Phonics from A to Z (Grades K-3)

This book is an essential resource for the elementary school teacher and parent whose children are struggling to learn to read. The teacher who has never been taught the underpinnings of "decoding" our language will have a comprehensive overview here.

I was looking for something to boost my purchase up to $25 so that I could get free shipping. I got this book, thinking that it was a book to read with my kids. However, the book is an educational book that a teacher would use. Good book, but not what I was expecting.

This book is very much geared toward teachers teaching in schools, lots of info on phonics theory and assessment, very little on implementation and methodology. This is most definitely not a how-to book.

I first got this from my library, and am ordering a copy to keep. I have been searching for a resource to help my boys, who both have language delays. My older boy has had huge struggles with reading, and I hope to make it easier for my younger son.

As a homeschooler, I have access to a wealth of phonics resources. Most are geared toward "average" kids, and move way too fast for my boys. Many are workbook-based, which is a poor fit for kids who hate to pick up a pencil, and for moms who would rather make learning more fun. Curricula designed for struggling readers are full of manipulatives I already own or can easily make, and cost hundreds of dollars.

The information in this book will allow me to tailor a course of study to my son's weaknesses and strengths, and ensure that I do not leave out critical steps.

I read this book as a parent trying to figure out where to start because I wanted to teach my child how to read. Blevins did a great job introducing ME to teaching phonics.

As a homeschooling parent, I feel like I am bombarded with kits and programs that guarantee to teach reading through phonics, but it seems like a lot of these are not very useful stuff marketed by people who seem a lot more attached to political ideologies rather than the mechanics of what works. By contrast, Blevins writes from the standpoint of an educator rather than an ideologue, which I appreciated.

I must admit, however, that I haven't come even close to following Blevins advice on teaching. It's much too obtuse for our purposes, which is learning to read, simply put.