Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: reading, reading reflex

This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 9 months ago by Taraschmidt08.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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August 17, 2015 at 11:44 am
Taraschmidt08
Participant
Hi,
I have been researching reading curricula/methods for awhile now, and I’ve decided to try “Reading Reflex” first with my son next year (he will be almost 6 at that point). I have a used copy on the way, but as I was reading reviews on Amazon, it raised some questions I was hoping someone here might be able to answer for me.
1) Are there any supplements for this reading program that you would recommend to make up for any deficits? I believe some people recommended magnetic word tiles instead of cutting out the paper ones in the book, but are there any other complimentary programs or resources that would be beneficial? Some don’t like the stories in the book. Are there other ideas of what to use instead or along side these?
2) I think I sort of understand the philosophy behind the phono-graphix method, but it raises the question of whether I should casually teach my young children (preschool aged) letters and sounds, or will that only be confusing when starting Reading Reflex (which doesn’t teach the sounds letters make)?
3) What is assumed a child starting to read using Reading Reflex already knows? The names of the letters? The basic sounds?
Perhaps some of these questions will be answered for me as I read the book, but just wondering if any of you with experience using the program could answer.
I’d also love to hear of your general experiences with it!
Thank you!
August 17, 2015 at 12:27 pm
my3boys
Participant
I used this program with one of my dc and loved it! I still use the terminology that is used in the book for my youngest son because it makes the most sense to me.
I believe the website I had purchased some supplemental workbooks from is no longer available but it was something like readamerica dot something. I have the book and can look it up for you to see if their products are still available or maybe they have some at Rainbow Resource.
I thought the stories were fine, they definitely got the job done and there are plenty of other practice readers like Pathway Readers, which are wonderful.
This program does teach sounds but it is described differently. Instead of saying that a letter makes a sound (which they don’t), they say that people makes sounds (which they do). The sound picture (the letter) represents the sound/s we make.
I don’t think that anything is assumed, they give directions on what you could be doing with a young child and using magnetic letters is one of them. If my memory serves me right, they offer suggestions for pre-K students, nothing formal, but some activities to prepare them.
I’m sure I answered only a part of your questions and completely out of order, sorry. But, I hope this helps.
BTW, I did cut up all of the sound pictures and they are in labeled envelopes if you’d like them. If you leave your email address, then I can get your mailing address and send them to you.
August 17, 2015 at 12:40 pm
Taraschmidt08
Participant
Thank you for sharing your experience! Did you find the sound pictures that you cut up worked well or would it be better to purchase some heavier-duty ones? My email is Taraschmidt24@yahoo.com . Thanks so much!
August 17, 2015 at 1:19 pm
my3boys
Participant
As long as you aren’t sitting next to a fan or a strong breeze the paper ones are fine. Oh, wait, I glued most of them to construction paper to make them more heavy duty. Not all of them, but most of them, I think. I’ll look in the bag to let you know for sure.
I really loved this program..It took a minute of reading and going through it a few times to get what was expected for the lessons, but I have to do that with every program these days anyhow.
I still use what I can remember to help my youngest boy with his reading lessons, it just clicked with me. I found this book at a used curriculum fair and it was on the free resource shelf and just took a look at the first few pages and knew it was something that made sense to me.

August 17, 2015 at 3:09 pm
retrofam
Participant
I used Reading Reflex and liked it.
I used magnetic letter tiles from AAS and mounted some of the RR materials (pictures of objects) on magnets for the puzzles.
http://shop.phono-graphix.com is the website to order supplemental workbooks, etc. I didn’t use the supplemental materials, but they looked good.

August 17, 2015 at 3:43 pm
Taraschmidt08
Participant
Thanks, retrofam! I will look into those supplements. Glad to hear you liked RR, as well.