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Topic: When do you stop teaching phonics?

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kristinannie
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Posted: Nov 09 2012 at 3:37pm \| IP Logged

My first grader is a very advanced reader. He is almost done with the Catholic National Reader 1 and has read most of the Little Stories for Little Folks. He reads a lot of level 3 and 4 readers and has read some of the Boxcar Children chapters. He can read almost any picture book. We are currently almost finished with Explode the Code Book 3. He absolutely hates the phonics workbook. This is the third one we have tried and he did like it, but lately it has led to daily tears. I really don't know that he needs phonics training anymore. I think he is just bored to death doing these workbook pages and that is what is causing the problem.

I am doing copywork right now for spelling and grammar. I plan to use Spelling Wisdom or some sort of dictation starting in a couple of years for my main spelling and grammar program. Basically, I am planning on using CM methods for language arts.

Is there any reason to continue with formal phonics training? I like that he is reviewing phonics with these workbooks, but I am just not sure I want to deal with the constant stress of using them. My gut tells me it is time to move on from phonics, but it seems really early to do that in 1st grade. I would love to hear some opinions on this. I trust you guys!

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Claire F
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Posted: Nov 09 2012 at 4:34pm \| IP Logged

I think your gut is right. I'm certainly not the expert on teaching reading, but it seems to me that once they are reading fluently, they just need practice actually reading. I didn't do phonics as a separate subject in 1st grade at all with my son. He did do a lot of reading, and we tackled specific sounds/types of words as they came up. I read up on CM style reading lessons on Simply Charlotte Mason and although we didn't do reading instruction that way daily, there were times I tackled a certain sound or concept and that was all it took for him to get it and then we just kept reading.

I started this year thinking I'd use ETC with my kinder, but he was not the least bit interested in the workbook pages, so I quickly bagged it. I'm teaching him reading with BOB books and reading games that I made up. I have the ETC workbooks as a reference, which is kind of nice for me when I get nervous that I'm going to miss something. But I'm not doing a phonics program or curriculum with him at all.

I think your gut is right and you can move on. Just my opinion

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Claire
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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Nov 09 2012 at 4:57pm \| IP Logged

I plan to just stick with ETC since my boys are happy to do it, and I plan to start Spelling Wisdom next year with my then 4 th grader.

But if my son really hated the workbooks, I think I would consider a program like The Phonetic Zoo instead of SW.

Not a hill I'd necessarily die on, but I do think that phonics can be a good tool in spelling beyond the basics for early reading. My oldest mispronounces a lot of things while reading at an advanced pace. He comprehends well, but he could surely benefit from the more advanced phonics rules that help decode complex words.

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Lindsay
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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Nov 09 2012 at 5:01pm \| IP Logged

Oh, and I wanted to add, 6 is still very young. I do not make my six year olds do ETC unless they want. Mine were not that far along at that age since I used the "half" books for reinforcement in the early years. My boys have been more average in when reading clicks for them. Anyway, the books are designed such that book three is meant for second grade, so you could always put it aside for a while and pick it up a little later, perhaps when he can just do it quickly for review instead of potentially laboring with the handwriting.

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Lindsay
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kristinannie
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Posted: Nov 09 2012 at 9:50pm \| IP Logged

I don't make him do the handwriting. He just tells me what to write. Some days he does it without complaining, but the last couple of weeks, it has been awful. Maybe I should just put it away for a few weeks and see if he will do it again. I already purchased Book 4.

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