Using DITHOR with a young independent reader

[abennett05]

Hi everyone! My family is considering HOD for my daughter. She is five but reads at a second grade level. Has anyone used this program with their young advanced reader? She doesn't really need phonics instruction anymore but I would still like to use something for reading just to encourage her along in her love of reading.

[MomtoJGJE]

I would first suggest that she go through the Emerging Readers in the Beyond guide. I'd want to make sure she can do the deeper thinking involved before she started DITHOR. I'm not saying she can't because she's only 5, but it's not likely she has enough of a world view to make connections, etc. In some cases just because she can read the harder words doesn't me she's comprehending the meaning behind them. The Emerging Readers teaches her the questions to ask herself to think through that stuff.

[StephanieU]

The emerging readers are at a 2nd grade level over all, so I would definitely start there. There are also chapter books recommended at the end as well as suggested titles each week. You would probably want to spread this out to a year and a half. Then you can start DITHOR at close to 7. DITHOR has a lot of reading and advanced comprehension, so it is best to wait until 7yo if not 8.

[abennett05]

Thank you for your thoughts. I have looked into the emergent reader books. Many of the emergent readers are pretty easy for my daughter, perhaps too easy. She has read many of the Frog and Toad and Amelia Bedelia books. She typically has excellent comprehension and is able to read and comprehend chapter books that interest her. She has read the classic stars versions of Peter Pan, Black Beauty and others on her own. I will look for the other emergent readers at the library and see if they are more difficult than the ones we have read though, thanks!

[MomtoJGJE]

It's not necessarily about how easy it is to read... you WANT them to be easy for her to read. Google Bloom's Taxonomy... that's what HOD uses.

[abennett05]

Thanks, I am not looking for the books to be a struggle for her to read. I know 5 sounds young but she has an excellent vocabulary and comprehension. The books are very simple for her. She is able to read far beyond Frog and Toad. Usually, the leveled readers at the library don't interest her much. She prefers to read non-fiction, chapter books or picture books about topics that interest here. I know what you are saying about having the book not be too hard, easy even and digging deeper into comprehension skills. I have studied blooms taxonomy.

I was hoping to hear from anyone who may have had a reader similar to my daughter who is ready, able and eager to read longer books but not yet 7. We may end up deciding she isn't ready for DITHOR but I do want her to be challenged and encouraged in her reading and not continually given lesser books just because of her age. I am not sure that the emergent reader set is enough for her. We may go through them this summer anyway though.

[bethelmommy]

My daughter turned 6 in October and is in kindergarten this year. She currently reads at a 6th-7th grade reading level (i.e. The Hobbit and Watership Down) on her own. We chose to have her do the Emerging Readers this year. She is finishing them up now and they have been great. She has also read all the supplemental titles we could get our hands on as well as the recommended chapter books listed at the end. We are planning to start DITHOR with her next using the level 2 books. Even though the reading will be easy, the deeper level thinking and writing required will be a step up for her. I do not regret taking our time through the emerging readers even though dd is capable of reading harder material. I feel this has only encouraged her love of reading and she enjoys plenty of challenging material in her free time. One thing I learned through trial and error with my oldest is that school does not have to be constantly challenging and pushing to the next level. That quickly leads to burn out. Sometimes easy is OK, especially when other skills are truly the focus, and the easy part (i.e. The reading) is merely the vehicle used to work on those skills. I think you will find that the Emerging Readers do progress in difficulty. I remember in the Christian Liberty Nature Reader, dd needed some correction with words like metamorphosis, chrysalis, and nymph. You can always start in the middle of the ER set if the early books are too easy. In the end, you know what will work best for you and your daughter. I just wanted to share our experience as it has been a successful and happy one.

