Susan Schade and Jon Buller
from Random House
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Some of Us Walk, Some Fly, Some Swim
I Can Read It All By Myself
by Michael Frith
from Random House
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Vintage Picture Books (Location: VIN-PIC)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
Stop Stop
by Edith Thacher Hurd, illustrated by Clement Hurd
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Stop that Ball!
by Mike McClintock, illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Reissue from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-1st grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
Summer
by Alice Low
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
There's a Map on My Lap!
Cat in the Hat's Learning Library
by Tish Rabe
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT)
$9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
There's a Wocket in my Pocket
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
There's No Place Like Space!
Cat in the Hat's Learning Library
by Tish Rabe
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Thunderhoof
by Syd Hoff
from Harper & Row
for Preschool-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
Treasury of Dick and Jane and Friends
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
Ultimate Dick and Jane Storybook Collection
from Grosset & Dunlap
for Preschool-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
Usborne Very First Reading - Boxed Set
from Usborne
for Preschool-1st grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$31.50 (1 in stock)
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