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We are doing level 4/5 this year which involves a lot more of the student reading on their own. Am I supposed to read the book too, so that I know what's going on in the book to discuss with them and to check that they are completing their workbook pages accurately, or is that not necessary? I would like to know everything about the book, but not sure if I can keep up each day with all the reading.

Tanya,

Once my kiddos get into Level 4/5, I am usually able to get a fairly good picture of what's going on in the book simply from listening to the several pages the child is reading aloud to me at that level and from skimming on the other days. Our discussion days also let me know whether my child is getting what is going on in the book as that is reflected in his responses.

As your child matures, he/she will quickly outread you (which is wonderful) but that also makes it all the more necessary to be doing something like DITHR to help kiddos bring to light things in the book that they would otherwise gloss over. The goal is not for you as the parent to be all-knowing about the text, but rather the goal of DITHR is to train the child to think more deeply about what he/she is reading and to learn to read with some moral discernment.

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie wrote:...I am usually able to get a fairly good picture of what's going on in the book simply from listening to the several pages the child is reading aloud to me at that level and from skimming on the other days...

This is what we do, and it has worked so well! I like to listen to my ds read 3-4 pages out loud. It not only helps me stay on top of what's happening in the book, it also helps him continue to work on his oral reading skills - an important thing to do through the years as dc will be reading aloud in front of others certainly at some point in their lives. I like to skim a page at the beginning, middle, and end of the reading, which takes just a few minutes. I find the skimming coupled with the reading aloud he does of several pages helps me easily stay on top of the book. I do this with my ds in Level 6/7/8 as well, only I just have him read 2 pages aloud to me. Works great!

In Christ,
Julie