5 Things to Look For When Choosing a Phonics Program to Help your Child Learn to Read

Help your child learn to read with phonics.

Do you want to help your child learn to read with phonics? Now that parents and schools are sharing more responsibility for learning, many parents are turning to online phonics programs to help their children learn to read at home.

Because there are so many options to choose from, you can feel confident there's a program out there that will work for your child. But please be thoughtful! Do consider your child's age, learning style, and how much time you have each day to dedicate to your lessons.

Below you will find 5 key features to look for when choosing an online phonics program to help your child learn to read. 

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5 Things to Be Aware of When Choosing a Program to Help Your Child Learn to Read

​1) Does the program take a linear approach?
Phonics is surprisingly easy to teach. The beauty of phonics is that is starts with learning the sounds of each letter of the alphabet, then combining those sounds to make words. Once your child can sound out 'c-a-t' or -'d-o-g,' he or she has a solid understanding of how to decode the English language. You might find that a lot of programs 'jump around,' creating confusion. When this happens, a child can miss the foundational concept of how to decode, which can create problems on down the road.

2) Long Lessons
If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6, you will want a program that requires no more than 5 minutes of your time each day. Early on, phonics requires quite a bit of repetition, which can become tiresome after a few minutes. If lessons are designed to take 5 minutes or less, you will always leave your pupil wanting more, and you will be able to find the time to schedule daily lessons.

3) Tons of Screen Time
Many parents are increasingly concerned about the amount of time children are spending in front of screens. When lessons are too long, children may be required to spend a large amount of time in front of screens, which may or may not be a good thing. Simply put, make sure your lessons are short!

4) Passive Learning
Of course, with any program you choose, you want to make sure your child will actually learn to read. But it's also important to be aware of HOW she or he will learn to read. When children are spoon-fed information—through entertainment, for example—they may get used to learning passively. When you're searching for a program, you may want to require it to be fully-interactive so your child feels empowered as he or she works through the lessons.
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5) Isolated Learning
Please don't plant your kids in front of screens! This short window of learning is a special opportunity for you to share time with your child. By spending time WITH your children as they learn to read, you will be showing them how important reading is to you.

Teach Your Child to Read™ is a gentle, nurturing approach for helping your child learn to read with phonics. 

Your Child Can Learn to Read with Phonics

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WATCH THE VIDEO: 6 Steps to Reading with Phonics

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