Leapfrog Tag, or other learn to read suggestions

[fraumama]

Hi, all. Has anyone used the Leapfrog Tag system to teach your child to read? Is it good? Anybody have any other suggestions on how I can teach my son to read? Thanks for your experienced advice!

[romacox]

Having had experience in home school and in public school, I have found that computer games are good, but not when it comes to teaching phonics.  They teach some of the phonic sounds  incorrectly making it hard for many children to learn to blend the sounds to form words.  Most of the children given to me to help (I am a tutor), have this problem.  For example: if they pronounce the H sound as Hu, and the P sound as Pu, they sound out the word happy as hu-a-pu-y,   It is very important that you, the educator, teach the phonic sounds so that you are sure they are pronouncing them correctly. It prevents problems down the road.... Hear Phonic Sounds Free.

Ring Around The Phonics is all I use to teach reading and phonics (it comes with 14 early reader books), But I also use it to teach comprehension, listening skills, communication skills, vocabulary, spelling,.....many other language arts subjects (4 years old through 6th grade).  It is learning disguised as a game, and the kids beg to play.  They love the activities, and crowning their characture with the blue and gold rings of knowledge.  So I recommend Ring Around The Phonics.

[klatshaw]

My son uses teh Tag books. He loves them! I don't thinbk that he is learning to read, though, as much as he is memorizing the words. 

[motheroffour186]

Yes it does!! We watch all the Leap Frog movies since my oldest son was in preschool. I have brought him all the toys we have seen from Leapfrog. We watch Leap Frog more the Dora or Diego.The songs are great they are great pick up tunes for counting sounding out words. When I am doing a lesson with my older two I put Leapfrog on and my younger two sit down and watch then with their Leapsters or Mobie on   the go. I go back to it to help my older two with Language Art.

[leighp1]

We recently, about a year ago, started homeschooling, but I used all of the Leapfrog things when my daughters were young.  We LOVED them.  They LOVED them. And now both of my dd's are advanced.  Is that because of Leapfrog?  I don't know, but I can say it made learning fun for all.  Jumpstart was another thing we loved.  Think we used that until 3rd grade (then it became too childish for my girls). I truly believe in reading to your child and let them read to you.  I think that is probably the best learning resource you have. I have seen teachers put signs on items around the classroom as well and I think that is a great idea.  Like, desk on the desk, couch on the couch.  It gives them visual as well as the words.

[fraumama]

Thanks for your responses! My son knows the sounds from watching the Letter Factory video, now I need to get him to start blending the letters to read. I figure the electronic aspect of it would keep it fun, although then I wonder if it's lazy of me to go that route instead of sitting and working with him more.

Any other tips for teaching a kid to read? 

[romacox]

I recommend both.  That way you can catch any misinformation before they compound into bigger problems. You would be surprised how many problems I have had to correct, as a tutor,  simply because of misinformation. 

As I mentioned before, make sure he is pronouncing the phonic sounds correctly, because it can cause reading and spelling problems.  Only 16% of the Engulish vocabulary requires sight recognition.  84% is phonetic, and too many children are being taught incorrectly.  I have seen this from K through 6th grade, and it is sad to see what the child suffers through.  So computers can definately be part of an education, but monitor closely.

P.S. When the child learns their first 8 phonic sounds (s,a,m,r,n,t,o,d)  they should be able to read their first early reader book (Bob Books, Public School Early Readers or Ring Around the Phonics books),  When they learn their next 6 sounds (i,b,c,e,g,long a), they should be able to read their second book (so on and so on).  This is so that phonics is associated with reading , and so as to build reading skills as they learn phonics.

Quoting fraumama:

Thanks for your responses! My son knows the sounds from watching the Letter Factory video, now I need to get him to start blending the letters to read. I figure the electronic aspect of it would keep it fun, although then I wonder if it's lazy of me to go that route instead of sitting and working with him more.

Any other tips for teaching a kid to read? 

[usmom3]

we have not used it but here is a bump for you!

[fraumama]

Oh - he knows the first 8 phonic sounds (at least I think he does), will see tomorrow what he can accomplish with the Bob Books I have on the shelf. That's a great tip to start reading the books while learning the phonics. I'm excited to see what he could do...

Quoting romacox:

I recommend both.  That way you can catch any misinformation before they compound into bigger problems. You would be surprised how many problems I have had to correct, as a tutor,  simply because of misinformation. 

As I mentioned before, make sure he is pronouncing the phonic sounds correctly, because it can cause reading and spelling problems.  Only 16% of the Engulish vocabulary requires sight recognition.  84% is phonetic, and too many children are being taught incorrectly.  I have seen this from K through 6th grade, and it is sad to see what the child suffers through.  So computers can definately be part of an education, but monitor closely.

P.S. When the child learns their first 8 phonic sounds (s,a,m,r,n,t,o,d)  they should be able to read their first early reader book (Bob Books, Public School Early Readers or Ring Around the Phonics books),  When they learn their next 6 sounds (i,b,c,e,g,long a), they should be able to read their second book (so on and so on).  This is so that phonics is associated with reading , and so as to build reading skills as they learn phonics.

Quoting fraumama:

Thanks for your responses! My son knows the sounds from watching the Letter Factory video, now I need to get him to start blending the letters to read. I figure the electronic aspect of it would keep it fun, although then I wonder if it's lazy of me to go that route instead of sitting and working with him more.

Any other tips for teaching a kid to read? 

[romacox]

Fantastic.  Let me know how he does.  Also the following link gives you the phonic sounds free in video format so you can check to make sure he is pronouncing them correctly.  Hear Phonic Sounds Free (this is for the educator...not the child)

Quoting fraumama:

Oh - he knows the first 8 phonic sounds (at least I think he does), will see tomorrow what he can accomplish with the Bob Books I have on the shelf. That's a great tip to start reading the books while learning the phonics. I'm excited to see what he could do...

Quoting romacox:

I recommend both.  That way you can catch any misinformation before they compound into bigger problems. You would be surprised how many problems I have had to correct, as a tutor,  simply because of misinformation. 

As I mentioned before, make sure he is pronouncing the phonic sounds correctly, because it can cause reading and spelling problems.  Only 16% of the Engulish vocabulary requires sight recognition.  84% is phonetic, and too many children are being taught incorrectly.  I have seen this from K through 6th grade, and it is sad to see what the child suffers through.  So computers can definately be part of an education, but monitor closely.

P.S. When the child learns their first 8 phonic sounds (s,a,m,r,n,t,o,d)  they should be able to read their first early reader book (Bob Books, Public School Early Readers or Ring Around the Phonics books),  When they learn their next 6 sounds (i,b,c,e,g,long a), they should be able to read their second book (so on and so on).  This is so that phonics is associated with reading , and so as to build reading skills as they learn phonics.

Quoting fraumama:

Thanks for your responses! My son knows the sounds from watching the Letter Factory video, now I need to get him to start blending the letters to read. I figure the electronic aspect of it would keep it fun, although then I wonder if it's lazy of me to go that route instead of sitting and working with him more.

Any other tips for teaching a kid to read? 

[fraumama]

Well... He didn't do very well reading the Bob books. He basically couldn't read at all, I had to letter by letter sound it out with him.  Will keep working on it with him. I just wonder if I'm qualified to teach him to read, I've never one this before.