Review: Alpha-Phonics A Primer for Beginning Readers

A few months ago I was contacted by Mr. Ryan from the Paradigm Company about doing a review of Alpha-Phonics. The name sounded really familiar but at first I didn’t know why. When my kids were young enough to be learning to read, we used a different program {the name escapes me}. Eventually, while over at Ambleside Online, my favorite curriculum {it’s free} following Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, I discovered it is one of the programs they list as a possible beginning reader program. I highly respect the AO Advisory’s recommendations and agreed to do a review of this program for Alpha-Phonics.

I received The Original Alpha-Phonics for review as a program one would use in tutoring. This review is based on my opinions and perceptions of the product if it were to be used in such a situation. Unfortunately, however, there were no students available to me with which to use this program. I just want to make that clear at the start. Click any of the images to see larger.

I received the following items from Paradigm Company, the publisher of Samuel Blumenfeld’s Alpha-Phonics:

• Alpha-Phonics: A Primer for Beginning Readers ISBN: 978-0941995306 (retail $34.95),
• Alpha-Phonics: A Primer for Beginning Readers CD-ROM ISBN: 978-0941995184 (now included with the book!),
• Alpha-Phonics and How To Tutor Companion Workbook ISBN: 0-941995-13-5 (retail $14.95),
• and 10 Alpha-Phonics and How To Tutor Little Companion Readers ISBN: 0-94-19995-12-7 (retail $19.95)

What is the program?

It is based on the concept that the English language is comprised of 44 sounds (of which 21 are vowel sounds) that each correspond to a letter or combination of letters. That’s it. Alpha-Phonics is a ‘sound-symbol system’; for each sound, there is an associated symbol; a letter or combination of letters. It doesn’t use pictures to associate the spoken word, only ‘symbols’- letters.

It is made up of 128 lessons, each that bring a new phonics rule while also reviewing the previous rules. There is plenty of review in the lessons. Included, but not always dictated in the lesson, is the opportunity to work on spelling and cursive.

What is needed?

There is really only one ‘book’ needed for this program: the 168 page book pictured above or the CD-ROM that contains the same book with Sam Blumenfeld’s audio of the lesson plans. That really is all that is needed for this program! Both have a teacher’s manual and lesson plans.

Alpha-Phonics now includes the CD-ROM version (PC only) of the program with the purchase of the book. It’s fairly easy to run and use. System requirements: Pentium 90/32 Meg, 256 color, 800x600 resolution, and Windows 95 through Vista.

Here is what it looks like on my computer, which is a large screen laptop, when I run the disc. It may look different on your monitor.

I’ve cropped the rest of the images so that you aren’t distracted by the extra space {if you might be, as I was}.

I really appreciated that the CD-ROM is exactly what you see in the book. There isn’t extra material on the disc, so they can be used interchangeably. The only {and a big} difference is there is the option to hear the lesson plans voiced by Sam Blumenfeld. I think this is helpful especially for pronunciation. It is easy to mispronounce sounds inadvertently. If for some reason there is an issue with yourself enunciating the sounds for the student, this would prove very helpful.

Optional Extras:

The above book (or CD-ROM) is the only thing needed for this program. However, Alpha-Phonics also offers the Little Companion Readers. Each book relates to a portion of the lessons. {In the first book, they’d attached a nice guide, but I’m not sure if this is included in all the first books.}

These books begin basic, like the lessons, but increase in difficulty as the student learns more phonics rules. Another resource that is nice, but not required, is the Companion Workbook.

The workbook would be good for practice, take-home or during the tutoring session, to solidify the phonics rules learned. The workbook has a nice guide to which worksheet relates to which lesson, in both the How to Tutor and Alpha-Phonics.

How to use the program?

To use the program, simply follow the lesson plans. It’s that simple. They are written in a straight-forward manner that gives relief to the tutor from preplanning. You can see and listen to a sample of how a lesson would go at the Alpha-Phonics website.

From my reading of the lessons and the lesson plans, and an understanding that all people learn at their own pace, it can vary greatly between students. One thing that is stressed, or to be made note of is to have patience with the student, no matter what level they are at. Some may breeze through one lesson and go onto a second lesson within the same session. Others may struggle with one lesson and need it spread over a couple sessions.

When the student progresses through the final lesson of the program, it is recommended to introduce outside books. Blumenfeld suggests, and I completely agree, to choose “good reading material.”

Pros:

• Very simple and easy to use.
• No preparation needed.
• To-the-point lessons.
• I believe it facilitates Charlotte Mason’s idea of short lessons.
• No ‘frills’ or distractions; it’s black-and-white throughout.
• Affordable.
• Physical book and digital version are available together.
• Writing (print) and reading are a combined effort.
• Cursive practice is incorporated into the program.
• Spelling is also included in the program.

Cons:

• None really.

Other (neither a pro or con, just observation):

• Letter recognition- there is only one printed version presented of changeable letters such as ‘a’ and ‘g’.
• The program title “A Primer for Beginning Readers” is a little misleading. It gives the impression that this is for very young children. In reality, this program can be used for any struggling reader. It can also be used for children or adults wishing to learn English as a language- or improve their reading ability.
• Because of the ease of this program –it doesn’t take very much time for each lesson and it is very basic in appearance –some may feel there isn’t ‘enough’ going on for a person to be able to learn with this technique. I do not believe this to be the case but wanted to point this out. I recommend that for those who feel this way, stick with the program –in all its simplicity –to see results.

---

Alpha-Phonics

“Serving parents and children for over 29 years

Specializing in: Phonics, Reading using phonics, Cursive Handwriting, Arithmetic, Spelling and Grammar.

We offer the basics for homeschool instruction and assistance to public school students from beginning instruction through approximately the 7th. grade; through high school in math and grammar. (from the website)”

You can read other reviews of Alpha-Phonics. Follow Alpha-Phonics on their blog, through Facebook, on Pinterest, and Twitter.

Paradigm Company also offers How to Tutor books (see the comparison of Alpha-Phonics & How to Tutor), McGuffy Readers, and Jensen’s Grammar resources.

---

***Disclaimer: I received the above items free for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was given. All opinions are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.***