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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 6:57am | IP Logged
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I'm looking for something that my ds can use next year to review his phonics. He will be in 4th grade. We will already be using All About Spelling which I think is great for phonics instruction, but I'm thinking of something he can do mostly independently.
I've only used ETC with my younger kids, the 3 primer books (Get Ready..., Get Set..., Go...) and we enjoyed them but didn't feel the need to continue at that time. I've never used MCP. I'm just wondering if one would be better over the other. Or maybe there is another program that would be better? This would be for independent practice, probably for those days when we don't get to his spelling lesson.
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Becky
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 7:02am | IP Logged
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Becky,
I know what MCP is, but what is ETC? I feel like I should know because the 3 primer books you mention sound so familiar!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Angel
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 7:23am | IP Logged
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ETC= Explode the Code?
I'm interested in hearing the comparison, too. I've never used ETC, just MCP... mostly because I have a tendency to flit around programs so much that I finally decided in SOME subjects I would just stick with what I had used before.
My 7 yo is not ready to go on with the rest of the MCP book, though, so I'm wondering how ETC would compare to it if I used both.
In answer to your question, Becky, I can't compare the two, but I can tell you that we have used bits and pieces of some of the upper level MCP phonics books... never the entire book, though. The middle books in the series do contain a section for review of basic phonics, then go on to deal more with syllabication, digraphs (am I spelling that right?), etc. The last two books (which I haven't used) switch over more to a vocabulary/word study approach.
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Angela
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 9:41am | IP Logged
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Yes, ETC is Explode the Code.
Thanks for the information about MCP Angela. I think we would use it in bits and pieces too. I would probably pull from it those pages that go along with the current lesson in All About Spelling. I don't want busy work, but I do need something he can do independently (mostly) that will give him the needed review of the phonics he is learning.
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Becky
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Mimip
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 11:02am | IP Logged
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Becky,
We use ETC and AAS together. My dd almost 8 is in book 4 and my dd almost 10 is in book 6 (she really likes her ETC workbooks). It is so nice to use the books after the spelling lesson of the day for independent work since the phonics is fresh in their minds and I can do the other AAS lesson while the first child is working alone:)
We tried MCP for a while but the books seemed to overwhelming for my perfectionist daughter who insisted on finishing EVERY SINGLE PAGE!!!
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Mimi
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lapazfarm
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I have been using ETC online and dd has improved by leaps and bounds. She loves getting her computer time and I love that I can easily track her progress on the teacher page. The neatest thing is that the program is adaptive, meaning it senses the need for review or if the child is ready to move on, and sends the next lesson accordingly. Love that, since dd needs lots of review. You can also set rewards if you like. It puts up links to fun games (like Legos, etc) once the child spends a given amount of time, or completes a set number of lessons, or both. You can set these how ever you want or turn them off. Right now I have dd's rewards set to pop up after 12 lessons, so she knows when that pops up she is done. Lets me off the hook for having to tell he how much to do each day.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out as an option since you said you wanted independent work.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 1:20pm | IP Logged
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Mimip wrote:
Becky,
We use ETC and AAS together.
It is so nice to use the books after the spelling lesson of the day for independent work since the phonics is fresh in their minds and I can do the other AAS lesson while the first child is working alone:)
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Thanks Mimi,
This is what I had in mind. So ETC and AAS work nicely together?
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Becky
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Becky Parker
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Thanks for the reminder that ETC has an on line component Theresa! Are the exercises similar to the books? My ds really struggles with reading and writing and the computer game might even be better than a workbook, unless price is an issue. Is there a link? I can probably find it with a quick search.
Thanks!
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Becky
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 1:29pm | IP Logged
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I'm sitting here looking through it right now, so it was easy for me to link - ETC online. 
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Jen Mackintosh
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 1:38pm | IP Logged
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From what I've seen of the books, the online version looks similar. And for my dd, who struggles with reading and writing, the online version has been wonderful.
btw, I got my subscription through Homeschool Buyer's Coop at a significant discount. Not sure if they are still offering it, but you may want to take a look there before you buy.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 1:58pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the link Jennifer. I checked it out and I think it would be very motivational for my ds who loves anything on the computer. I'm sure I wouldn't have to "make" him do his phonics! I'm not sure I can afford it at the price, but I'll check for a cheaper option. Thanks Theresa. I guess I've decided ETC is the way to go, I'm just not sure if it will be on line or the workbook.
Thanks for your help everyone!
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Becky
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: ETC vs. MCP
