Hooked on Phonics
Encyclopedia
Hooked on Phonics is a commercial brand of educational materials, originally designed for reading education
through phonetics
.
Hooked on Phonics was developed in the 1980s by a father who wanted to help his son overcome his reading problems. First marketed widely in the 1990s, it used a particular instructional design
to teach letter-sound correlations (phonics
) as part of children's literacy
. The program has since expanded to encompass a wide variety of media, including computer games, music
, and flash card
s in addition to book
s in its materials, as well as to include other subject areas. The target audience for this brand is primarily individuals and home school
parents. The product was advertised extensively on television and radio.
The product along with its catchphrase, "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!" (spoken by happy children in the product's television ads) and its telephone number "1-800-ABCDEFG" (1-800-222-3334), became widely recognized during the mid-1990s. The phrase was used widely in pop culture to make pejorative tongue-in-cheek
jokes about not being able to read or for making incidental reading errors. Modifications (typically phonetic misspellings) to the catchphrase also abound for both comic as well as promotional purposes.
In 1994 the company was featured on the program "Dateline NBC
" with an official from the FTC
attacking the company for "deceptive advertising." While the FTC reversed its actions later, the resulting media frenzy caused the company's sales to plummet and for the company to file for bankruptcy protection.
In 1996 the company was sold and became Gateway Learning Corporation, which further expanded the product line with additional math and reading products. 2001 saw the introduction of test-taking strategies and study skills
as part of the "Hooked on School Success" program and a new parternship with KinderCare Learning Centers
to use materials in KinderCare's private child care facilities.
Hooked on Phonics' products have won many awards over the years, including The National Parenting Seal of Approval in 1998, 2005 and 2007, The Teachers' Choice Award in 2004, 2008 and 2009, and the Curriculum Administrator Districts’ Choice in 2001.
In 2005 the product line was acquired by Educate, Inc., who also operated Sylvan Learning
, and began selling products in retail. In 2006 the company released a new line of educational programs including Hooked on Spanish, Hooked on Handwriting, and Hooked on Spelling, among many others.
In 2007, Hooked on Phonics marked its 20th anniversary by traveling on a cross-country tour that included New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington Miami, and Baltimore. The company donated one million dollars worth of reading programs to school districts around the country. 2007 also saw the introduction of Hooked on Phonics programs in over 30 countries around the world.
Hooked on Phonics was taken private in 2007 and renamed Smarterville, Inc.
The flagship Learn to Read product recently underwent a major redesign, featuring DVDs, web customizations, and an entire new line of systematic phonics readers. It was launched in the summer of 2009.
Reading education
Reading education is the process by which individuals are taught to derive meaning from text.Government-funded scientific research on reading and reading instruction began in the U.S. in the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, researchers began publishing findings based on converging evidence from...
through phonetics
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
.
Hooked on Phonics was developed in the 1980s by a father who wanted to help his son overcome his reading problems. First marketed widely in the 1990s, it used a particular instructional design
Instructional design
Instructional Design is the practice of creating "instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing." The process consists broadly of determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and...
to teach letter-sound correlations (phonics
Phonics
Phonics refers to a method for teaching speakers of English to read and write that language. Phonics involves teaching how to connect the sounds of spoken English with letters or groups of letters and teaching them to blend the sounds of letters together to produce approximate pronunciations...
) as part of children's literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
. The program has since expanded to encompass a wide variety of media, including computer games, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and flash card
Flash card
Flash card can refer to:* Flashcards used for education and training* A form of Flash memory...
s in addition to book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s in its materials, as well as to include other subject areas. The target audience for this brand is primarily individuals and home school
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
parents. The product was advertised extensively on television and radio.
The product along with its catchphrase, "Hooked on Phonics worked for me!" (spoken by happy children in the product's television ads) and its telephone number "1-800-ABCDEFG" (1-800-222-3334), became widely recognized during the mid-1990s. The phrase was used widely in pop culture to make pejorative tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
jokes about not being able to read or for making incidental reading errors. Modifications (typically phonetic misspellings) to the catchphrase also abound for both comic as well as promotional purposes.
History
The original Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read product was released by Gateway Educational Products in 1987. The company built a very successful business based upon significant advertising, leading to sales of over $100M per year.In 1994 the company was featured on the program "Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
" with an official from the FTC
FTC
FTC may refer to:- Organizations :* Federal Trade Commission, a US agency for consumer protection* Ferencvárosi TC, a Hungarian sports club* Financial Training Center Limited, a training institution in Tanzania...
attacking the company for "deceptive advertising." While the FTC reversed its actions later, the resulting media frenzy caused the company's sales to plummet and for the company to file for bankruptcy protection.
In 1996 the company was sold and became Gateway Learning Corporation, which further expanded the product line with additional math and reading products. 2001 saw the introduction of test-taking strategies and study skills
Study Skills
Study skills or study strategies are approaches applied to learning. They are generally critical to success in school, are considered essential for acquiring good grades, and are useful for learning throughout one's life....
as part of the "Hooked on School Success" program and a new parternship with KinderCare Learning Centers
KinderCare Learning Centers
KinderCare Learning Centers is an American operator of for-profit child care facilities founded in 1969. The company provides educational programs for children from six weeks to 12 years old...
to use materials in KinderCare's private child care facilities.
Hooked on Phonics' products have won many awards over the years, including The National Parenting Seal of Approval in 1998, 2005 and 2007, The Teachers' Choice Award in 2004, 2008 and 2009, and the Curriculum Administrator Districts’ Choice in 2001.
In 2005 the product line was acquired by Educate, Inc., who also operated Sylvan Learning
Sylvan Learning
Sylvan Learning consists of franchised and corporate supplemental learning centers which provide personalized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills, homework support, and test preparation for college entrance and state exams...
, and began selling products in retail. In 2006 the company released a new line of educational programs including Hooked on Spanish, Hooked on Handwriting, and Hooked on Spelling, among many others.
In 2007, Hooked on Phonics marked its 20th anniversary by traveling on a cross-country tour that included New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington Miami, and Baltimore. The company donated one million dollars worth of reading programs to school districts around the country. 2007 also saw the introduction of Hooked on Phonics programs in over 30 countries around the world.
Hooked on Phonics was taken private in 2007 and renamed Smarterville, Inc.
The flagship Learn to Read product recently underwent a major redesign, featuring DVDs, web customizations, and an entire new line of systematic phonics readers. It was launched in the summer of 2009.