Beyond first grade quest.

[renee]

Hello. I will be bringing my Kindergartner home next year for schooling. He is currently doing Abeka Language Arts in a private school. I was going to use Little Hearts for first grade next year. The past few months I have noticed he has taken off in his reading skills. Would it still be beneficial for me to start with Little Hearts even though he is doing so well with reading? He is reading first grade easy readers already. I will most likely continue in Abeka phonics for first grade.

My only problem with doing Beyond in first is that I wanted to do it for second grade and save Bigger for third grade. Any advice would be so appreciated!

Blessings,

Renee

[lissiejo]

I was in the same boat this year. We chose Beyond for 1st and I figured I'd deal with Bigger once I got the guide. I bought it already so I could make some decisions and have decided to take 2 years to go through the guide, but go full speed with the math, grammar, and literature. This means that We'll do 17 units of Bigger next year, complete Rod and Staff grammar 2, and singapore Math 2, and then 17 units the following year with Rod and staff grammar 3 and Singapore math 3. I think this will be a good fit for us and Beyond was perfect for my 1st grader this year. She was also an advanced reader when we pulled her out of school.

I used Little Hearts before my daughter went to K-5 and we really loved it. I think it would make a great guide for either K or 1st, but you would need to add in the emerging readers if your son is ready for those and that is only found in Beyond and Bigger.

[mrsrandolph]

What about doing Little Hearts for His Glory and using the emerging readers set with it instead of a phonics program?

[mamayi]

From what you shared I would consider doing Little Hearts for first grade like you planned and as the pp suggested do it with the Emerging Readers.
There are so many other skills and habits to be learned in Little Hearts which set a great foundation for the next guides. Age and maturity of the child (IMO) are just as much to be considered as reading level.
I hope this helps in some way. I pray that you will clearly have God's guidance in which course you should pursue.

[8arrows]

Either could work. I would really look at the placement chart. I would actually lean toward Beyond if he has been doing Abeka K. However, if you completed Beyond and Bigger as 4 day programs instead of 5 day programs, you could gain time before hitting Preparing.

[netpea]

I think Little Hearts was a wonderful program that could work well for first grade with the emerging readers. I learned a great deal from the history readings in Little Hearts and loved the exposure my son got to things I never heard about in school or church.

[psreit]

I don't know how old your 1st grader will be, but I agree with the pp who mentioned that maturity has a lot to do with it. Little Hearts would be very good, even for a strong reader. I am so glad that I started with it, even though my dd was at the upper end of the age range. The history and Bible was such a good foundation for her. So much would have been missed if we hadn't done it. You can easily do the emerging readers with Little Hearts.

[renee]

Thank you all so very much. I may just stick with Little Hearts and add in the Emerging Readers. He is just turning six years old this month.

Blessings,

Renee