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Phonic Picks Demo lesson
About the Developers
About Frank B. Withrow

Documents:
A Phonic Picks Story:
"Eloise the Little Pink Elephant"
(in english and spanish)
By Frank B. Withrow

Why Johnny Can't Read
1: "I Have Touched the Future, I Teach"
2: Digital Generation
3: Attention Deficits

by Frank B. Withrow, Ph.D.

PHONIC PICKS is a series of lessons and stories designed to engage young children and help parents establish a foundation for reading. The electronic reader mixes sounds, letters and pictures to reinforce the sound to letter relation.

There are speakers in the program called Sounders. They are round colorful little characters that speak and tell the learner what to do. The learner will quickly know that when the Sounders are clicked on they will ask questions or otherwise tell the learner what to do.

Phonic Picks are based upon some of the scientific research findings of the National Reading Panel's report. The program emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics and vocabulary building the three foundation steps in developing good readers.

The lessons include phonic exercises, vocabulary building, short stories, puzzles and memory games. Games like concentration and twenty questions increase the young child's memory and helps them develop observational skills.
Click here for an online Phonic Picks lesson demonstration.

The materials have been developed over the last decade by the late Dr. Margaret S. Withrow and Dr. Frank B. Withrow. Margaret developed a number of multiple media products including three dimensional computer animated programs. Frank was the Senior Learning Technologist at the U. S. Department of Education for thirty years. He is considered one of the top pioneers in television and computer programming for young children.