Question: Hello, Renee! I watched your session on the Homeschool Summit Curriculum convention. It was excellent. I learned so much and felt inspired! I have a few questions: would you more highly recommend Fast Phonics for a hands-on (kinesthetic) learner since it's more hand/eye versus auditory?
Answer: Yes, better for hands on and every kind of learner. It is just far more efficient, faster than other programs because it uses all of these modalities in combination with each other.
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Question: Will it confuse a child who has already learned the names of the letters?
Answer: No it won't confuse them, just ignore the letter names for a while and only reinforce the phonetic sound over and over and it should be fine. Just be careful to never use the letter names YOURSELF when teaching him.
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Question: Would it also bring confusion to switch back to MFW in 1st grade - just avoiding the reading training?
Answer: You can do that. I think ACE does a far better job in those first few years than MFW because it retains the reading phonetic markings even in the subject areas for a good while – giving the child incredible confidence. And requiring far less assistance from the parent.
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Question: MFW [My Father's World curriculum] does use the proper order - short vowels, long vowels, irregularity and no sight words. I used this for my 7 yr old and he's reading fine, but my 2nd son is definitely more of a hands-on learner. He's done the MFW PreK this year, so has learned short vowel sounds, but also has picked up the letter names.
Answer: Again, if you want to go forth FASTER, switch to our program. You CAN teach a child with ANY program – it just takes a pound more flesh out of you as the tutor!
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Question: Your typing curriculum says for 4 year olds?! And it doesn't use a keyboard? Is it all within the text/book?
Answer: Yes, all within the spiral bound book. No keyboard needed. You CAN use a real keyboard when you get to the speed drills in the back – just turn OFF the computer as they type.
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Question: Do you recommend starting typing this young - do they retain it better?
Answer: Generally little girls have more fine motor skills than boys do, the younger you go. But if you have a dexterous son, you can TRY it with him at that age. If it seems too complicated for him – delay it a year – but some children just go great with it at that age. READ the child's emotions toward it – and decide accordingly.
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Question: “I think I'm going to be purchasing your fast phonics course for my 4 yr old son. My question is about my 6 yr old daughter – I haven't gotten a curriculum for reading, but we read aloud sooooooo much. she has picked up a lot and we read bible verses and the first level of readers. Not sure where to go from here with her. she is fairly good at decoding words, but not sure if I’ve done all I need to do for her with reading. what do you recommend for after the fast phonics course?”
Answer: Your daughter is what I call a "banana reader." You toss her a banana and she can READ!!! Such people seem to pick it up by osmosis. BUT they miss vital mini-skills in the process – sooooo I would run her back through the entire Fast Phonics method. She'll FLY through it with JOY!!!! And YOU'LL be able —with razor focus —to find the exact places where she slipped through the gaps – for example she might confuse two vowel sounds when seen in isolation – then you can nail it – or she might not understand the PATTER of two vowels together – "when two go walking the first one does the talking" – even when separated by one consonant – etc. It will just make her an airtight very successful decoder.
