Sep. 15, 2007 - Blend Phonics
Don Potter has recently been using Blend Phonics with a lot of his students. While the method was designed for a full classroom, he has also been using it during one-on-one tutoring. It's an easy to use method that older brothers and sisters can quickly learn to help teach. Don has also been adding in oral spelling, first of words alredy taught, then of words not yet taught but made up of sound that have already been learned.
Blend phonics is one of the easiest phonics methods to use for beginning students. You can use Blend Phonics for remedial work as well. Don't let its small size or simple format deceive you, it's a very powerful method. Plus, it's free online from Don Potter!
In using this method, it's easiest to use a slate. We're currently using a small whiteboard we use as a slate with our work on Webster, it's much more interactive and useful than working on paper. Webster's focus on spelling has really helped improve Mary's spelling, and we've only completed the firsst 4 lessons in the syllabary!
