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Reading Reflex: The Foolproof Phono-Graphix Method for Teaching Your Child to Read (0684853671)
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| If you believe Carmen and Geoffrey McGuinness, our children are in grave danger of becoming illiterates--and the McGuinnesses are the only ones who can save them. Reading Reflex is an exhaustive how-to guide for the reading instruction method they've developed called Phono-Graphix. Phonics and whole language take a beating here, with the authors accusing both methods of failing generations of would-be readers. Their approach, unabashedly touted as far superior, stresses the 43 sounds of the English language, treating letters as symbols of these sounds. Phono-Graphix teaches children to separate each phoneme in a word so that the phonemes can later be blended back in the right order. If this sounds familiar it's because the same method was heralded in 1997 in the well-publicized book Why Our Children Can't Read, by psychologist Diane McGuinness (Geoffrey's mother). Parents may find the first long chapter on the history and process of learning how to read a bit tedious and technical. But since each chapter--and the method--builds on these thoughts, it's a must to read the book from cover to cover. Harder still is accepting the McGuinnesses' claim that Phono-Graphix has a 100 percent success rate. Much of the research cited in their book seems to have been conducted by the authors themselves, with no indication of comparison groups or follow-up studies. Still, numerous schools throughout the country and in England have adopted the method. And the McGuinnesses' tone of alarm may ring true for some parents frustrated with their children's struggles to read. Phono-Graphix represents a new alternative where none existed before. Future analysis by outside evaluators will show whether it deserves the confidence its creators possess. --Jodi Mailander Farrell Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
I am only part way through using the Reading Reflex with my (dyslexic) 9 year old son, and I am going to use it with my 7 year old daughter when I have time. My daughter is not a particularily poor reader, but I realise that she is a little confused and often guesses at words (she seems very much to be someone who is trying to memorise words by sight).
It is a simple to use method, with VERY clear instructions, I find them a little too authoritarian and have to guiltily admit I sometimesadapt them slightly. However, following the course closely has highlighted problems I did not suspect before. For example; I discovered that the idea of "magic e" which the Mc Guinesses frown on, has confused my son, so that he doesn't fully understand that the letters "g" and "r" in grow, have to be adjacent.
The course does take time and organisation, but the analysis of sounds is the most thorough I've come across. For instance you do all the ways of spelling the sound "oa" together. Why don't other methods do this? It seems so much easier and less prone to confusion than doing one way and then a week or more later introducing a different way.
My one regret? That I didn't buy the book and use it 4 years ago when I first heard of it!
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Author: Guest
When my oldest child was 8, I was homeschooling and heard such rave reviews about Reading Reflex. I rushed out and bought the book. I was so sure this would be the cure all for his reading struggles. The authors of this book and their website make it out like all children who struggle with reading struggle because they haven't had proper instruction, or have been taught incorrectly. I spent a year and a half using their program, following it to the tee. I made sure my son didn't use letter names and we didn't teach any phonics rules, just Reading Reflex. I expected great progress. After a year and a half I still had a child that could not read, write, or spell. I soon sent my child back to school to the "experts". Flash forward to now and I am homeschooling again with a child who still struggles extremely with reading, writing, and spelling. After years of guilt, feeling like I failed my son because I must have been doing something wrong with their wonderful, perfect program, I have finally realized that learning disabled children have massive difficulties learning to read no matter which program they use.
Reading Reflex makes their book out to be a cure all. Their reading program, actually does a wonderful job teaching spelling. For example, they teach all the ways to make the "A" sound (like in cake). What they don't do, because they are insistent on not using letters, is teach all the sounds that the letter "A" makes. Because Reading Reflex insists teaching phonics doesn't work, they don't teach any of the rules of phonics that help with dividing syllables and when to use which sound. I have finally resorted to making my own program for my son using flashcards (another thing Reading Reflex insists doesn't work) and supplementary materials that I have purchased from Educators Publishing Services. We have seen some great progress, but I also know now that these types of learning disabilities take YEARS to overcome and lots and lots of love and patience. You aren't going to find that in a book.
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Author: Guest
I am a big researcher, especially when it comes to things of great importance, like teaching my child to read. I read the Reading Reflex book months before I decided to actually use it for teaching my entering kindergartener. Weighing studies in the US and the UK with reviews from parents and educators, I came to the conclusion that this Phono-Graphix method is not a gimmick and that it is extremely effective.
On first read-through, it appeared completely logical. Again, I did further research (check out the [...] site that is home to the Phono-Graphix products and information) and became more comfortable with the idea of not using traditional phonics instruction.
The book has chapters on the Reading Reflex theory at the front and then moves along to include all of the activity instructions and worksheets and manipulatives that are necessary for teaching the language code. So, for 10-15 dollars, you get it all. For those not interested in cutting up their book, Read America offers kits that have all of these pieces prepared on cardstock in a nice organizational box. I saved myself 89 dollars and simply purchased two copies of Reading Reflex- one for reference and one as a cutting copy. I've protected my manipulative cut-outs by sandwiching them between two sheets of clear contact paper and they work perfectly! The only other things I've used for lesson time are a tiny white board/pen board and pencils and paper.
The primary complaint that I read from other users of this method before "diving in" and trying it on my own, was the organization of the lessons/activities. Having nothing to compare it to, I felt that it was rather straight forward. However, anyone accustomed to a packaged curriculum might miss the scripts and lesson calendar for what to do on such-and-such a day. But, it all comes down to knowing your child and working with them...you'll know when to move on to the next level. Trust yourself.
At this point, my son has not even begun the school year and I am just doing a few lessons in preparation. We are only 3 lesson days into the PhonoGraphix journey, but he has already read the first reader/story that is included in the book- Fat Cat Sat. He enjoys the lessons and thinks they are fun.
I would recommend this book to any parent or teacher. I think it is amazing!
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Author: Guest
I'm a Learning Therapist and volunteer for Literacy Volunteers of America. I work with students from 6 years old to 56 years old and find the information in the books helpful for all ages.
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Author: Guest
My daughter (6) and I have used Reading Reflex for about a year, and we really enjoy the program. She is reading well now and enjoys reading. I will use this program to teach our other children to read.
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