Emerging Reader

[StephanieU]

So, I think we are going to go with LHFHG for my oldest in the fall (1st grade but only 5). We are using Horizons phonics, but I don't like their readers. So, I was going to use the emerging reader books for the actual reading. Other than order/time per book (as listed on the emerging reader page on the website), is there more information that would be in the Beyond book? Is this information available in the LHFHG book? Or is there a way to get it?

I am waiting for the new LHFHG book to come out, so we are "patiently" waiting for that. My daughter is excited to be learning history and a tiny bit of science this year!

Thanks!

[pjdobro]

The emerging reader schedule, which includes questions to ask after the readings, is included in Beyond and Bigger. If you are doing the Emerging Readers then you would need the Beyond or Bigger guide with the schedule and questions to use them fully. I'm not familiar with the Horizon's phonics program so I don't know how that would mesh up with the Emerging Readers. Typically a dc would start the emerging readers when they are done with a phonics program. The emerging readers are more entry level books yet they are not phonetically controlled. Typically during a phonics program the readers are phonetically controlled so that they don't have sounds or words that a dc hasn't learned or can't sound out at that level. I'm not for sure if the emerging readers are quite what your looking for in this regard.

[StephanieU]

I looked at the book list, and it is about where she is. Horizons is fast paced - at the same level as ABeka for the most part in math and phonics. They do phonics and reading through 3rd grade, with a gradual shift from more phonics rules to more grammar and vocabulary. We already own the Beginner Bible, and she could read some of those stories on her own if I asked her to (normally I read it since it is her little brother's book choice for bedtime). In K, we covered all of the letters, short and long vowels, consonant blends, digraphs, diphthongs, and some non-phonetics. She is reading My First Readers and Level 1 Readers now with very few problems. So, I think emerging reader is where she is on the reading schedule. Am I wrong? I looked at the lesson lists for the two reading programs recommended, and we have covered all of those rules. By the time we start LHFHG in September, we should have reviewed them too in the 1st grade book (we are doing about 2 lessons a week right now).

[pjdobro]

Someone else would have to answer how that compares with the phonics programs recommended here since we didn't do them. I found HOD a little bit late. We did a hodge podge of Adventures in Phonics and Abeka. After we finished the Abeka K and 1st grade readers, we did all of the BOB books and lots of level 1 and 2 readers from the library like Biscuit and Sam before we started the Emerging Readers. If the Beginners Bible looks doable for your dd then you are probably ready to begin the ERs. I would highly recommend getting the Beyond guide so that you have the schedule and questions to go with them. The questions are based on Blooms Taxonomy and really help with reading comprehension. There are also alternate books listed for each week with the schedule, many of which are available from the library, that you can use to supplement. They are nice to reinforce or to extend the readings.

[StephanieU]

Thanks Patty! We already have some of the Biscuit books, and those are for the most part doable for her (words like should trip her up). All but one of the books on the list are at our library (plus the Bible we have), but it might be nice to have extra books too! That way if she isn't ready for the later books yet, we can just stop and do the extra books.

[moedertje]

I am not familiar with Horizon's, but I did ABeka with my oldest ds and about halfway through the first grade year of ABeka, he was ready for ER. One of my dear friends noticed the same with a couple her sons who did ABeka. I found that they had covered enough phonics and reading comprehension for him to be ready and have a solid base for reading.

With my other two, we did TRL and moved into ER. Both my younger ds and dd could read the Biscuit books and Dick and Jane books well, before they started the ER program and they even read from the adult Bible during family devotions, but we completed the phonics instructions, so they could focus on the story line and not on the words when they started ER and therefore be able to answer the questions.

The ER can also be used to improve reading skills in general as the books are interesting and gradually increasing in difficulty.

The parts that are most valuable to me with the ER program, are the questions in back of the Beyond (and Bigger) guide and the fact that the books are interesting and gradually increasing in difficulty.

You are the best judge of how your daughter reads and what your goals are for using ER. Since she is on the young side, perhaps finish her phonics instruction and start ER whenever she is done. It does not have to coincide with the unit of LHFHG you are on. ER can stand on its own.
Much success in deciding and praying you will find what works best for your dd.