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Hi! I am planning on putting my ds8 in Bigger. He fits there on the placement chart. However, he has struggled with reading. We are technically just about done with phonics instruction, but he is going to need a lot of reinforcement and reading practice. I was planning on doing Rod and Staff Reading 2 with him, but it looks like it will be pretty time-consuming and writing intensive, leaving little time and energy for the Bigger language arts plans (copy work, grammar, etc.)

I have considered putting him in Beyond, which would give him another year to focus on his reading. However, the science especially would be too easy for him, and he really fits in Bigger in all the other areas.

Should I do emerging readers and supplement with Explode the Code, while doing Bigger LA plans? Or should I plan on another intensive reading year with him (with Rod and Staff reading as planned), doing less in Bigger or just doing Beyond so we can get him reading fluently?

He is at the beginning of the emerging readers I would say, as far as his current reading level. He is making a lot of progress. I'm hoping he just needs plenty of practice. My oldest (dd) struggled with learning to read, and that was the case with her. However, at 8 1/2, I am worried...

Thanks!!!

Does he do well with copywork? Is he going to do the spelling list in Bigger, or start dictation? My son is 9.5 and his reading has just taken off. We found out he had a little eye problem and some special glasses have changed everything. He will be starting Bigger in June after doing Beyond and will be not quite halfway through the Emerging Readers.
I bet Bigger would be fine. You could even just go slower, maybe 1/2 speed at first to work him into it and have a little more time to focus on reading time. We spend quite a bit of time with him reading out loud to me-so it makes the day a little longer. He is reading the Pathway Readers to me and we also are doing the Emerging Reader, slowing it down a litte bit by using some of the supplemental titles along with it.

As far as Bigger goes, it is totally fine for him to be starting Emerging Readers and be in Bigger. Many people start R&S 2 and do most of it orally, making sure they get the concepts without having to do all the reading and writing. Or use a whiteboard and have them write some answers and you write some. Make it work for you. I have also found, even for my DD in R&S 3 who is a very good reader and average writer, she gets through English much faster and with much less complaining if we do at least 1/2 of it orally. There is enough other writing that she doesn't need it for that.

So I think you could definitely do Bigger as long as you are willing to do some of the extra to help him out with the reading and writing parts.

Thanks for your input! Yes, we does pretty well with copy work. I decided to go ahead and order Bigger, including Rod and Staff English 2 for him. I feel really good about doing all of Bigger with him- it will be a great year for him I think! I think I will do the emerging readers with him the next couple of months (we already have been reading some of them) and then decide. Thanks for your help!!