I haven't read the book, do you have a sense for what the reasoning was on that?
Without any phonics I would think the mass of words to be memorized would seem overwhelming?
I think according to Ruf my DS2.4 would be a 3 or 4 also (not a 5 I'm guessing). Phonics didn't seem to turn him off in the least, he really likes to know that there are rules. If one can learn a few rules and read 100 words, rather than memorize 100 words, why not? He's learned the less than strictly phonetic common words by memory, but that was a little later.
We didnt' do formal teaching other than read starfall ad nauseum. But we did do, still do, a lot of fridge letter rearrangement (having multiple sets is nice). I think that counts as phonics, even if its a game and DS initiates. Sort of combining make believe with phonics -- making the rat sit on his hat, etc, then along comes P and pats him, etc.
Currently DS reads most phonetically simple words regardless of length, very short sentences, initiates reading signs and book covers, but prefers to have me read if there's a whole book involved.
The other day I finally had to tell him about silent Ps (pterosaur starts with a p and he had answered that for a dinosaur starting with T in our dinosaur game) and his eyes went so wide when I said I was not joking. I think he still doesn't quite believe me. English is such a crazy language.
Polly
