ENCOURAGING TESTIMONIES
A SPECIAL
THANK YOU
TO THE "MOM" OF TV'S BRADY BUNCH
We were so
encouraged to recently receive an email about our Free Online
Phonics Program from
Florence Henderson,
the most recognized Mom in TV History, spokesperson for many
nationally known products and host of her own television talk
show.
"Dear Janae,
I wish to congratulate you on a wonderful and worthwhile idea.
I would like to let you know that I think being able to read is the greatest gift of all. I came from a very large and poor family, and reading was always such a joy. I think that if you can read, you are never lonely and you can learn anything. I believe it is the most important tool you can have in your life, and I try to spread my love of reading around.
This past summer I had the pleasure of participating in the People Magazine Storytellers program at Target stores, where I read to young people. It was a wonderful experience, and so much fun to share my love of reading with others.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
Love,
Florence"
Here is a letter we received from a mother who has a teenage daughter and a five year old son. She desired that both of them have the opportunity to be solidly founded in the basics of phonics. She is serious about using our course and refuses to let anything stop them.
Dear Janae,
Jenny, Chad and I have just finished week one of your phonics course. I taught the first lesson to both and then every day after Jenny repeated what was to be done with her brother. She had fun playing teacher and Chad enjoyed having a different teacher. They did very well with this and I have started on Lesson two this week. I printed the lesson out so Jenny would have time to study what games and songs she would do before actually doing them.
Chad has enjoyed them so much that last week after going to the emergency room (he cut his head on a cabinet and had to have 3 staples put in) he wanted to know if he and his sister could still do phonics when he got home. They were supposed to do their phonics lesson after he and his daddy returned from the church. Even after being in so much pain and messy excitement he had not forgotten his lesson and was very concerned that I would not let him do it. Of course, I did let him. Children recuperate so much quicker than we do anyway.
We will be going on vacation next month for one week. I intend on printing out what I need to take with us. They are having so much fun that I hate to make them miss it even on vacation.
Thank you for such a wonderful program.
Jenny and Chad's Mom
MOM HAS GREAT HOPES FOR HER LITTLE "BOY IN THE BUBBLE"
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Cooksey,
First of all, please let me say thank you in advance for considering my application for enrollment in your course. And secondly, I'd like to commend your faith for what you are doing to help people learn to read! What a NOBLE cause!
Please, if you will, inform me of any errors in my application so that I may reapply if necessary.
Since I am a heart patient, my husband is in remission from cancer and our little boy, Marvin, whom the course is for, has Hypogammaglobulinemia (somewhat similar to the classic "boy in the bubble"), I am not sure if I will be able to complete the lessons with Marvin in as timely a matter as you would like, but I am willing to do as much as possible as fast as possible. Marvin is very "hyper" and sometimes has a hard time sitting still and focusing, but if you will give me this chance, I will do everything in my power to complete the lessons.
My sincerest thanks!
Marietta Smythe
FAMOUS AMOS OF FAMOUS AMOS COOKIES IS TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF FREE ONLINE PHONICS
As founder of Famous Amos Cookies in 1975 and father of the gourmet chocolate chip cookie industry, Wally Amos has used his fame to support educational causes. Since 1979 he has been National Spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America. He is also a Board Member of the National Center for Family Literacy and Communities in Schools.
Recent testimonies from supervisors who enrolled in Free Online Phonics:
Oh my gosh, life without being able to read has to be a lonely life. I believe all children and adults should have the freedom to choose to read if they want, meaning they need to know how to read to make this choice. There are so many enlightening books offered to the general public to read. If a person is not able to read they miss so much of life. The sad stories and the happy stories. I have met many older people that can not read (when I worked). They can not sign their checks even, because they do not understand the concept of writing. How sad, not to ever be able to read a letter from a loved one, or even a menu in a restaurant. I believe every person should have the opportunity to learn to read and I will do everything in my power to make sure my children read fluently. Your course is going to make this possible.
THIS program is WONDERFUL! Thank you for providing such an easy to follow course with clear, concise directions and all those wonderful lesson plans too! My kids really look forward to working with me every day now. There's no more whining and delays in getting started. They can't wait to do the lessons! They just love the songs and games. It really makes learning fun.
I do agree with your program and appreciate having things laid out in step-by-step instructions. Even though I like to get creative and "color outside of the lines," I'm too busy to spend a lot of time planning things. So, I will follow already tested procedures rather than reinventing the wheel.
Your program is a God-send! I didn't know how to teach phonics. I didn't know where to start or even what to teach first until I found your program with all your assistance for us who homeschool. Now it's easy and I know what I'm doing. I feel competent at last. I couldn't pay for all those expensive programs and when I found yours free, I couldn't believe my eyes. Thank you for helping me and my children!
I was taught to sight read and had a terrible time. Year after year of special eduation classes kept me from feeling able to succeed in anything academically. Finally, in the 8th grade, my reading teacher taught me phonics. WOW! It opened the world up for me. I read my first book without pictures...yes, at 13 years old. I love books and have a large library covering all sorts of subjects and stories. So, I know how limited life can be when reading is not enjoyed. With good reading skills, a person can research and learn independently. What a gift!
Thank you for offering the gift of reading!
WORLDWIDE PRINT MEDIA
The International School of Foundational Phonics would like to express appreciation to the many worldwide print media associations throughout the world who have agreed to help us reach countless thousands of new students in the near future by including a link on their pages and also by featuring our school in their news articles and columns. Below are two we especially wish to thank:
http://www.educationnews.org
At the click of a mouse, EducationNews.org will provide daily
links to the major education news articles throughout the world.
Nationally recognized figures involved in education will be
providing weekly commentaries on various aspects of education.
Our own EducationNews.org staff writers will be covering the
latest education issues to bring you a thorough and complete
analysis of events, policies, and situations which affect
education today.
We at The International School of Foundational Phonics wish to
personally thank the EducationNews.org Editor and Chief, Jimmy
Kilpatrick, for choosing to place a link to our website on his
Homeschool Page.
http://www.jordantimes.com
We would like to thank
Rana Sabbagh-Gargour, Responsible Editor in Chief of The Jordan
Times Newpaper, an independent Arab political daily published in
Amman by the Jordan Press Foundation for honoring us on the paper's
Education webpage that features Jordan's two most distinguished
Universities with a link to The International School of
Foundational Phonics website and for the kind words in his recent
email:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Cooksey,
Thank you for e-mailing us about your program and for considering
the Jordan Times in your efforts to improve children's ability to
read, write and express themselves in English. Have a good day
and I am looking forward to fruitful cooperation with your online
school.
Regards,
Rana Sabbagh-Gargour
Responsible Editor in Chief
The Jordan Times