Frequently Asked Questions

1) How precisely does my child have to fill out the worksheet?
We don't expect children to form letters perfectly, but their work should be clear. The parts of letters children write should be oriented and positioned correctly, and resemble the corresponding parts of letters.

2) Is it okay if my child responds to the questions before the narrator says "get ready"?
It's best if you have children respond according to the timing suggested by the narrator. Some of the blending tasks and other tasks that children perform later are easier to do with the timing presented in the program. Training children from the beginning of the program to respond according to the program's timing prepares children for the more difficult tasks that come later.

3) My child wants me to do the exercises with him out loud. Is this okay, or should I make him do it on his own?
Before moving on to the next lesson, children need to perform the tasks, as they are specified in Funnix. Occasionally, parents can perform an exercise with their child, but they shouldn't make a habit out of it. Before responding with your child, tell the child that "As soon as you're finished with the exercise, you're going to repeat the exercise and you'll get to do it alone."

4) What are the advantages of Funnix over Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons?
The advantages of Funnix are:

1. All of the narration and displays are presented flawlessly.
2. The tutor can focus almost exclusively on providing feedback to the child.
3. The dynamic displays instruct children more effectively.
4. The presentation of Funnix is more engaging.

5) What are the advantages of Teach Your Child in 100 Easy Lessons over Funnix?
The advantages of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons are:

1. It's a little less expensive.
2. It doesn't require a computer.
3. The child doesn't have to have any previous knowledge of letter names.

6) Can tutoring centers get this program?
Yes. Funnix school packages are available. These packages are also recommended for preschools that have kindergarten groups.

7) Can universities get this program to share with students?
Yes.

8) My 5-year-old daughter loves the Funnix lessons but struggles through the workbook parts. What can I do to speed the workbook activities up and make them less of a struggle?

My 5-year-old struggled through the workbook activities, too. His reading skills were developing much faster than his motor skills. He was able to perform all of the tasks, but he didn't look forward to the writing tasks because they took so long for him to perform.
Children's writing skills improve slowly, with lots of practice. However, we don't want the rate children's writing skills improve to limit the rate their reading skills can improve. We also want to make sure that the lessons don't become a drag.

With slight modifications, you can present many of the workbook activities quickly and efficiently as oral reading and spelling activities. Later, you can present the activities as writing activities.

  1. Here is what I did to modify the workbook tasks.
    For writing words for pictures, I directed my son to read the first word in the box, then touch the picture for that word. I would repeat this process for the remaining words. Then go on to the next exercise.
  2. For sentence completion tasks, I would tell my son to read the part of the sentence that was written. Then say the complete sentence. Then I would direct him to the next task.
  3. For questions, I would direct my son to read the question. I would have him read the answers in the box. Then I would have him tell me the correct answer. Then I would direct him to the next task
  4. For spelling, I would have my son spell the words rather than write the words.

The cross out game and matching game usually don't take too much time, so I had my son do those tasks. As often as possible, I would have my son do the sentence copying and the letter writing, because they provided practice in writing more quickly. Also, on days we weren't doing a new lesson, I had my son complete workbook tasks from earlier lessons.

9) Can we skip the workbook activities?
You shouldn't skip the workbook activities. Early in Funnix, workbook activities teach many valuable skills. The workbook activities also provide children with practice that is necessary for transforming them into proficient readers. The answers to the questions. "What can I do to speed the workbook activities up and make them less of a struggle?" and "Do I have to sit with my son during each entire lesson?" contain information that is relevant to this question. Read those answers (above) for more information.

10) Additional tips and solutions.
For instructional problems and software problems check Troubleshooting. For more information on instructional topics check the Parent Manual or Teacher's Guide.

 

Back to the top.