Questions about emerging readers

[MamaPajama]

We are using Phonics Pathways for DS and for the most part are very happy with it. (The word lists get a bit overwhelming, but I just cut them down or in half, and when I see that he's got it we just move on.) I plan to continue his lessons into and through the summer. He will be doing BLHFHG this fall. I had decided at first not to get the emerging readers this year, but then changed my mind because we are ordering curriculum so early (like maybe tonight) and I'm not sure where he'll be by the end of summer in his reading, AND especially since I saw that the first book (Owl at Home) is not listed until unit 10. My question is, when we get started on these, is he expected to be able to read the books in their entirety on his own, or are they something that I can help him with if he sees unfamiliar words? This will help me greatly in determining whether or not he's ready for them.

Another thing, the jump from the Bible at the beginning of the guide to the last chapter book seems like a lot! Is it really a lot to ask them to make that jump in one school year, or does it happen quicker than I'd expect?

Thanks!
Khara

[Emilylou]

My started Beyond when my ds was 6. We had done 100 EZ Lessons for phonics, and he wasn't ready for the emerging readers in the fall.
I believe we started about December and he has caught up and will finish the emerging readers right on schedule.
The progression from the bible to The Courage of Sarah Noble worked prefect for him. Slowly getting a bit harder as the year went on.
We also worked through A BEKA 1st grade language Arts for more phonics study. He has enjoyed the emerging readers much more than the A Beka Readers.
My ds reads them out loud to me, and I help him with any words he doesn't know.
Hope this helps.

[MamaPajama]

My started Beyond when my ds was 6. We had done 100 EZ Lessons for phonics, and he wasn't ready for the emerging readers in the fall.
I believe we started about December and he has caught up and will finish the emerging readers right on schedule.
The progression from the bible to The Courage of Sarah Noble worked prefect for him. Slowly getting a bit harder as the year went on.
We also worked through A BEKA 1st grade language Arts for more phonics study. He has enjoyed the emerging readers much more than the A Beka Readers.
My ds reads them out loud to me, and I help him with any words he doesn't know.
Hope this helps.

Thanks! It's so exciting to think that by this time next year he might be reading chapter books all on his own. This is what I love about homeschooling!

[jenntracy]

My so finsihed 100 EZ lessons last fall and for a few months i had him read readers form library to make sure we were ready for emerging readers. He turned 6 in october. He did just fine with the emreging readers. He is loving the Christian Liberty Reader 1 that we are reading now. I plan to continue thru the summer with the emrging reader but we won't be quite down with it when we start in the fall with Beyond. WE will jsut start the DITHOR when he finishes it.

Jenn D.

[my3sons]

If your child needs help or slows down on a word or 2 each page or each two-page spread, that's just fine. But if a child is sounding out every word, or reading very slowly and seems frustrated or overwhelmed, more phonics would be good before beginning the Emerging Reader's Set (ERS). The books in the ERS incrementally get harder, and yes - they really do read those harder books by the end! I found it very important to do the pace scheduled in the HOD guide's Appendix for the ERS though. Those bite-sized readings and comprehension questions were excellent for slowly building my dc's reading ability, so by the time they reached those harder books in the set, they were ready. With one of our dc, we got both Bibles. We started with the "Early Reader's Bible", and then did "The Beginner's Bible". This added about 9 weeks to the schedule, and that was perfect for my little guy as he started it quite young. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie