We are in the beginning stages for DD. She clearly has memorized alot of words and has known her ABCs and the sounds they make since before she was 18 mths. I have tried phonics with her but she acts like she isn't interested but when she sees a large word in front of her (and she knows what the word is) she sounds it out and then tells me the word such as alligator. Is she really using phonics? I don't think so but rather playing a game but maybe through the game she is picking up on some of the phonic techniques. At this point it really doesn't matter. I am sure she will take her own path to reading and for the most part it is memorization but I think Mia is right. Smaller words lead to recognition of bigger words and when she gets to a big word she just might have to sound it out. But I think this thread has a great thesis in it.
