Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD Rom [CD-ROM]

Samuel L. Blumenfeld (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2002

Blumenfeld's celebrated book: Alpha-Phonics is now available on CD Rom. The CD ROM follows the Alpha-Phonics book exactly. The CD ROM version is titled: ALPHA-PHONICS THE BOOK ON CD ROM. The CD version contains everything found in The  Alpha-Phonics book, and includes sound/voice speaking all the instructions out loud as well as printed instructions. Easy for beginners to use as it does not require ability to type. Uses mainly mouse. Simple, effective, inexpensive. For live sample lessons and more details visit Alpha-Phonics website.The CD ROM combines all the elements of Sam Bumenfeld's outstanding book: Alpha-Phonics with the wonders of the computer. Includes spoken AND written instructions. The book, used for alost 30 years by thousands is now faithfully reproduced on CD. And the CD ROM, like the book, is SIMPLE! No frills, no nonsense! SPOKEN and WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS: Now the Alpha-Phonics program, Sam's easy to follow wriltten instructions PLUS Sam's own spoken instructions are available together on your computer. IT WORKS: Thousands have told Sam over the years that his systematic, intensive phonics reading program is SIMPLE and easy to teach, is very effective and very easy for the student to learn.  They all say: it works! Also it TEACHES SPELLING: Not only is Alpha-Phonicxs one of the easiest, least expensive programs to use to teach reading, but it automatically teaches SPELLING as you go through its easy-to-teach lessons.  There are over 3,500 words introduced in Alpha-Phonics! And now they are also on the CD ROM. The CD displays all 128 lessons of Alpha-Phonics exactly as they appear in this highly successful book. The CD is extremely easy to use: It has Autostart which allows it to open right to the lessons by just poping it into your CD Drive. The the pages of Alpha-Phonics almost magically come alive on your computer screen. See - hear - teach -learn!! CD includes informative tips for use which make this easy to use system even easier. NO KEYBOARDING! Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD ROM is simpler than many other computer based programs. One big reason is because in requires NO KEYBOARDING work for students. (The Student uses ONLY the mouse) This is best for little beginners who can not type yet and who would start forming bad hunt and peck habits which will be hard to break later when touch typing is to be learned. So they are only asked to use the mouse. Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD ROM lets parent or teacher and the student see and hear the instructions at the same time.  Then, with a click of the mouse the student moves to and sees his or her lesson in extra large type without any instructions or other clutter to distract him or her. NOTE: Parents can use either the book or the CD ROM to teach their student.  Each version is a complete phonics reading instruction program (The book verson is available at Amazon.com) If the budget allows it is helpful to use BOTH the book version and the CD ROM version, working back and forth between the two types.  The reason many feel both are better is that they believe young students need to learn that in our computer driven world  we will always need BOOKs. The Publisher of Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD ROM has a 24/7 Helpline and offers a full money back guarantee. Amazon.com also offers the optional set of 10 Readers and a Phonics Workbook from the same publisher. These two resources are specially designed to accompany Alpha-Phonics or Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD ROM. For details on these very helpful items search the Amazon  website under: Samuel L. Blumenfeld or Barbara Simkus or the Paradigm Co.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Cathy Duffy, leading reviewer of Homeschooling materials includes a review of Alpha-Phonics (book version) in her recent book: 100 Top Picks for Homeschooling Curriculum. She includes Alpha-Phonics as one of only 10 phonics instruction programs in her book.  Duffy gives Alpha-Phonics a very favorable review.  In her review she notes that Sam Blumenfeld's phonics instruction program is available in CD ROM version. She writes: This [The computer] program mirrors the original book, but with spoken and written instructions. Students respond with the mouse rather than keyboarding.` --100 Top Picks for Homeschooling Curriculum by Cathy Duffy, Broadman and Holman, 2005

About the Author

Samuel L. Blumenfeld, the author of the book Alpha-Phonics is a noted expert writer and speaker on educational issues. He has written seven books on education including his other celebrated teaching book: How To Tutor which adds cursive handwriting and arithmetic to his reading in Alpha-Phonics. For more details on Sam Blumenfeld please click on Amazon's: About The Author section elsewhere on this page.

Product Details

• CD-ROM
• Publisher: Paradigm Co. (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941995186
• ISBN-13: 978-0941995184
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars It is literally the book on CD rom..., September 4, 2011

By 

T. Janecek (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Alpha-Phonics the Book on CD Rom (CD-ROM)

What's on the CD-rom:

There is not that much more to this CD-rom than the book. Upon opening the program, you are given the options to listen to a little girl read the first lesson in the book, listen to Dr. Blumenfield's remarks, view the contents, or begin the lessons.

The contents include a "Teacher's Manual", order of lessons, cursive alphabet (Alpha Phonics recommends teaching cursive writing along with the print), pre-reading alphabet exercises, and tips from Dr. Blumenfield.

The lessons show a screen with exactly what is in Alpha Phonics Primer for Beginners. The only difference is that you can click on a link to listen to Dr. Blumenfield tell you how to read threw the lesson (the same audio is offered on Alpha-Phonics Audio Lessons Pronunciation CD Rom), and it also offers almost the same vocal information in written form.

The good:

1. This seems to be a great program for learning phonics. It starts off by taking a vowel-consonant blend and adding another letter sound to it. For example, "ad", "had", "dad", "sad"... After only a couple of lessons, short sentences are made using the words from the lessons. This method has boosted my daughter's confidence in reading.
2. The vocal instructions sometimes provide an additional teaching tip, but they are pretty much reading what is on the page, and are monotonous and repetitive.

The bad:

1. Because I paid more for this CD-rom than just the book, I was expecting more: Since I often add a vowel sound to my consonant sounds, I sometimes find it difficult trying to teach my daughter the correct sound. I had hoped that you could click on a link that would let you hear JUST the sound(s) that the lesson is focused on, but instead, a general tip on how to isolate the correct sounds is written in the "Teacher's Manuel".
2. The auto-run did not run on my computer. I ended up having to view the files and look for the application (which is towards the bottom, UGH!).

Bottom line:

The Alpha-Phonics program is working for us. But is this CD-rom worth the extra $10? I am leaning towards no. If the phonic sounds had been included, definitely yes. Alpha-Phonics recommends also buying the book so that you can follow along, but since you can print the pages or just look at your computer screen, I think it would be a waste of money. I would, however, recommend buying Alpha-Phonics and How to Tutor Phonics Companion Workbook.