Fast Phonics by Renee Ellison
Fast Phonics by Renee Ellison is the most efficient homeschool phonics program available — designed to get your child reading in weeks, not months. Using witty cartoons, spaced repetition, and carefully sequenced micro-steps, Fast Phonics eliminates the confusion that stalls most beginning readers. No expensive tutors, no overwhelming bells and whistles — just a clear, proven path to reading fluency for preschoolers, kindergartners, struggling readers, and ESL learners of any age.
Looking for phonics programs for homeschool kindergarten? Evaluating phonics curricula for a struggling reader? Fast Phonics cuts through endless time-consuming tedium by teaching the basics of phonics on paper (NOT online) using cartoon images that tie each letter directly to its pronunciation. This rises above other multisensory reading programs because of the careful integration of every first step for learning how to read.
Watch a three-year-old boy reading the final page of the 180-page Fast Phonics book for the first time. By that age he had completed the program and could decode sentences containing words he had never seen before.
For more information: watch Renee describe the program, read 6 reasons Fast Phonics outperforms traditional methods, or listen to Renee describe the benefits.
Three Unique Components That Make Fast Phonics Speedy
Component #1: The 180-Page Fast Phonics Book
The complete Fast Phonics book includes a Slide-A-Word vowel stick for your child to hold while reading short words. This program includes every teaching aid imaginable to get the child on the "reading bus" as securely, easily, and fast as possible. View the full table of contents here. Here's an overview of what's inside:
- Cartoon charts with a short catchy phrase and reinforcing hand motions for every letter
- Tracing charts
- Testing charts
- 2-letter word drills
- 3-letter-word slide-a-vowel activity (developing fluency and flexibility)
- Silly sentences (3-letter-word short vowel sentences)
- Funny stories
- Long vowel exercises (converting short vowel words into long vowel words)
- Matching-game blends
- Irregular word right-brain memory hooks for diphthongs and vowel combinations that break the rules
Component #2: The Letter Cartoons Book (48 pages)
The clue to each letter's SOUND is hidden in the letter SHAPE — the key is hidden in plain sight! Learning the correct SOUND of letters (not their alphabet names) at first eliminates confusion and speeds up the reading process enormously.
These carefully crafted sound/symbol/letter cartoons give your child "right-now" first-step success. The memory hook is so strong, children gain almost instant recall — and have begged to do them again and again. This 48-page, 8½ x 11" softcover book contains:
- Why they work and how to use them (2-page overview)
- A–Z letter cartoons (each on its own full page)
- Plain letter charts for testing phonetic sound recognition
- Tracing charts with starting dots and arrows
- Two pages of first words
- Two pages of 2-letter words
What is the difference between the two Fast Phonics books? The Letter Cartoons book is ideal for ages 3–4, with jumbo full-page cartoons, and takes children through 2-letter words. The 180-page book teaches all skills necessary for full reading fluency and is the right starting point for age 5 and up. About 90% of families buy both — they work synergistically. See also: a detailed comparison of the two Fast Phonics books.
Component #3: Three Glossy Letter Charts (11x17")
Take these charts anywhere to learn letters everywhere — in the car, outside under a tree, or on the couch! These portable versions of the cartoon, tracing, and tester charts from the 180-page book are printed on smooth glossy card stock for quick spaced repetition drills on the go.
What's Included in the Complete Set
For the strongest impact, we recommend purchasing all three components together — they work synergistically, and that's what about 90% of families do. Buy the complete set and save. The total cost is less than almost any other phonics program — and more effective.
A Fast Phonics Review from a Family in Minnesota
"Mom loves it! The two-year-old looks on and repeats the sounds while his 2nd grade brother reads at the 4th grade level due to his quick start in phonics 3 years ago. Another brother started learning it age 4, and a fourth brother already knows many of the sounds at age 4. It's bridging the gap for a cousin mom using 100 Easy Lessons. Another cousin's 7-year-old whose left side is partially paralyzed by Lyme disease is reading two-letter words using Fast Phonics to automate the sounds. It's fast, fun, & fantastic!" — Mrs. F.
Watch Fast Phonics in Action
See and hear Renee explain the program and watch real children learning to read with Fast Phonics.
- Quarantined? Jump-start Some Homeschooling — a quick overview of Fast Phonics and other resources
- Sample of a 3-year-old reading with Fast Phonics — short clip
- Sample of a 3-year-old reading with Fast Phonics (continued)
- Teach Phonics Faster — Renee Ellison — Renee describes the full program
Further Reading: Fast Phonics on Our Blog
- Would Fast Phonics help a student who is struggling to read?
- Phonics quick-start tips
- Reading curriculum
- Differences between the two Fast Phonics books by Renee Ellison
- Steps for the process of teaching your child how to read
- What to do if my child is not a "banana" reader?
- Q&A about the Fast Phonics starter program by Renee Ellison
