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I've been using the Explode the Code series with my 4 yr old. Actually I believe it's called Before Explode the Code. Anyway, would you consider this the same as the writing program used with HOD? I've never seen Italics or the other one to compare but I didn't want to switch what we're doing if it's working. I guess my question is if anyone has used ETC for handwriting and found it successful and complete?
thank you!

Sorry, I can't help you because I don't know the answer! Do you like it? Does it seem to be working well for your dc? Just curious about what is working for others.

I like explode the code.....I believe it is a phonics program not a "writing" program. Get ready for the code is the first one, then there is Get set for the code, then Go for the code then the other books.

Sorry, if i wasn't of much help......

We use Explode the Code, but as a previous poster mentioned, it is a phonics program and not a handwriting program. I know the Before the Code does teach you how to write your letters, but the formal writing in the regular phonics books is minimal. We use ETC books for phonics and A Reason for Handwriting A as our handwriting program.

Thanks...all you've said makes sense. I am using the 3 books prior to Explode the Code and it does do a lot of handwriting and I guess that is where my confusion was from. I love the books and my ds doesn't mind them at all. He's a wiggly one but will sit and do at least 3 to 4 pages in the book at a time. The phonics part is what's easiest for him but the handwriting he struggles. He can write most of his letters but has a hard time staying in the lines. Especially with lower case. He will write a lower case as if he was writing an upper case letter. So that's our struggle at the moment.

I think doing "A Reason for Handwriting K" will help your ds with writing on the lines. It's a super short, easy program to do, and both of our ds's enjoyed it so much! We did Explode the Code 1 and 2 along with it. I just let my ds choose 1-4 pages of ETC to do each day. He loved both "A Reason for ... K" and ETC, but I know he needed "A Reason for... K" to learn to write properly on the lines. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

We started off using explode the code[we used booka 1 and 1.5]We gave up because we found the level of writing required was getting too much for my DS and it was getting a bit repetitive.
HOD is great because it allows you to select your own phonics program or even as we did -change the phonics program if it s not working for your child