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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70 Basic Phonogram Cards
by Wanda Sanseri
5th edition from Back Home Industries
for 1st-4th grade
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
$18.00 $12.00 (1 in stock)
70 Basic Phonograms - CD
by Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Spell to Write and Read (Location: PHO-SWR)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
A Beka Phonics and Language 2 - Set
from A Beka Books
for 2nd grade
in A Beka Grammar & Writing (Location: GRA-ABK)
$60.00 (1 in stock)
A Veces Las Cosas Cambian
Mis Primeros Libros
by Patricia Eastman
for Preschool-1st grade
in Spanish Resources (Location: FL-SPARE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Abraham Lincoln
DK Readers Level 3
by Justine & Ron Fontes
from DK Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Across the Meadow - Teacher Edition
A Beka Reading 2C
1st edition from A Beka Books
for 2nd grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.50 (1 in stock)
Adventures in Greatness (old)
from A Beka Books
for 6th grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (2 in stock)
Adventures in Other Lands
A Beka Reading 4
3rd edition from A Beka Books
for 4th grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (2 in stock)
Adventures in Phonics - CD
Adventures in Phonics Series
by Callie Lindstrom
from Christian Liberty Press
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in CLP Adventures in Phonics (Location: PHO-CLP)
$10.60 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Adventures of Biscuit
by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
3rd Print from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Aesop's Fables for Young Readers
A Beka Reading 1F
3rd edition from A Beka Books
for 1st grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (4 in stock)
Aesop's Fables for Young Readers - Teacher Edition
A Beka Reading 1f
3rd edition from A Beka Books
for 1st grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.50 (1 in stock)
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
Walt Disney Productions Presents
from Random House
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading - Review Box
from All About Learning Press
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$15.95 $10.50 (2 in stock)
All About Reading Level 1 - Reader 1
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 1st grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95 $15.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Level 2 - Complete Kit
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 2nd-3rd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$159.95 $112.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Level 2 - Reader 1
by Marie Rippel & Renee LaTulippe
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95 $15.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Level 2 - Reader 2
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 2nd-3rd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95 $15.00 (2 in stock)
All About Reading Level 2 - Teacher Manual
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 2nd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$50.95 $34.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Level 3 - Reader 1
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 3rd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95 $15.50 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Level 3 - Student Sheets only
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$17.50 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Pre-Reading - Teacher's Manual
by Marie Rippel
from All About Learning Press
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$19.00 (1 in stock)
All About Reading Pre-Reading Divider Cards
from All About Learning Press
for Preschool-Kindergarten
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$5.95 $3.00 (1 in stock)
All Kinds of Animals
A Beka Reading 2I
4th edition from A Beka Books
for 2nd grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (7 in stock)
All Kinds of Animals - Teacher Edition
A Beka Reading 2i
4th edition from A Beka Books
for 2nd grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.50 (1 in stock)
Alphabet Fun Stories Visuals with Lesson Guide
from A Beka Books
for Kindergarten
in A Beka Phonics (Location: PHO-ABK)
$8.50 (2 in stock)
Alphabet Quest
by Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Old Edition Reading (Location: OREAD)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Amazing Circus of Phonograms: Act 2
by Mary Jo Nyssen, Joe Palmisano
1st edition from MOM-BA-BOOKS
for Preschool-1st grade
in Miscellaneous Phonics (Location: PHO-MISC)
$13.99 $9.00 (2 in stock)
Among the Animals
A Beka Reading 3D
from A Beka Books
for 3rd grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (2 in stock)
And I Mean It, Stanley
by Crosby Bonsall
1st edition from HarperCrest
for Preschool-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Animal Friends - 8-book Set
from A Beka Books
for Preschool
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$8.50 (2 in stock)
Animals in the Great Outdoors
A Beka Reading 1i
2nd edition from A Beka Books
for 1st grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (3 in stock)
Animals in the Great Outdoors - Teacher Edition
A Beka Reading 1i
2nd edition from A Beka Books
for 1st grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.50 (2 in stock)
Are You My Mother?
