Teaching your child to read is one of the most important things you can do. I believe that if you can read, you can learn anything! Today in the public school system teachers really focus on sight words and fluency based on those sight words. But, there is so much more to reading then just memorizing words.

When I first started homeschooling my kids, a friend of mine loaned me the book The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (Fourth Edition). I highly recommend it!

Somewhere in the book, it talks about the different sounds of letters and when letter blends are used. When I read it I was like, what? I don’t remember learning that in school! Maybe I did and I just didn’t remember. I think it is because teachers really focus on sight words and should focus more on phonics.  If you can get the phonics side down, it really helps with sounding out words that aren’t sight words. Knowing the correct use of letters also helps with spelling!

Today I have put together a list of highly recommend reading programs that focus on phonics and sight words. I did a significant amount of research and I believe these are the top five best reading programs. I believe any of these reading programs would be a great start to set a good reading foundation for your child.

 

Here are the top five best reading programs for new readers.

 

Abeka Phonics

Abeka Curriculum has been around for a long time! Their curriculum is loved by many homeschool families. Every subject including reading is based on Christian values. They have a full phonics curriculum. Students will learn to recognize short vowels and their sounds, blending words, consonants, and their sounds.  The downside is, it’s a little pricey! If the price tag is too high for you there are other options!

 

Hooked on Phonics

I love Hooked on Phonics! I have a set of K-3 grade that I seriously found at a thrift store when my son was in Pre-K! I snagged it for $7! Everything was there so it was a great deal! I was also on a tight budget so for me it was a sign from God that I had to do this homeschool thing! That was 6 years ago! I used it for both of my boys and plan on using it with my youngest son too. I absolutely love it!

 

                                 Explode the Code

I can’t say enough about Explode the Code. It’s such a fun curriculum. I used Books, A, B, and C for my boys when they started Pre-K. It is laid out very simple and the lessons are really short, which is perfect for pre-k! There are lots of books in this curriculum it goes from Explode the Code to Beyond the Code. I personally only used Books A, B, and C, but I know moms who have used them all and love them! They do have an online program but I just use the books!

 

 

 

   BJU Press Phonics & Reading Curriculum

Bob Jones University is another really popular curriculum. It covers phonics skills, word families and handwriting practice. The downside to this curriculum to me is, it’s also really pricey.  But, if you’re just starting out and you love it, I do recommend spending more on the reading program and less on the other subjects. I just believe that reading is SO important.

 

Horizons Phonics & Reading

Horizons phonics is another well-known reading program. This curriculum teaches basic language concepts through brightly illustrated readers, puzzles and workbooks. And is highly recommended by lots of homeschool moms! 

 

 

I personally believe any of these programs would be a great start for teaching your child to read! They are all well-known programs that have been around for a long time. Each program focuses on teaching your child phonics skills. Phonics skills are important for learning to read words that are not sight words. Setting a good foundation for reading success will be one of the most important things you can do for your child’s education. If your child can read, they can learn anything!