Hello & A Phonics/Learning-to-read ?

[ForHisGlory]

Hello Everyone! I have been absent from the board for a few weeks. Evan and I are finishing up Unit 8 today in LHFHG!

Now, a question/need encouragement! We have ONLY been doing Explode the Code for Phonics (not TRL or RME). As I have mentioned before, I already have other phonics programs that we have tried and it just hasn't seemed to work for little guy. He loves ETC! He just started book C today, which means he will be done with it probaby at the end of the month. I am planning on using Spelling to Read and Write (any SWR mommas out there) because I have heard excellent reviews, plus I have owned the whole program for a few years now, but haven't done much with it.

Here is my question: do you really feel in your heart of hearts that by using TRL, RME, or a similar phonics/reading curriculum that you are setting your child up for reading AND spelling success? This is the argument (of sorts) with SWR, that by having children learn phonograms and spelling they will then become great spellers, then readers. I am not wanting to do sight words (though that seems to be so popular) because from what I am hearing, sight words doesn't teach reading, it teaches memorization.

Please, any and all of you who have a lot of experience with this, help me! I am worrying when I should give it to Him and trust. I want the best for Evan yet I have this attitude of,"okay, let's hurry up and get to reading ASAP so you aren't behind." I know that attitude isn't right, doesn't honor God, and isn't what is best for Evan.

HELP!

Thank you all!

[my3sons]

...
Here is my question: do you really feel in your heart of hearts that by using TRL, RME, or a similar phonics/reading curriculum that you are setting your child up for reading AND spelling success? ...

Hi Shannon! The combination of teaching a thorough, complete phonics program for 1-2 years, following that up with HOD's spelling LA box instruction, and then following that up with HOD's dictation for spelling instruction has helped my dc be set up for reading and spelling success beautifully. There are many excellent phonics programs, and different programs sometimes click with different dc, but I believe it is the combination of the 1-2 years of phonics along with the spelling/dictation instruction is the ticket to success. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[ForHisGlory]

Julie, thank you for the reassurrance! I am still torn between what to do...why is this so hard?

A huge part of me really wants to use SWR. Another part of me wants to get him reading right away. I know there shouldn't be a rush, and that in his time, he will learn to read.

Thanks again!

[my3sons]

Well, everyone has different thoughts on this topic, which I'm sure is why making this decision is hard. My 2 cents you can take or leave -I feel that some dc are naturally gifted with being able to spell well, and others have a more difficult time with it. Because of this, I liked using a phonics program that was not tied to spelling initially, as if spelling was not a child's gifting (and it wasn't for my oldest ds as he had speech difficulties), then I felt it could deter his progress in reading. Doing this for him helped him read very well early on, and his spelling scores improved steadily every year with his use of HOD's spelling and then dictation. He's actually considered to be an excellent speller now, go figure - if you'd told me that 5 years ago, I'd have needed some real convincing this was possible! I also have always wanted my dc to learn to read well earlier on, which again, I know not everyone shares this desire. I guess I like them to feel that they can do it from a young age, and hitting it hard while I am doing LHFHG is easy to do, because LHFHG doesn't take long to do each day and they are fresher (and so am I ). Also, and this is totally something that is just a personal preference for my life, having them be able to read earlier on helps them happily be able to quietly entertain themselves. This goes a long way to help my dc have a quiet time, have something to do when riding in the car for longer trips, and give them something they look forward to when they head to their rooms for bedtime. This helps me when my dh travels, as I am tuckered out by then. So, those are a few thoughts about why our family goes about phonics instruction the way we do. I share this not thinking you'll have the same exact thoughts, but rather that you can read this and think you agree with this or disagree with that, and therefore can possibly arrive at a conclusion that best fits your ds. HTH, and as always, it's good to hear from you!!!

In Christ,
Julie

[ForHisGlory]

Julie,

This was VERY helpful! I think that we have a lot of the same goals in common. I would really like to see Evan starting to read on his own sooner than later, for some of the very same reasons you posted. My other son, Ethan, started reading on his own quite well around 6.5, and boy did it open up a sort of new world for him! Ethan would wake up before everyone else, head to the homeschool room, and read for about an hour everyday! I would love for Evan to have to same love of reading too, because you are right, it does keep them preoccupied more. I think the tendency of boredom lessens once they learn to read as well. Plus, Evan truly does say often that he wishes he could read the words on the page.

Just in my personal opinion, Evan doesn't have the same gift that Ethan had for reading and spelling (naturally), but I could be proven wrong! Evan is indeed gifted in many ways, but I have seen the differences in strengths and challenges in both of my boys...I think this reading thing could be a bit more challenging with Evan. That's totally just fine. I just want the very best for him; to set him up for success. I think what I am trying to say is that I am pretty scared to teach him to read! LOL I truly didn't have to teach Ethan reading (partly because he did attend PS Kindergarten for a few months and was given help there) because he was gifted in the reading department. In essence, this this is my first try at really teaching reading.

Thank you again for the encouragement, Julie! You are always very helpful, and a plethera of knowlege and wisdom!

[MelInKansas]

Here is my experience if you find it helpful.

I used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. It had been recommended to me by several other HS moms. I would say that like ARL it has short, progressive lessons that help a child start reading at a young age. While it does have letter writing as part of it, there is absolutely no spelling involved. I have read some of the information on here that leads me to think that I may get ARL and see where that fills in with better/more thorough phonics instruction than 100 Easy Lessons. My DD (now 6.5) learned to read very well with 100 Easy Lessons, but I did have to fill in with some of the rules (even very common ones) that it didn't cover. She is now well past the stage of easy reader books, into short chapter books.

She has started spelling now in Beyond this year and she is doing GREAT! We are using list 2 because she is very capable of spelling the words on it. Do I think she is a natural for reading or LA? I would say that at the age of 3, when she had a very difficult time remembering her letters at all, I never would have thought that she would be such a good reader, and even speller, at the age of 6. She developed a very strong interest in books at age 4, which I suppose motivated her in reading and things like that.

So I think that what I have seen with her (and of course every child is different) is that the exposure to reading, the ability to read, and the fact that reading has become such a big part of her life, is what makes her a good speller. Because she has read the words many times, often she'll look at a word she's written down and realize that it doesn't look right. She naturally on her own picked up the rule that often an ending K sound is spelled with C-K. I would say that this is how I am, I am more of an intuitive speller than someone who spells because of repetition or memorization of rules. I'm really proud and excited that she's doing as well as she is! I feel like I really lucked into it, don't we often do that with our first child? Or we make our huge mistakes and know what not to do the next time.

I'm sure the Spell to Read approach is also good at making those connections with children. But I have seen it work well this way which of course makes me think this works out pretty well too!