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kristinannie
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| Posted: Feb 20 2012 at 2:34pm | IP Logged
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I need some confirmation that what I am doing is OK for the long run. My son has still been doing ETC book 2 as part of school, but he HATES it. While I think it is helpful for him to do the pages, I am really wondering if it is necessary. This is the only workbook we are using now (other than math). The ETC book is review for him.
This is how I have been teaching reading: we read books. As we read books, if there are new blends or sounds, we discuss it. Sometimes we will get the magnetic letters out and make other words. If we are reading Little Stories For Little Folks, we will do the games on the back if there are any. We play phonics and sight words games from The Struggling Reader. We also play other phonics games, like Whizizzle (we have both sets of games). Mostly though, we just read and deal with words as they come up.
My son is a solid reader. He picks it up easily and now is to a point that he enjoys reading. I am really committed to following a CM type education even in the language arts, but there is this voice in the back of my head that just keeps screaming, "You need to do lots of phonics." I was using All About Spelling, but it just seemed like "too much." Is it necessary to memorize all the phonemes and spelling rules? I just can't bring myself to sell it. I just get scared to make that final leap into CM style LA. Can someone tell me that it is going to be OK? Or am I making a mistake here? (BTW, for spelling, I plan to do dictation and will probably use Spelling Wisdom). Be honest!!!!
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Mackfam
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I'm not sure what ETC is, Kristin. ???
Your approach sounds fine to me. Especially if it is working.
I start working on reading when a child indicates they're ready. One of mine taught himself to read almost entirely on his own. The other two we've worked together using a combination of phonics and sight words. If a program works for you - great! If you're comfortable not using a program at all, I don't think one is necessary.
Do you know when I REALLY start to work on the phonemes? When they're in about 5th/6th grade and we're doing studied dictation and really picking apart a word...why it's spelled the way it is, its origin, the blends in the word. THAT is when I REALLY spend a little time on it. So....if the voice in your head won't hush about the phonics, tell her you'll get to them in a few years! 
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kristinannie
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| Posted: Feb 20 2012 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
I'm not sure what ETC is, Kristin. ???
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Explode the Code
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Mackfam
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Ah!!! Ok. -- Explode the Code --
I used ETC online one year and my son really enjoyed it - it was just for a year though and we didn't use any of the books or workbooks.  I know it's a really good program, but if your son doesn't like it, maybe pull back a bit.
Also, from your description I'm wondering if he's in the *taking off* stage. You know - the point where reading is really clicking!  At that point, my children want NOTHING to do with reading instruction (they really resist it). They want to read. And, I've never forced them to finish a program even if they were only halfway done with it, or only had a bit more to do. I just start giving them books to read from there. There's no magic formula for when they get to that point either. But I thought I'd mention it in case you could reflect and ask yourself:
:: Is this child enjoying reading on his own?
:: Does this child only resist when I sit down to give reading instruction?
:: Does the child come to me occasionally to ask for help with a word, and then walk away to finish reading something on his own?
:: Has this child started raiding library shelves or home bookshelves?
If yes to any of these questions, you've already got a reader! I'd pat myself on the back, prop my feet up with a nice cup of coffee, and then start setting out some book baskets for him to read from rather than putting time into a reading program he's not enjoying. But...that might be just me.
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Jen Mackintosh
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kristinannie
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Mackfam wrote:
Ah!!! Ok. -- Explode the Code --
Also, from your description I'm wondering if he's in the *taking off* stage. You know - the point where reading is really clicking! At that point, my children want NOTHING to do with reading instruction (they really resist it). They want to read. And, I've never forced them to finish a program even if they were only halfway done with it, or only had a bit more to do. I just start giving them books to read from there. There's no magic formula for when they get to that point either. But I thought I'd mention it in case you could reflect and ask yourself:
:: Is this child enjoying reading on his own?
:: Does this child only resist when I sit down to give reading instruction?
:: Does the child come to me occasionally to ask for help with a word, and then walk away to finish reading something on his own?
:: Has this child started raiding library shelves or home bookshelves?
