Trying to choose Reading curriculum

[amycrump28]

I will be homeschooling for the first time in the fall. My daughter will be in fourth grade and I am trying to pick a reading curriculum. I really like Drawn Into the Heart of Reading, but I don't know whether to choose the 2/3 or the 4/5 level. She is an average reader, making B's and C's on her report cards in public school. Thanks for any help!

[Candice]

Amycrump28,

Every now and then a post gets "lost in the shuffle" around here!
I am bumping up your post to the top so that others can read it and offer you some help.

Candice

[my3sons]

I will be homeschooling for the first time in the fall. My daughter will be in fourth grade and I am trying to pick a reading curriculum. I really like Drawn Into the Heart of Reading, but I don't know whether to choose the 2/3 or the 4/5 level. She is an average reader, making B's and C's on her report cards in public school. Thanks for any help!

Hi Amy! Welcome to the HOD Board! First, let me say congrats on your decision to homeschool. Drawn into the Heart of Reading (DITHOR) is a great program that will not only cover all the necessary "bases" of reading instruction, but also foster a love of books and a passion for reading over time. My son has done DITHOR for several years now, and the books he's used with DITHOR are still favorites of his. I think I'd start your dd in Level 2/3 for a year, just so she can learn all of her story elements and the flow of the program. HOD commonly gives this advice for dc entering DITHOR at fourth grade. Then, the next year, your dd could do Level 4/5 and be totally prepared for it. Have you gotten a chance to check out the HOD book packs for DITHOR? They're full of wonderful books. When you order your DITHOR package, you'll also receive a "Sample Book Ideas List", which gives book titles for each genre and level too. This helps in giving a starting point for choosing your own books if you decide to do that instead of use the book packs. If you have other questions, ask away! We are glad to have you here.

In Christ,
Julie

[tiffanieh]

Hi Amy,

Congratulations on deciding to homeschool this next year! I pray your experience will be as blessed as our first year has been! With HOD you CAN'T go wrong.

In regards to your question...my suggestion would be to look at the booklist for the 2/3 section and go to your local library and have your daughter read it aloud to you.

If it is super duper easy for her then perhaps she can go to the next level, however, I wouldn't jump to the next level too soon just for the sake of the level...allow her to really enjoy what she is doing, and if that means going with a level that is a little below where you think she "ought" to be in, then so be it. i don't think you want her to feel challenged reading her book, she should feel excited about it!

Best wishes!
Tiffanie

[my3sons]

...
In regards to your question...my suggestion would be to look at the booklist for the 2/3 section and go to your local library and have your daughter read it aloud to you.

If it is super duper easy for her then perhaps she can go to the next level, however, I wouldn't jump to the next level too soon just for the sake of the level...allow her to really enjoy what she is doing, and if that means going with a level that is a little below where you think she "ought" to be in, then so be it. i don't think you want her to feel challenged reading her book, she should feel excited about it!

Best wishes!
Tiffanie

Good point, Tiffanie! I was thinking just about the Student Book/DITHOR TG placement, and not the actual book pack levels. As far as the actual books your dd would read, you can easily use any of the books - whether they may be Level 2, 3, 4, or 5 books.

In Christ,
Julie

[mariaw]

I was also wondering about this--choosing the book pack level. In the catalog, it gives reading levels (3.5-4.0, for example). Is there a diagnostic test to determine this? Or do we just guess? My dd has read a few of the books in the book packs, so I know what she is ABLE to read on her own, but it was totally on her own, and I have no idea what her comprehension was. We didn't STUDY the books. She does tend to "look down on" books that she deems "too easy" so I don't want to put her in a level that is too easy.

[my3sons]

I was also wondering about this--choosing the book pack level. In the catalog, it gives reading levels (3.5-4.0, for example). Is there a diagnostic test to determine this? Or do we just guess? My dd has read a few of the books in the book packs, so I know what she is ABLE to read on her own, but it was totally on her own, and I have no idea what her comprehension was. We didn't STUDY the books. She does tend to "look down on" books that she deems "too easy" so I don't want to put her in a level that is too easy.

I would open up the HOD DITHOR Book Pack links, and pull out any books you own of them, or bring a printed list to the library if you don't own many of them. (Of course, if you already own the HOD Sample Book Ideas list, just use that as a reference.) Have your dc read a page or 2 of some of them out loud to you. The book should have a few words on a page that may be a bit difficult for them, but they should be able to still read quite smoothly. You'll be able to tell a lot from this. Then, choose the book pack that will start them off fairly confidently, but also that there are a few titles that will be a bit of a challenge. When choosing, remember it is important to stretch them a bit without pushing too hard - we don't like to read at our highest possible reading level all of the time, and they don't either. Even the average newspaper reads at about a 7th. grade level.

For the Student Book and DITHOR Guide instruction level, I would still do Level 2/3 for a year if your dc are in fourth grade and have not done DITHOR before. The book pack level need not match the Student Book/DITHOR instruction level. KWIM? Here is a link to the DITHOR Book Packs:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional.php
http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional4-5.php

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

The ladies are doing such a good job of helping you talk through options. DITHR is different from other programs in that placement in the program is not based on reading level. This is because all of the levels of DITHR work with any book that you choose. So intead, placement is based more on how much your child likes to write, how independent your child is able to be, and how much previous literature study your child has had.

DITHR Level 4/5 includes a one Student Book page to be completed daily. In contrast, Level 2/3 has Student Book assignments on about 1/3 of the days.

DITHR Level 4/5 has the child scheduled to be with you one day and then more independent the next day. DITHR Level 2/3 has the child meeting with you daily for his/her lessons.

DITHR Level 4/5 assumes your child has heard the literary terms (such as character, plot, setting, mood, etc.) and can apply them. DITHR Level 2/3 walks the child carefully through a first introduction to these terms and applies them through discussion with the parent.

Hopefully, by reading the comparison that I gave you above, you'll see where your particular child fits best. After choosing a DITHR Student Book level, then you can head into deciding which books to have your child read. Any book will truly work. You can choose off of our booklist or use one of our ready made book packs if you prefer that for ease of use. The book pack level that you choose does not need to match the Student Book level that you selected for DITHR.

A good, quick way to tell if a book is too hard for your child is to give it the 5 finger test. Have your child read aloud one page from the book to you. For each mistake your child makes, count one finger. If your child makes 5 or more errors on the page, the book is too hard.

Blessings,
Carrie