by P. D. Eastman
from Random House
Animal Fantasy for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Arthur and the Super Chimp Contest
An I Can Read Book
by Lillian Hoban
from Harper & Row
for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Arthur's Christmas Cookies
I Can Read! Level 2
by Lilian Hoban
from HarperCrest
for Preschool-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
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 Halloween Costume
by Lillian Hoban
from HarperCrest
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.00 (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)
At the Farm
American Language Series
by Guyla Nelson & Saundra Lamgo
from Mile-Hi Publishers
for Kindergarten
in American Language Series (Location: PHO-AMLAN)
$15.95 $9.50 (2 in stock)
Aunt Eater's Mystery Vacation
by Doug Cushman
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-4th grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Babar's Little Circus Star
A Step into Reading Book Level 1
by Laurent de Brunhoff
from Random House
for Preschool-1st grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Bad Puppy
by Margo Lundell
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Scholastic / Hello Reader! (Location: EAR-SCH)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Bad Seed Goes to the Library
I Can Read! Level 1
by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$3.00 (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)
Basic Phonics Readers - 13-book set
from A Beka Books
for Kindergarten Age 5
in A Beka Phonics (Location: PHO-ABK)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Basic Phonics Sounds CD
4th edition from A Beka Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in A Beka Phonics (Location: PHO-ABK)
$10.50 (1 in stock)
Bats
by Lily Wood
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Bats: Creatures of the Night
by Joyce Milton, illustrated by Joyce Moffatt
from Penguin Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Bear Cub
All Aboard Reading - Station Stop 2
by Pam Pollack and Meg Belviso, illustrated by Neecy Twinem
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 1st-2nd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Beautiful Stories for Children
by Michael McHugh
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 2nd grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$14.50 $7.00 (1 in stock)
Before We Read & First Steps - Teacher Edition
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$6.50 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Bermuda Triangle
DK Eyewitness Readers Level 3
by Andrew Donkin
from DK Publishing
for 1st-3rd grade
in DK Readers (Location: EAR-DK)
$4.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
Best Mistake Ever! and Other Stories
A Step into Reading Book Level 3
by Richard Scarry
from Random House
for 1st-3rd grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$4.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Best Trick
by Rebecca Lewis
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for Preschool-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$3.50 (2 in stock)
Beyond Phonics: Word Pattern Stories - Text
by Nancy D. Nelson
Revised edtion from Training for Life Publications
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Reading Reference (Location: REF-READ)
$18.00 (1 in stock)
Big Balloon Race
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Eleanor Coerr
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
Billy Sunday
by Elaine Cunningham
from A Beka Books
for 6th grade
in A Beka Reading (Location: REA-ABK)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Blend Practice Cards A
from A Beka Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in A Beka Phonics (Location: PHO-ABK)
$14.00 (4 in stock)
Blend Practice Cards B
from A Beka Books
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in A Beka Phonics (Location: PHO-ABK)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Collection 2
by Bobby Lynn Maslen
from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool-1st grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
Bob Books Collection 2
by Bobby Lynn Maslen, illustrated by John R. Maslen
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Collection 3
from Scholastic Reference
for Preschool-1st grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Collection 3
by Bobby Lynn Maslen, illustrated by John R. Maslen
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Collection 6
by Lynn Maslen Kertell, illustrated by Dana Sullivan
from Scholastic Reference
for Preschool-1st grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Set 1 Companion
Stage 1: Starting to Read
by Lynn Maslen Kertell, illustrated by Katie Kath
from Scholastic Inc.
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Set 2
by Bob L. Maslen
from Scholastic Inc.
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$17.99 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Set 5
by Bob L. Maslen
from Scholastic Inc.
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$17.99 $12.00 (1 in stock)
Bob Books Sight Words First Grade - Set
by Lynn Maslen Kertell
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st grade
in Bob Books (Location: EAR-BOB)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Bones
Step Into Reading: Step 2 (Reading with Help)
by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Davy Jones
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Preschool-1st grade
in Step into Reading (Location: EAR-STEP)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Boys and Girls of Colonial Days
by Carolyn Bailey
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 4th grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$9.50 $6.50 (1 in stock)
Bridges Beyond
CLE Reading
by Ruth K. Hobbs
from Christian Light Education
for 4th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Buddy, the First Seeing Eye Dog
by Eva Moore
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
in Scholastic / Hello Reader! (Location: EAR-SCH)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
Bugs, Beetles, and Butterflies
Puffin Science Easy-to-Read Level 1
by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Lisa Flather
from Puffin Books
for Preschool-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Building a New Nation - Reader
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$17.85 $9.50 (1 in stock)
Building a New Nation - Student Exercises
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$5.30 $2.75 (1 in stock)
Building Our Lives - Teacher Edition
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 4th grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$6.50 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Building Our Lives - Workbook
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 4th grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$3.50 $2.00 (1 in stock)
Buster the Very Shy Dog in the Great Bone Game
Green Light Readers Level 3
by Lisze Bechtold
from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
for 1st-3rd grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Busy Times
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 2nd grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$9.50 $5.50 (1 in stock)
Busy Times and More Busy Times - Teacher Edition
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 2nd grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$6.50 $3.50 (2 in stock)
Call for a New Alphabet
by Jef Czekaj
from Charlesbridge
for Kindergarten-4th grade
in Clearance: English & Language Arts (Location: ZCLE-LAN)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Case of the Hungry Stranger
An I Can Read Book Level 2
by Crosby Bonsall
from Harper & Row
Children's Mystery for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
Cat in the Hat
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for 1st-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $3.50 (2 in stock)
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)
Catch a Whale by the Tail
Science I Can Read Books
by Edward R. Ricciuti, illustrated by Geoffrey Moss
from Harper & Row
for 1st-3rd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$12.00 (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 (1 in stock)
Cats
Usborne Beginners
by Anna Milbourne
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$2.70 (1 in stock)
Chang's Paper Pony
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Eleanor Coerr
from HarperCollins
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in I Can Read Books (Location: EAR-ICR)
$4.99 $2.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 2 (old)
by Julia Wright
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 2nd grade
in Old Edition Reading (Location: OREAD)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Learning to Read - Teacher's Guide 101-105
CLE Reading to Learn
by Ruth K. Hobbs
Sunrise 2nd Edition from Christian Light Education
for 1st grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Learning to Read - Teacher's Guide 106-110
CLE Reading to Learn
by Ruth K. Hobbs
Sunrise 2nd Edition from Christian Light Education
for 1st grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$8.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 301-310 Answer Key
Sunrise 2 Edition from Christian Light Education
for 3rd grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 501-505 Answer Key
Sunrise 2nd Edition from Christian Light Education
for 5th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$5.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 501-505 Quizzes and Tests Answer Key
Sunrise 2nd Edition from Christian Light Education
for 5th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 7 Answer Key
Sunrise 2 from Christian Light Education
for 7th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 7 Quiz and Test Answer Key
Sunrise 2 from Christian Light Education
for 7th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading - LightUnit 801-805 Answer Key
Sunrise 2 from Christian Light Education
for 8th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Christian Light Reading 4 - Answer Key
CLE Reading to Learn
Sunrise 2nd Edition from Christian Light Education
for 4th grade
in Christian Light Reading (Location: REA-CLE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
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