heartofdakota.com

I have my three middles doing Bigger. My 9yo just turned 9, as in two days ago. He is a young 4th grader, but I really feel like the extensions are within his grasp. I just think he may need some time to get used to the idea of working harder. He w reading independently last year, and finished the emerging readers. I then added some other books for him to read on his own. I idont listen to him read as often as I should have, so I might have have missed some fluency issues.

I'm wondering about continuing the extensions. I think we should stick it out for a few more weeks, and see if he can get the hang of it, maybe even going at a slower pace.

He struggled with reading "was" for "has" and other small words. He had no problems reading words like "general" or ther longer words.

The extensions are really only for those in the extended age which for Bigger is 10-11. The reading level for many of those books is 5.8-6.5 grade level. I really think it is asking a lot to expect a just turned 9 year old to handle them. Bigger is a big enough jump up from Beyond so why frustrate him? I would just drop them now and let him enjoy Bigger as written.

Okay. Thanks. I read that the extensions were for 4th and 5th grade, so I was a bit confused. Since we have the books, I think I will read them to the kids.

If he just finished the ER's I would think that the extensions would be too hard for him. If he is struggling I would not use them.

If your son has finished ER he can begin DITHOR-Drawn into the Heart of Reading. Level 2/3 has student reading sections out loud so that fluency improves. There are many purposes for this program including comprehension of reading and beginning to gain deeper insight of book in regards to setting, character, mood, and conflict. The child also compares character to Bible character and compares/contrast Biblical trait like Honesty. I am not sure if you are already using this. I wouldn't think that the extensions are necessary, but to extend learning if you have multiple children in a guide and they are past the upper age. The reading level is mid fourth -upper sixth. DITHOR reading level 2 is 3.0-4.1, you don't want to challenge too much so that they can comprehend and infer more of what they read.

My 3rd grader had no issues using the extensions; however, she had been through book pack 2 with DITHOR the previous school year and had been finished with the emerging readers for over a year. If it were me, I would not add them for any child who is not a strong reader. Instead of adding depth and enriching the histoty, it would be sheer frustration.

Alrighty, after a few more days experience, I think we will continue using the extensions, but at a slowe pace. He is reading at a 4th grade level, and finished the Emerging readers about a year ago. I can't quite remembers but I'm pretty sure. I do think he's not quite up to the amount of extra work, but we are going to build up to it.