PhonicsTutor
Student Reader, released May 24, 2000
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Here is
what Cathy Duffy, A Curriculum Reviewer says:
"The Reader is far more than the
typical reader. It extends lessons from the
program, provides additional practice in both
reading and writing. It features word lists (words
with common elements) similar to those in Victory
Drill Book, phrases, sentences, and stories
to read. As students progress, the "stories"
actually get quite entertaining. The Reader
also includes some grammar and usage instruction
(e.g., punctuation, comparative adjectives, verb
tenses) plus other language arts skills such as
reading dictionary entries. The Workbook
provides opportunity for students to test and
apply their knowledge. You shouldn't need any
other language arts course if you use all these
components for the early grades." |
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4:20
Communications, Inc. appreciates the wonderful responses of students and
teachers of the PT Student Reader
. Most students who complete the Phonics Tutor
CD-ROM read at a
third-grade level or above. The vocabulary and spelling chart in the
PT Student Reader will enable most students to read at a
fourth-grade level or above. It is 200
pages, 8 ½ x 11, spiral bound, with laminated front
and back. The PT Student Reader
contains:
- A Phonics and Spelling
Pattern Chart–
This detailed chart provides the additional
phonics facts that will enable students to become
fluent, independent readers with the skills to
accurately decode almost any English word they
will encounter. Each phonogram or spelling
pattern is followed by one of its phonemes (indicated
with diacritics); a list of the ten most
frequently used words that use that phonogram; a
frequency indicator; and a column listing the
rules and observations about that spelling
pattern. The viewpoints of both Orton-Gillingham
Phonograms and The American Heritage
Dictionary are included. Comparisons are made
between spelling patterns, e.g., "far"
and "large" vs. "various",
"square", and "carried".
Students and teachers can easily see which
spelling patterns are uncommon, common, or very
common. Readers will see that "ear" is
not only pronounced as "err" in words
like "early" and "heard"; but
most often is pronounced as "ear" in
words like "year" and "near";
and is pronounced like "air" in "bear"
and "wear".
- Expanded, random word
lists–
Emphasis
is given to derivatives, the most frequently
used words, and multi-syllabic words that use
phonics facts already presented. The 300 most
frequently used words are flagged throughout the
book. A check mark indicates challenge words that
use familiar phonics facts in new, previously
untaught vocabulary. Three phonics tests are
given at the end of Units VI, VII, and IX.
- Controlled-vocabulary stories–
The "stories" include a play, poems,
informative and/or humorous paragraphs,
dictionary pages, a science experiment, a recipe,
a news article, tongue twisters, riddles, and
stories about both common and uncommon events of
interest to students of all ages.
- Instruction on both phonics and
beginning grammar–
Interspersed throughout the PT
Student Reader are
pages which review spelling rules; provide
additional rules on syllabication and decoding
examples; and introduce diacritics similar to
those used in The American Heritage Dictionary
. Prefixes, suffixes, and root words;
subject/verb agreement; comparative and
superlative adjectives; nouns, proper nouns,
pronouns; singular, plural, first, second and
third person verbs; prepositions; homophones;
synonyms and antonyms are all introduced with
many examples. An early introduction to the
history of certain spelling patterns helps
students understand why English is the largest
language in the world.
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For Teachers The scope and sequence, goals,
and special notes about the units in the PT Student
Reader are
presented to instructors in two pages at the beginning of
each unit. On each student page in framed boxes,
instructions are directed to the student. Information
about grammar, spelling rules, or to set the stage for a
story are included. Nothing more is needed to teach a
given page than what is on each page with few exceptions.
This format simplifies lesson planning for busy teachers
and increases ease of use for classroom volunteers, parents, or
older siblings.
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