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My dd (turned 8 today!) will be starting Bigger with me this year. We have finished TRL, but she is still struggling in her reading. There are many phonemes she just doesn't know - I'd guess she is only at a 1st grade reading level (although she's technically 3rd grade age). I also did Explode the Code sporadically with her last year, and Pathway Readers.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I'd go from here? Continue with the Emerging Readers? Certainly not begin DITHR, correct? Any suggestions for a phonics program that would help go back and shore up her weaknesses? Thanks!

My dd is 9 and we are at the same point as you, beginning Bigger and 3rd grade. We still have some ER books to do, but I am continuing in some phonics. I was not consistent in one phonics program, so I feel like I need to fill that gap. She is repeating some that she already had, but I wanted to take her through a program thoroughly. I got R&S phonics workbooks 2. We had done some ETC, but I think this will be more thorough. After we go through those, I'm done with phonics, regardless of how well she is reading. Maybe I'm going about it all wrong, but I just don't feel she has processed some things that she should through phonics. We are also doing some Pathway Readers. I do not plan to begin DITHOR until next year. I'd like to see her become more independent in her reading. Since you have finished the ER's and have done Pathway, maybe you could get some other books on her level to read, ifyou don't want to start your dd in DITHOR yet. Maybe someone will have some selections to recommend. I know I'm not much help, but I wanted you to know that you are not alone, and also share how I am handling our situation. If anyone wants to recommend something for us, I am open to any suggestions.

No, we haven't finished the Early Readers yet - in fact, have barely started them. I started them last year, did a few, then switched over to Pathway Readers. So that's why I'm thinking of picking up where I left off with them.

Have you considered doing Reading Made Easy?? I love love love that curriculum and taught both my boys to read using it. I think it would really help. You may also consider adding phonics review thru Abekas letter and sounds 2nd grade book!

If you haven't finished the ER books, then you could do those for 3rd like we are doing, and add some phonics. If you have already done TRL, then maybe just having some phonics workbooks would be a good supplement. My dd did some ETC, but we will do R&S 2 workbooks this year. There are a lot of choices, but I chose R&S because the English is used in HOD, so I figured it would be good to use. I will just have her do a page or two along with the ER books. I know HOD does not have any phonics beyond TRL, but for my struggling reader, I don't mind a little extra. Since we can't start DITHOR yet, she will be able to handle the workbooks along with Bigger. I just need to do it consistently and completely. HTH

Have you considered All About Reading? I have literally done every program out there. All About Reading is the best I have seen. I wish I had had it with my older 2!

Shannon - yes, All About Reading is my top choice right now. I"m waiting for the Level 2 TM to come out at the end of Sept., and will probably order the whole set. It's good to have a recommendation from someone who's used it.

I haven't used All About Reading personally, but I'm am familar with a few different multi-sensory programs, and AAR looks good from what I can see from the samples. I'm using a program right now that is similar to AAR called ABeCeDarian, and it is awesome. My son's fluency picked up immediately, and we are cruising along now. I'm amazed at how much he has improved in the last few weeks. If you are interested in it, you can google it and take the placement test on their website, but I think AAR looks great too.


Tracy

Tracy,

I know this is an old post, but I just wanted to thank you for your recommendation for the ABeCeDarian Reading Program here. My daughter (6) had done 2/3 of TRL and nearly all of RME (we just skipped a few lessons of things she had well covered in TRL), but continued to struggle with remembering/knowing sounds for vowel diphthongs (ai, oa, au, oi, ou, etc.). She is a big time guesser from context and could not sound out words hardly at all. Explode the Code didn't seem to help her all that much, but her reading has really taken off since we started using ABeCeDarian level B. I believe the methodology is similar to Reading Reflex, which I've seen Carrie recommend for older struggling readers (I haven't used that program). Per the author's suggestion we did 2 workbook pages a day in level B1, and it only took us about the same amount of time as Explode the Code, but with much better results. Just thought I'd share this in case anyone else is having similar problems. I hadn't heard of this program at all until I saw it mentioned in this post.

Incidently my older daughter did RME and not much else and her reading is fantastic, so I do love that program (I am using it with great results right now with my youngest), but my middle daughter needed something more afterwards. ABeCeDarian has been perfect for her.