VOWAC - Vowel Oriented Word Attack Course

VoWac is an incredible program for direct phonics instruction.

When I began teaching in Arizona (back in 2000), my school purchased the VoWac program and it was used across all the grade levels.  As a Reading Specialist, I feel strongly about the power of this program.  I used it for two years in Kindergarten and then for two years in Second Grade.  I was amazed at the growth in reading skills back then and I still reflect on it today.

When I moved to Florida, VoWac was not one of the programs that my school used.  I taught with fidelity the program that was adopted by my district but felt that there was still a need in strong phonics instruction.  I added little snippets to my lessons, the powerful snippets and my children responded.

Even though I was not at a VoWac school, I was able to use the blending shelf, phonics cards, and CLOVER method.  You have to check out the CLOVER method for syllabication rules.  It is AMAZING!!!

I strongly recommend you look through their catalog and consider some of their tools for your classroom.

If you are in administration, I strongly recommend you try piloting VoWac in your school.  It's free for two classrooms (you just have to pay shipping).

I know everyone says there is not enough time.  VoWac's lessons run about 30 minutes.  There needs to be time to use something like this to HELP KIDS READ.

By looking at how words are built the kids also learn how to SPELL.  It's WONDERFUL!

I wish I had a pushier nature because I would be knocking on the door of every school to really push the VoWac system.  I've experienced it.  It works better than any other program I have tried in the area of phonics instruction.  Whether you like it or not phonics is essential for reading instruction.  It is one area of the complex task of reading.  I like to think of it as the walls of in the house of reading. Phonemic awareness is the foundation but phonics is what holds the structure up.

But that's just my opinion.

Even if you homeschool this is worth looking into.

Please visit and share www.vowac.com

Right now they are improving their website so there is a phone number you can call.  You can also Google VoWac to learn even more about it.

If you do happen to look into VoWac and like what you see, please mention that you were referred by Andrea Lowery.  Thank you!