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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ABC's and All Their Tricks
by Margaret M. Bishop
from Mott Media
in Reading Reference (Location: REF-READ)
$22.99
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 1 - Reader 2
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95
All About Reading Level 1 - Reader 3
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95
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
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 (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
All About Reading Level 3 - Reader 2
by Marie Rippel
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 3rd grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95
All About Reading Level 4 - Reader 1
by Marie Rippel, Renee LaTulippe
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 4th grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95
All About Reading Level 4 - Reader 2
by Marie Rippel, Renee LaTulippe
Color Edition from All About Learning Press
for 4th grade
in All About Reading (Location: PHO-AAR)
$22.95
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)
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)
Are You Ready to Play Outside?
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
2009 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Best Nest
by P.D. Eastman
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
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)
Days Go By
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 1st grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$8.00
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
Digging-est Dog
by Al Perkins
from Random House
for Kindergarten-3rd Grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Doodling Dragons
from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$15.00
Dr. Seuss's ABC
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
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
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
Fly Went By
by Mike McClintock
from Random House
Rhyming Books for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Foot Book
Bright & Early Books
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Go, Dog, Go!
by P. D. Eastman
from Random House
Animal Fantasy/Rhyming Stories for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Green Eggs and Ham
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
Fantasy for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
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)
Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th- grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Workbooks (Location: REA-MCG)
$15.00 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Harvey's Revised English Grammar
Harvey's Language Course
by Thos. W. Harvey
from Mott Media
for 4th-8th grade
in McGuffey's Readers & Workbooks (Location: REA-MCG)
$17.50 $10.00 (2 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
Knitting Knights
2nd edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$15.00
Let's Go for a Drive
Elephant & Piggy #18
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Books for Children
for 3rd-6th grade
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
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 #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
LOE Essentials Reader
2nd edition from Logic of English, Inc.
for 2nd-6th grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$24.99 $12.50 (4 in stock)
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
More Days Go By
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 1st grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$8.00
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)
New England Primer of 1777
by Gary & Wanda Sanseri
from Back Home Industries
for 1st-4th grade
in Miscellaneous Phonics (Location: PHO-MISC)
$20.00
Night Animals
Usborne Beginners Level 1
by Susan Meredith
from Usborne
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$4.49 $2.70 (2 in stock)
Oh Say Can You Say?
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House
for 1st-4th grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
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
Once Upon a Mastodon
by Bonnie Worth
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for 2nd-4th grade
in Cat in the Hat's Learning Library (Location: EAR-CAT)
$9.99
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)
Our Heritage
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 8th grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$11.00
Pinocchio's Quest
by Robert Rogland
from Christian Liberty Press
for 6th grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$16.75 $7.50 (1 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
from Random House
for 1st-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Reading 2A - Student Textbook
3rd edition from Bob Jones University Press
for 2nd grade
in BJU Reading (Location: REA-BJU)
$24.72
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
Robinson Crusoe Reader
by Julia Cowles
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 2nd grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$13.35
See the Dog
by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
from Candlewick Press
for Kindergarten-1st grade
in Early Readers (Location: EAR-MISC)
$8.99
Seeking True Values
by Pathway
from Pathway Publishers
for 7th grade
in Pathway Readers (Location: REA-PATH)
$11.00
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
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)
Trains
Usborne Beginners
by Emily Bone
from Usborne
for 1st-2nd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$4.49
Victory Drill Book
by Andrea Carstensen & Deborah Masin
3rd edition from Victory Drill Book
for Preschool-8th grade
in Miscellaneous Phonics (Location: PHO-MISC)
$21.95
Victory PreDrill Book
by Andrea Carstensen & Deborah Masin
Revised from Victory Drill Book
for Preschool-8th grade
in Miscellaneous Phonics (Location: PHO-MISC)
$18.95
Wacky Wednesday
by Dr. Seuss
from Random House Books for Young Readers
for Nursery-2nd grade
in Beginner Books (Location: EAR-BB)
$9.99
Waiting Is Not Easy!
An Elephant and Piggie Book
by Mo Willems
from Hyperion Press
for Preschool-1st grade
2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Watch Me Throw the Ball!
Elephant and Piggie
by Mo Willems
from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-1st grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
We Are In a Book!
An Elephant and Piggie Book
by Mo Willems
1st edition from Disney-Hyperion
for Preschool-1st grade
2011 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$9.99
Weather
Usborne Beginners Level 2
by Catriona Clarke
from Usborne
for 1st-3rd grade
in Usborne Beginners (Location: SCI-USBREA)
$4.49 $2.70 (3 in stock)
Whistling Whales
from Logic of English, Inc.
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Logic of English (Location: PHO-LOE)
$14.99