heartofdakota.com

Hi all,

I've been reading some of the threads and posts about the DITHOR program and I guess I am trying to get a clearer understanding. My son is currently doing bigger. He is 9 years old and It has taken us FOREVER to complete the emerging reader's schedule (my fault I have to say due to lack of daily consistency). Anyway, we are finally almost done and I really want him to start reading more age appropriate books and for him to really start growing into a stronger reader in the coming months. As well as start him on a program that will be as enjoyable and interesting as I am hearing DITHOR is.

BUT I guess my confusion began when I read a statement that if u r doing the literature in bigger, you can wait until preparing to do DITHOR. I read the literature books for Beyond and bigger to both my kids (I also have a daughter age 7 doing beyond) and we are on historical fiction now and enjoying it very much And I certainly don't want that to end as it gives us wonderful family time together. BUT I also want to start my son on a good and age appropriate reading program. Can I do both DITHOR and the literature in bigger with him or will that be too much? Any advice/suggestions?? Is it practical to be reading two different genres at the same time (ie: him reading a biography book and going through the program while I am reading a historical fiction book to him and going through the related lessons in bigger) OR him reading his own fantasy book while I am also reading a different fantasy book to them, etc)...

Thanks so much in advance,
Charika

It is my understanding that you are "supposed" to do both, BUT I know not everyone does. After my dc finish the Emerging Readers, I just let them READ, READ, READ from approved literature (at least 30 minutes per day). My plan is to start a formal literary-anaysis type program in 5th grade. I believe this was a good decision especially for my 3rd grader. He had to work really hard in 1st grade to learn to read, and then read the ERs in 2nd grade. At the start of 3rd grade, I just didn't feel like he was ready for a program like DITHOR. He was still building reading fluency and working on comprehension skills. I felt that just letting him read would be more helpful. We are almost halfway through the year, and I am confident that I made the right decision. He is starting to read more for fun, and is telling me about what he reads. My 4th grader has always been a book-devourer, and I just didn't want to slow her down with a program just yet.

So, even if it's not what you are "supposed" to do, I personally feel it's fine to take a couple of years to just let them read (as long as you are somewhat in charge of the book list and make sure they spend enough time at it each day). HOD is covering the godly character traits in other areas, so I don't stress that they aren't doing DITHOR.

Bigger storytime is somewhat like a mini-DITHOR. You could do DITHOR is you really want, and the two will reinforce one abother. OR...you could do just the storytime and let him read aloud to you a little each day from the DITHOR level 2 books after the Emerging Readers Set. DITHOR is really wonderful, but sometimes a break to just read, get the fluency going with oral reading, and learning to love to read for pleasure is more important than elementary lit study. My oldest has done DITHOR, but on and off...we are going to start it soon, but she's a reader...and she has only "suffered" in the fact that she devours so many books and hasn't taken the time like DITHOR will enforce to really savor and think about the books. She has excellent comprehension though. Pretty much, this just means to each his own Neither choice is right or wrong.

Thank you both, Sharonb and Tamara !!! I kept feeling like my son would be missing something if I just let him read and didn't go right away to DITHOR. But sharing your experiences have really helped me a lot to relax and not feel the need to RUSH and buy the books for DITHOR! My son really doesn't read a whole lot (my daughter is another story ) and he does need to spend more time reading...If I were to let him read a little of the book choice from Bigger (instead of me reading all of it), would it then be very similar to DITHOR as far as the character, comprehension questions and activites that are in the storytime boxes along with the readings?? Just curious

Thanks again,
Charika

Charika,

As far as your son goes, since he is 9 we would plan for him to be heading into DITHR after the Emerging Reader's Schedule is done. If you don't plan to use DITHR, then we would be expecting you to be choosing a different reading program in its place to make sure that he is getting the skills that are required in the area of reading state standard-wise. The area of reading has many standards that are to be met in each state, and those standards include understanding, discussion, and analysis of character, plot, setting, mood, comparison/contrast, theme/moral, rising action, prediction/inference, and so on. Another aspect of understanding literature is knowing the various genres and what makes a certain type of book a certain genre. These areas of literature do not typically come up in regular discussion unless you plan specifically to talk about them and address them within your child's daily reading. But, an even more important component we feel with reading instruction is that of teaching moral discernment in light of the Bible as kiddos read. This is another aspect that DITHR addresses, which often does not come up in regular conversation as much as we'd like without it being planned within the day.

Bigger Hearts' Storytime does have a mini-DITHR planned within it, which serves two purposes. One is that it covers the needed reading standards that I've mentioned above for students who may still be doing the Emerging Reader's Schedule. Two is that it focuses on applying these reading skills and standards to books that the children are listening to as read-alouds. This is different than applying these skills to books students are reading on their own. Listening to a book read aloud and reading on one's own are two different areas of reading. So, as soon as kiddos complete the Emerging Readers, we are expecting that they are heading into DITHR (unless they happen to be younger than 7). If the child is younger than 7, then it would be alright to ease into DITHR slowly (as the state standards for reading are not as exhaustive or in-depth for a child of that age).

While every state is different, all states do have set standards in reading that are along the lines I've mentioned above. Once you get to our guides from Preparing Hearts on up, we no longer do a mini-DITHR in the Storytime box, so at that point it is really important to be doing DITHR or something comparable or you'll be missing needed literature/reading instruction. Simply having your children silent reading on their own does not address the standards mentioned above, and while we do at times mention that families who are very busy or very large can wait on DITHR until their children are a bit older this would be the exception rather than rule. This is because very large families, or those who have extreme health issues, or those with heavy work situations must make choices between what they are actually able to accomplish in any given day. So, we are mindful of that in our recommendations, knowing each family is different. In your situation though, it sounds like your 9 year old is ready for DITHR and with his age in mind he will be in need of its instruction.

Blessings,
Carrie

WOW thank you so much, Carrie for such a detailed explanation!!! I do believe that I am not experienced enough to give my son the skills he would need if I just let him read books without a formal plan. I suppose I can let him read on his own and then let him tell me what he read about in the meantime until I get the DITHOR program. But I will be ordering it in the next few weeks. So just so I'm clear Carrie, will I be doing BOTH the reading to him from the storytime box in Bigger AND letting him read me books in the DITHOR plans?...Thanks again!!!