Finger phonics vs "Hooked on Phonics"?

Question

My aunt bought my son a hooked on phonics set. But I've seen a lot of kids struggle with the finger phonics that were all the rage in schools for awhile (at least here). The problem with ginger phonics seemed to be that they only taught one sound per letter and as we all know english just doesn't work that way.

Has anyone done both with their kids?

Have you used "Hooked on Phonics" for a preschooler, what did you think of it?

(I'd really love to hear from anyone that unschools that either used it before they started unschooling or used it for some other reason)

PS. I am asking because I can return it if I don't think its useful, but not if I pull it all apart, etc

Answer 1

My son loved HOP.  He finished k-2 in less than 7 months.  That was last year...he is now reading at a 6th grade pace (reads about 130 words a minute) and comprehension at a 4th grade level.  He loves to read.  My youngest just likes reading Bob books right now...not really into the whole structure of HOP...but is loving the reading time.  He is 4.

Answer 2

A MUCH better resource I used was Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.We did 2 a day when he was 4. Started in Sept and he was reading at about 1st grade level before Christmas.

Answer 3

Never heard of this one but used jolly phonics which is a good multisensory one which uses actions and 'jingle' songs to teach the phonemes including the digraphs (oi,ai,ee,sh etc).

The letters and sounds is now taught (or at least should be) in the UK after the Rose report about synthetic phonics.  Alot of phonic systems can be used in conjunction with each other.  See if you can find a sample to use and see if you like it.