Hooked on Phonics Review

by Kathy
(Phoenix, AZ, USA)

Product: HOP aka Hooked on Phonics
Subject: phonics
Levels Used: K through 1st grade (This will actually work through 3rd grade, but we finished it in 2 years.)

Dates Used: 2005-2007

Likes: I purchased the 5 level set. This program comes with flashcards you put on a ring. It also comes with cassettes (maybe they've updated to cd's by now) which you play while looking at each card on the ring.

After the child has learned the sounds of each letter you can start on the workbook. Here the child will learn the sounds in different orders. Then you go on to small words they rhyme (cat, sat, bat, rat, fat, mat). After these are learned you'll have a very short story to read using these words.

Level 1 also comes with a game for your computer. The beginning games are teaching the letters and sounds. Each level includes the new group of words that the child has learned. The child can't go to the next level in the game without passing the previous levels. However, the child can go back and play the previous levels he has passed.

Each of the 5 box levels comes with a chart for the child to use to show his/her progress. Each box level also comes with actual books for them to read. Cassettes and flashcards are included at each level. I believe the first box is learning the sounds of all the letters. This does not include the long vowel sounds. The other 4 boxes start combining letters to make other sounds and the long vowels.

I do have to say that I've put all of the books (not workbooks) into our home library. The girls enjoy reading them now as the books are easier for them. I think it boosts their egos a little bit.

Dislikes: I didn't really care for some of the reading books that came in levels 4 and 5 as there were more sight words than words that could be sounded out.