[Nealewill]

My dd is reading chapter books right now as well. She is 6 but just turned 6 in February. She is very gifted. She is currently doing the work of a second/third grader. I am not doing DITHOR for at least another year. My oldest dd does DITHOR and LOVES the program. But my youngest and middle child are still interested in exploring too many things. I am pretty free spirited when they are younger and want them to have plenty of time to explore things they want to learn. I actually don't really plan to do DITHOR until Preparing for any of my kids. That is just my preference. In Beyond and Bigger they are studying the elements of those genres already during story time. So for me, I prefer for them just to read as much as they can until Preparing. Now, my two younger kids love to get various science books off the shelf at the library, they will read some chapter books but they prefer to read the picture books mostly (like the books by Gail Gibbons). They love Snow Flake Bentley and the Little House chapter books. They love the books they can read in a day or two. My youngest DD can read almost anything I give her - sometimes she reads from her older sisters books for fun - but her preference is books with lots of pictures (and the words in those picture books can be very difficult indeed depending on the books - as those books are written to adults to read to children) and she prefers books she can read in a day or two. For me - I prefer spending my time with hands on stuff rather than workbook stuff. Don't get me wrong - I love the lay out of everything for HOD and when it is introduced. It is very age appropriate. But for me, I don't really want to give my dd who just turned 6 the workbook and activities for the DITHOR for a while yet. While I know I could easily write everything down for her, I love the fact that my oldest does her own written portions totally independently. My children working independently is my always on my mind before adding anything extra.

[MelInKansas]

I started DITHR young with my DD, not nearly that young, but young and I had to do all of it with her. DITHR really encourages deep thinking about the books being read and analysis that is difficult for younger ones. I walked my DD through a lot of it. Now, I am glad I did that but that is also why I would say don't rush into that. One way you could maybe approach it is to read some of the books that are listed for DITHR but only do 1/2 speed with the workbook and activities. That would give her some time to grow into DITHR's analysis level, while still keeping her reading and doing comprehension and analysis. On the days you don't do DITHR you could just have discussion or comprehension. You definitely want to keep her reading and thinking about what she reads. Have you discussed some of the books she has read with her, do you feel she comprehends them well. One thing about the ER transition is that there is comprehension and deeper thinking questions with the ER books. Really, starting 1/2 or 2/3 way through the ERs wouldn't be a bad thing to do either. They are a lot more difficult towards the end.

[MomtoJGJE]

Another thing that the ERs help them to learn (ESPECIALLY when they are very fluent readers at an early age) is to SLOW DOWN! They only read a few pages and then really think about those few pages. A lot of families just let their kids speed through the books, but part of the practice is to JUST read what the directions say.

Honestly, now that I type that, it really also helps set the stage for in depth Bible study. Really digging into God's word and pondering and meditating on it.

My kids CAN read well above their level, but they don't like reading... so I really don't have to be too concerned with my own kids .

But *I* was an early reader... I was reading college level books in 1st grade. I read all the books (literally) in the children and young adult section of the library in my town before first grade. But let me tell you... though I am fluent and can remember 99% of what I read (some just goes straight through) and obviously can comprehend at a fairly high level, the DITHOR questions sometimes still throw me for a loop and I have to think about them.

I would AT LEAST suggest starting somewhere in the ERs. I cannot imagine WANTING a 5yo to read books that are so far above their age level and really think about them. That's some heavy stuff. The ONLY book I'd want my 5yo to read that's really above her and really THINK about is the Bible, and that's because I think God protects their minds and only opens up the things that they need to see NOW. I think He does that with all of us actually.

[The2youngs]

I have a gifted son who learned to read at 3 and was reading anything he could get his hands on by 5. My biggest struggle was finding material that was challenging and interesting enough for his ability but still content appropriate for his age. It was a hard time (and still is!). At her age, I would discourage DITHOR simply because of her developmental stage. I'm considering using it next year for my son (who will be 7 next month) but I'm still undecided as to how much of the actual writing I want to require of him. At this age, Charlotte Mason did not encourage that much writing and formal literary analysis. Obviously, we still want to encourage a love of great, quality literature, but we don't need to over-burden our little ones simply because they CAN do it.

I would really encourage you to look for some excellent, quality classic books that can inspire her towards a love of well-written literature. Charlotte's Web, anything by Thornton Burgess, Little House books, Velveteen Rabbit, AA Milne's original Pooh series. That's sort of a hodge-podge of reading levels and interests, but I imagine they'd give your daughter quite a challenge and they're just plain great books! Also, there's nothing wrong with rereading books she loved. There were times my son "ran out" of books, but he discovered the joy of reliving some of his favorites again.

Hope you come up with some ideas after all of our suggestions! I've found, despite it's seeming "gentleness", that HOD has been great for both my "average" son and my "gifted" one. I do believe that Charlotte Mason has some fantastic philosophies and I think Carrie has done well in implementing those into a cohesive program for all of us!