Q:  Are the PhonicsTutor programs compatible with Windows 7? A:  PhonicsTutor is compatible withy Windows 7. The system requirements are:  Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista/7/8.0/8.1/10 CD-ROM Mouse Speakers or Headphones Q:  What CD-ROM and books are right for my students? A:  Some combinations of CDs and books are suggested on the Order page.  With two CD's and three books you can select those that match your student's needs.  If you have questions, don't hesitate to call 888-420-READ or email info@phonicstutor.com  to receive recommendations from a reading consultant.      Q:  What is the age range for PhonicsTutor? A:  K-Adult.  PhonicsTutor is ideal for young children (5-9 years).  It is self-paced and easily adaptable to the needs of each learner.  The presentation and activities are simple enough for a 5 year old to grasp and apply.    PhonicsTutor is ideal for older students and adults since it lets them work at their own pace, does not have "childish graphics", and accepts student input at the speed of typing.  The sequence and phonics knowledge that a new reader needs is the same, regardless of age.    Q:   Will PhonicsTutor work for my child who has a learning disability? A:   If the child can convert the spoken sounds /k/ /a/ /t/ to the spoken word "cat", and can remember a five-digit zip code, PhonicsTutor will work with regular use.  If your student fails these two tests the first time, do not determine that a child cannot learn to read unless extensive practice over months and a professional evaluation supports this assessment.  Younger children may fail these tests now, but pass them in a few months as they mentally mature.  Do not underestimate the potential of any child.  With certain disabilities, PhonicsTutor has worked when all else failed.  Parents and teachers have reported about children who spoke for the first time while using PhonicsTutor.  A student in Minnesota learned to read using PhonicsTutor even though he had had brain surgery. Neither the parents nor the teacher were sure he would ever read, but provided the opportunity.  Read the reviews for more examples.   Q:  I am required to use the school's reading program.  Can I use PhonicsTutor to supplement it?  A:  Yes.  PhonicsTutor can be integrated with other reading programs. If you use a reading program that is less intense on phonics than some students need, PhonicsTutor will fill the gap.  Many children will not break the "code" of English without step-by-step phonics instruction. If you have a phonics-based curriculum, use PhonicsTutor for  students who cannot keep up.  Two boys in a second grade ESL class in Texas used PhonicsTutor each day because they could not complete the extensive writing assignments.  At the beginning of the year, they had the lowest reading scores.  At the end of the year, they had made the greatest strides in reading and were near the top of the class. Now in fourth grade, they are two of the top readers in the school.      Q:  Is PhonicsTutor self-teaching? A:  The CD-ROMs are almost self-teaching.  The books are designed for minimal class preparation. We recommend daily teacher/parent instruction and participation for younger students working on PhonicsTutor.  Introduce phonograms, help them with the keyboard, provide encouragement, be available to answer questions, and verify progress.  Students will work independently as their knowledge of reading and the computer increases.  Continue to direct assignments, verify progress, and tell students about their performance.  Students need to know their teacher is observing them and is available to help them. Older students and adults will be able to work independently after being shown how PhonicsTutor works.  Be available to answer questions and listen to their thoughts about English as they learn to read and spell the vocabulary of the largest language in the world.    Q:  What about the books?  What's in them? A:  The PhonicsTutor Classic Teacher's Manual is the roadmap for using the Classic CD-ROM.  It saves time in tracking students, is essential if a teacher was not taught to read phonetically, contains additional phonics information, and includes additional lesson suggestions for specific student needs. The PhonicsTutor Classic Student Reader provides reading activities not found on the computer.  Stories, poems and more provide reading practice and enjoyment.  Word lists and reading assessment activities help both students and teachers identify decoding difficulties and reinforce reading skills.  The 40-page Phonogram and Spelling Pattern Chart comprehensively examines the patterns of English spelling and pronunciation. The PhonicsTutor Workbook of Spelling & Grammar expands on reading concepts first introduced on the CD-ROMs.  Students learn to communicate sounds on paper as in dictionaries, are taught and tested on the common sounds of each Orton-Gillingham phonogram, are introduced to grammar concepts, and are tested on the spelling of the ten most common words of 173 spelling patterns.

"My son, now in the first grade has been using PhonicsTutor for six months and is reading books considered to be 2nd-3rd grad readers! I will NEVER forget his face when after the third lesson he looked up at me with radiating joy and said, 'Mom, I read words!'" full review...   "PhonicsTutor by far the best and most complete phonics, reading, and spelling curriculum for the computer I have ever seen!" Spotlight Review, Practical Homeschooling issue # 22   "Your Reader is superb! It will make a great contribution to literacy in America. The Phonogram and Patterns of English Chart is a mine of information. ... Where you reading my mind when you produced the PT Student Workbook? It looks like it. I a sat down and read through the whole book after the students left today. This book is in a class all its own.  It is a significant contribution to the cause of literacy in America.  Yes I love Davy Diacritic, and so will the students.  The SilentSpell tests blew me away. Forget the competition, there is none." Don Potter Odessa TX.