Discover Intensive Phonics Reviewed by Old Schoolhouse Magazine as an “Innovative Reading Program”

Reading Horizons Discover Intensive Phonics reading program was recently reviewed by Old Schoolhouse Magazine as a reading curriculum for beginning readers and students with special needs. Old Schoolhouse Magazine reviewed both the direct instruction materials and reading software of the Discover Intensive Phonics reading program.

In its review of the direct instructor materials of Discover Intensive Phonics, Old Schoolhouse stated: “The curriculum seems complex at first, but is very well organized and fairly easy to follow after a little use. There are an impressive array of margin notes, cross-references, charts, and other guides to help you find the items you need… Discover Intensive Phonics is based on the Orton-Gillingham sensory approach to teaching reading, so it makes extensive use of multi-sensory activities. The more senses a child uses to learn; the more easily he will remember and be able to apply what he learns. The most common activity is to have the student work through particular exercises standing at a white board (great for fidgety kids!), and often there are hand gestures and other activities to keep it interesting.”

In review of Reading Horizons Discover Intensive Phonics software, Old Schoolhouse found that:

“The software teaches the same basic principles as the Direct Instruction Materials... It automatically controls which assignments are available next, although you can override the program as needed. The assessments show grade-level placement, phonemic awareness, and a DIBELS-like assessment of pre-reading and early reading skills. The program covers a broad range of material with a good assortment of activities to keep things fresh.”

Old Schoolhouse found several positive aspects of Discover Intensive Phonics: “I love that Discover Intensive Phonics is structured on solid research and years of classroom experience, a combination that usually produces a product that is academically sound and practical. It is very comprehensive, and I believe it would give a child a solid foundation in phonics in an interesting and multi-sensory way… The program incorporates handwriting, spelling, grammar, and many other skills that are so important in learning to read. The entire program has a very positive, upbeat tone that encourages the parent and child as they are learning. It is also helpful that everything you need is included, not just all of the materials but also all of the information.”

The feature which Old Schoolhouse was most impressed by was the flexibility of the reading program. The review stated: “Perhaps most importantly, I love that each skill can be approached from several different angles with different types of activities. Because of this flexibility, Discover Intensive Phonics can be tailored to each student’s needs. It is rare to find a comprehensive curriculum that is so flexible! I heartily recommend it!”

The entire product review can be found at: http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/3908.php

For more information on Reading Horizons reading program, visit: www.ReadingHorizons.com