Confused here...

[scampbell2003]

Okay we will be starting K in a couple months using LHFHG. When DS is in 1st grade next year we will use Beyond right? How does that word with the Grade 1 skills being in LHFHG? The science in Beyond is Second grade as well. Does Reading Lessons cover all the phonics my DS will need? Do we just move on to the Emergent readers for him in 1st grade? Would love to hear how this has worked for others or how it's suppose to work. Thanks!

[andreamichele13]

I have been wondering about the phonics thing, too.....like, if we need another phonics program after we are done with The Reading Lesson. Will be interested in what others have to say!

[MelInKansas]

Here's what I did, but you have a LOT of options.

We did LHFHG for K, with the K workbook/science options. That was 2010-2011 school year, and we did the whole guide in 10 months. She finished phonics in about February of 2011, I filled in with easy readers from the library, an Explode the Code workbook and other things until we started Beyond (instead of starting Emerging Readers right away, which looking back now I am glad I waited because Emerging Readers got hard quickly and by fall, she was ready for it). Fall 2011 we started Beyond, with Emerging Readers and have just done the whole thing as written (now in unit 22). We skipped the 1st grade options in LHFHG. The copy work covers your handwriting, the math and science cover your thinking skills, I think. There is enough to Beyond and I don't feel like there were any gaps, I feel like the K stuff for LHFHG prepared her well enough for what is in Beyond.

BUT, if you look at Beyond and don't think your child would be ready for it (copywork, Emerging Readers, higher level of comprehension, starting narration, much much longer read-aloud storytime selections, things like this) my recommendation would be to take LHFHG slower, maybe 1/2 speed, or maybe just 3-4 days a week. You could do the workbooks full speed, thereby doing both K and 1st options in workbooks. You could add in additional phonics, some people on here do recommend Explode the Code (I didn't do very much of it so I don't know whether I recommend it or not, what I do know is that after doing a phonics program you should NOT start with the first several ETC books), check out books from the library for your child to read, and slow things down a bit so it doesn't get too overwhelming too fast.

For this school year, we will not finish Beyond by summer, first because we joined a co-op that takes up one of our school days each week, and secondly because I am having a baby at the end of March. I just don't need the pressure. Since Beyond is very good for 2nd grade also, we will save the approximately 8 weeks left in it by the time the baby comes for this summer or fall, and call that part of 2nd grade. Again, I think slowing it down is a great option, I wish I would have realized that, although my DD did very well with LHFHG and is now doing very well with Beyond (the start was rough, she did not like the copywork) so I guess its okay that we forged ahead.

[KristinBeth]

We are halfway through LHFHG for K.

LHFHG can be used for K or for 1st, so if you have a K'er you just choose the K options. When you finish LHFHG, you would move to Beyond (they have 1st grade options there, too). The Science in Beyond is appropriate for a 1st grader (I already have it in my cabinet). We used The Reading Lesson for phonics, and after we finished that, we just moved straight into the Emerging Reader's set. The reading schedule for the readers is in the back of the Beyond guide (which is why I already have it ). If your child was still struggling a bit with phonics after finishing TRL you could add in a little Explode The Code to catch up, but it hasn't been necessary for us yet. We're still in the first book in the ER set.

[MelInKansas]

As far as whether you need another phonics lesson before Emerging Readers, in our case I did not. There were some gaps in her phonics knowledge, but my DD was ready and really took off on reading on her own. She enjoyed sitting and reading books to herself even (which I have heard in some cases it takes longer for them to want to do that, but she has always liked just looking through books, so I guess it was just the next natural step for her to start reading the words on the pages). I would say, Emerging Readers is a pretty strong 2nd grade level reading, if not even a little higher. By the point we are at now (unit 22), she is reading 3-4 pages each day in the Christian Liberty Nature Reader which does not have many pictures and has some advanced vocabulary (longer words). Things like "metamorphosis" and "camouflage" (which she needed help figuring out). Many children are probably intimidated by how long the readings are. The Early Readers Bible starts off slower and lighter for sure, so they definitely work up to it. I would look at your child when they are done with the phonics, see how comfortable they are with reading, reading aloud, how smoothly they can read the things in the phonics book, maybe try out the Bible to start the Emerging Readers, and then decide. Again, you can always wait a few months with some easy readers, shorter things they can get into, or if you find another phonics program/lesson you want to do a little work in, go with that. Some people will do both Bible selections from Emerging Readers, since one is much easier than the other, and that gives their child the time they need to grow and mature in reading.

[Heidi in AK]

We are halfway through LHFHG for K.

LHFHG can be used for K or for 1st, so if you have a K'er you just choose the K options. When you finish LHFHG, you would move to Beyond (they have 1st grade options there, too). The Science in Beyond is appropriate for a 1st grader (I already have it in my cabinet). We used The Reading Lesson for phonics, and after we finished that, we just moved straight into the Emerging Reader's set. The reading schedule for the readers is in the back of the Beyond guide (which is why I already have it ). If your child was still struggling a bit with phonics after finishing TRL you could add in a little Explode The Code to catch up, but it hasn't been necessary for us yet. We're still in the first book in the ER set.

We are doing this. I can't stress enough that the guides don't necessarily follow a grade-level-equivalent. You can either use LHFHG for K or 1st, and Beyond for 1st or 2nd. It all depends on where your DC are skill-wise.

[scampbell2003]

Thanks so much for the response. I will just wait and see where DS is after Reading Lessons