Christ Centered Phonics does an excellent job of incorporating Scriptural principles, Bible stories, and Christian character development into their program. This program encourages brief academic periods for four-year-olds, with gradually longer teaching periods as children mature. The sequential format with lots of repetition makes it possible to teach academics to young children. This is a very detailed, structured program with accompanying teacher's guides that are necessary to the program. Word-for-word lessons make it easy for the inexperienced teacher to present lessons.
You can purchase the items needed for the Christ Centered Phonics program individually. However, the publisher offers packages that save the hassle of figuring out which items you need and are more economincal.
There are three levels, with two packages per level, offered by Christ Centered Publications. You need not use all levels and all packages. Level A is to be used with four-year-olds and "young" five-year-olds. Most five-year-olds (kindergartners) as well as first graders who have had no formal phonics instruction can begin in Level B without using Level A at all. If a child has completed both Level A packages, he or she can begin with the second Level B package. Advanced first graders and average second graders can use either or both Level C packages. There is lots of review and repetition in the program at each level. Details on which package to select are on the publisher's website.
A number of resources in younger level packages are reused in subsequent years, so your actual cost for subsequent years of the program is likely to be significantly less than the complete package costs.
The Level A:1 package includes Alphabet Wall Cards, Phonics Flashcards,Phonics Charts & Visual Aids (in a three-ring binder), Phonics Lessons for Flashcards 1-31, Instructions and Answer Key, Phonics Workbook A:1, Creation : God Made Me (a reader), and a set of five short vowel readers.
Other packages include instructions, workbook, flashcards, readers, and other items as needed.
Christ Centered Phonics teach intensive phonics, centering lessons around the flashcards. Only a portion of the total 118 flashcards is used at the beginning, with cards added at each level. The program also teaches spelling rules, beginning grammar, vocabulary development, dictionary skills, and writing exercises.
