Explode the Code

by Ginny
(Oregon)

Product: Explode the Code
Subject:Phonics
Levels Used: PK - 8
Dates Used: 2000-2006

I used Explode the Code beginning with the Get Ready, Get Set, Go, series with all three of my children starting at ages 4.

I love ETC because it is so user friendly, and by that I mean for the child as well as the parent.

Every lesson follows the same exact pattern, utilizing 7 different ways to interact with a sound, blend, etc, one approach to a page before moving on to next sound or blend. Each time those same seven approaches are repeated.

After one or two lessons a child knows what is expected to be done on each page without needing help which makes it very good for independent work. The set up of this program is fanstastic for reinforcing the concepts!

I used ETC with Sonlight's "I Can Read It" readers series and readers similar to the Bob books. This made a complete phonics program and was a gentle, yet through approach that worked for all three of my children.

We were sad the day we finished the last ETC book as it had become a staple of our schooling days. :)

The only thing I didn't like about ETC was level 4 which covers rules for syllables. I felt that learning about how to divide words into syllables is really a spelling skill, confusing at that level not very useful for phonics. I skipped this level each time and we never missed it.