If yes to any of these questions, you've already got a reader! I'd pat myself on the back, prop my feet up with a nice cup of coffee, and then start setting out some book baskets for him to read from rather than putting time into a reading program he's not enjoying. But...that might be just me. |
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I think we are close to getting to this point. He still likes to me sit with him and read, but he likes to read "real" books and not his readers. Sometimes I will have to remind him that "ea" sounds is pronounced eeeee. Otherwise, he can even read pretty difficult words. Sometimes I will also help him split up words into two words (like the other day when he was trying to read without...he got it right away when I covered "out" and he saw they were two words).
It is just scary going away from curricula for something so important. I just don't think that I need to beat things to death with this child. He is extremely bright. I like your idea about hitting these things later in spelling. That makes a lot of sense to me! Right now, I love his excitement for reading and I don't want him to lose that! Thanks for your kind words!
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CrunchyMom
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I think ETC can be a lot of writing for 5. My 5year old does some, but I never make him do it. He's not reading as well as your son, but even if he were, I think it would be a lot to require at that age.
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kristinannie
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| I think ETC can be a lot of writing for 5. My 5year old does some, but I never make him do it. He's not reading as well as your son, but even if he were, I think it would be a lot to require at that age. |
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I don't make him do any of the writing. Even on the dictation, I just have him tell me what to write. I love the way the book is set up, but I agree that there is way too much writing!
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kristacecilia
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I have not used ETC but IMO (which is limited to two kids so far who are established readers) my five year old boys have not been ready to write more than a tiny bit per day. Even my six year old son only writes a tiny bit per day. I use a timer and set it for five minutes and expect his neatest handwriting. He has only recently been able to go a whole five minutes.
I also tend to back off any programs if it is causing fights or stress and re-evaluate. Usually that means shelve it permanently and use it on a different child or re-introduce it later when the child has matured a little more.
I think your idea of shelving it and maybe even taking a break from formal reading 'lessons' is a good idea. IME, a lot of times my kids go through a burn out right after they learn to read and they just want to do whatever they desire as far as reading goes.
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mamaslearning
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In my limited experience with my 8 yo  (plus I do not follow a CM approach to LA):
She learned to read in K at our Parish school, but in first grade I was using LSLF to advance her reading. I did the flashcards they provided but no other phonics. I started phonics (and All About Spelling) this year to help her begin to 'encode' words instead of 'decoding'. I think it depends on their particular learning interests. My girl likes to write, but everything was spelled incorrectly based on phonetically spelling (and most English words are not spelled according to their sounds since many are derived from Latin and Greek).
So, since I was doing AAS with her, my K is following along for fun. He is currently doing the HOP program (since I was given the full set) and I will incorporate LSLF next year as our reading program.
Okay, that sounds disjointed but I hope it helps!
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mamaslearning
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I forgot to add that my K didn't start reading practice until last month. He had no interest in sounding out words, but once he caught the reading bug he really took off in terms of wanting to learn. We do about 5 minutes of blending and reading together, and that's about all he wants to do right now. They (his older sister) like to play hangman and also use magnetic letters to create words, so he's increasing skills through play.
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Rosesinsummer
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I can only speak from my experience teaching my oldest to read and now my middle daughter.
I started with just Little Stories for Little Folks. As we progressed, it soon became apparent that it just wasn't enough of a stand alone phonics program for us. DD was confused. Why was "was" not pronounced with the short a sound? Why isn't is pronounced with the s sound? There were too many sight words and rule breakers and it made reading difficult to her and I was at a loss to explain why all the exceptions.
Then I got the Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading, bought a set of Spaulding phonogram cards and purchased Phonics Road to Reading and Spelling Level 1. It has helped a lot to see we do have rules for spelling (I never learned them!) and that the letter A makes at least 3 sounds plus the schwa. Anyway, I don't know that I will stick with PR, but I love, love, love OPGTR. I plan to use it all the way through. Now, I just supplement with the LSfLF readers because they are sweet Catholic stories, but it is not the spine of our phonics program.
I like PR level 1 but haven't decided if we will continue all the way through or not. It's a very expensive program, although comprehensive for all of LA. I am grateful that I bought level one because the teacher training on the dvds has taught me so much that I never knew before. I think I can teach my girls much better now, and I'm more confident about explaining the rules.
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Teaching reading
