literature for 17 year old special needs child??

[rumkimom]

hi, I am trying to figure out what literature to get for my 17-year old daughter for this year. I am listing her as a senior this year so that we can be done with the state regs and get that letter of equivalency for her, but I plan to school her for an additional 2 years and hope to get through both MTMM and World Geography. I am customizing HOD for her this year and adding the economics from MTMM to Rev to Rev and also have to add Health in there (she is done with math so it will take the time that math does). I doubt she will go to college (she has Expressive-Receptive Language disorder and is mildly autisic), if she does, it will be at an older age.

She is currently 1/2 way though Rev to Rev and should finish in Dec/Jan. Her reading/comprehension level is 7th/8th grade (so she is in the prefect HOD level for her). The books she most enjoys are biographies. She read though most of the 4/5 girl interest level this year. She loved "The Doll People" and "Naya Nuki". Should I move her to the 5/6 set, 6/7 set or customize it to her interest? (I am having her just read the books and not do DITHOR). I just want her to learn to like reading!!

We will be using IEW's US History based writing lessons and they do have suggestions of literature to go with their lessons (we will take 2 years to go though it instead of 1 year). The books they suggest are also on HOD's list. They use 7 books....the first 4 are: The Witch of Blackbird pond, Johnny Tremain, The Sign of the Beaver, and By the Great Horn Spoon. I am not sure what HOD level these are (I am not sure where my book list is right now due to re-arranging of our school stuff this summer.

So....should I keep her reading all genre (level 5/6 or 6/7) or customize if to her interest (history based stories and biographies)?

Thanks!!

[Carrie]

Wendy,

I would lean toward the 5/6 Girl Interest Set for DITHR for a couple of reasons. First, it would be an incremental step-up from the set she has just finished successfully. Second, it would give her a more varied reading experience. This often results in finding new books to love that would otherwise have been missed. It looks like she is somewhat varied in her likes right now, so you may be surprised by which books she enjoys in the 5/6 set.

Third, the books you listed as part of IEW's program are a bit of a jump up in length and in reading level from the set she just exited. The 5/6 set has a few more books that would be more of a bridge from where she was reading last year. Books like A House of Tailors, A Family Apart, The Castle Corona, The Secret of the Old Clock, and The Middle Moffat are good bridge books. Often success and enjoyment in reading comes from finding books at the right level that are interesting, yet the right length and amount of challenge.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,
Carrie

[rumkimom]

Thanks so much Carrie!! I will hold off on the more difficult books and go with the 5/6 pack. She is not a reader and I do want her to enjoy the books she is reading.