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We've been HOD users for 2 years now and really love it. I am beginning to look at next year and ds will be in Bigger with Drawn into the Heart of Reading. I am feeling overwhelmed each time I look at Drawn on-line. For some reason I am feeling that Drawn is so advanced, not just for ds, but for me, too. Any words of wisdom from Drawn users? DS is 7 and won't start Drawn until Fall (he will be . By the way - we are BIG readers, love to read, even ds says "reading is not school - reading is fun!" so I don't know where this is coming from.

Thanks. Amanda

I think I felt that way, too. We are using DITHOR this year with my second grader...she's only 7 but reading/writing is her "thing" We have really enjoyed it! I think once you get used to the guide and how it is set up, it won't feel overwhelming any more. (Remember, there are three levels of instructions per day, so you only need to worry about your level). It does take some thought at times...but that is what makes it worth doing! If your son is a reader, then you will both enjoy the program!

Thanks, Tammy. He does love to read and to be read to. I am looking forward to another year of HOD, I don't know why DITHOR was / is causing such an issue for me. Maybe it's the thought of him doing for independent reading that is doing it. Do you mind if I ask, does your dd read alone or aloud to you? Also, is she doing most of it herself or are you working together? Of course, these questions may be answered in DITHOR for me, but I am curious.

Have a blessed day,
Amanda

Hi Amanda,

Most days (at least in level 2/3) your child reads the selection out loud to you. There is a list of 7 "qualities of good reading" in the appendix of the guide that the child works on one by one. For instance, the first one is pause at punctuation. Once that is mastered, you move on to the next one. Occasionally the child is supposed to read the selection on their own.

The first book we read, we did take turns reading a page because my daughter was not used to reading "quality" books out loud, and seemed to have some reading "fatigue"...but since then she has really grown as a reader and now I only need to occasionally help with an unfamiliar word. She has improved her "out loud" reading so much in just these past 5 months.

We work together for the most part. Sometimes there are questions to ask about the characters, setting, problem, mood...etc. We discuss them together. Sometimes there is a page to do in the student book (which is usually supposed to be done independently, but since my daughter is on the young side we usually work together). Next year she should be able to do those mostly by herself.

Looking back, it can seem like there is "a lot" to the program...but really once you begin, it is not difficult to implement. (If I can do it, anyone can ) The hardest part is probably finding the books...unless you use the HOD book packs (which are excellent).

I like answering questions, so if you have any more, ask away!

Thanks again, Tammy. I am feeling much better about this. I appreciate you taking time to answer my questions. If the hardest part of it is finding the books, I'll start saving my pennies so that we can get the book pack. We have a very small library, and I know from past years a lot of the reading selections are not available.

Blessings,
Amanda

Tammy,

Did you find that that the student book is needed for the 2/3 DITHOR? Or can everything be done right out of the teachers book? I am probably going to be using it the 2nd half of next year, and was just wondering if I needed to pay for the whole set or not.

Thanks!
LeAnna

The DITHOR guide looks a little different than the other HOD guides, and it also has instruction for 7-15 yo's making it a thicker book. These may be some of the reasons it feels a little different. However, once you get started DITHOR is not hard to implement at all. If you just read the "Instruction" part of the manual first, make sure you have your books chosen, and fill in the reading chart (all things the DITHOR guide walks you through), it's smooth sailing after that.

As far as younger dc beginning DITHOR, with my ds who was quite young when we first began DITHOR, I wrote his answers for him in the Student Book to begin with. After awhile, I wrote half for him, then wrote the other half on a marker board for him to answer. Next, I wrote it on a marker board for him to copy, and last he was able to do it on his own. This progression took about a half a year or more, but made it super easy for him to ease into it. He also gave great answers because he knew I was writing them first . I think his answers would have been pretty short since his writing was not nearly as developed as his reading at the start.

As far as the Student Book, yes, it is needed as it is how dc respond to their reading at least half of the time, and how they show their comprehension of what was read, the story elements being learned, and the Godly character trait being studied. The DITHOR teacher's guide and Student Book go hand in hand, and without one of them, you only have half a reading program. I've used my DITHOR guide for 7 years now, and it's proven to be an excellent reading program that we never tire of. It is well worth the investment. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Okay, thanks Julie! I kind of thought that maybe i would need to get both, but wasn't sure. I'm sure that we will have a lot of fun with it! I am very pleased with HOD's reading choices too!!

LeAnna

We love DITHOR, and I thought it might be overwhelming at 1st, too, but it's not. We really like it! However, I will say that I gave my dd one year to read for "fun" before we jumped in. She was a good reader by age 6 -6 1/2, I'd say, easily breezing through the Emerging Readers set at that age. But instead of jumping into DITHOR at age 7, I just gave her "living" books to read, we'd discuss, do narrations, have her read to me and do occasional vocab work, but that was it. I'm glad, because now at age 8, she's had a lot of experience reading. I didn't want to go too deep with analysis just yet at that earlier age. Just wanted her to have fun reading! Now that we're doing DITHOR, we still have fun, but there IS work involved, too. So... it's a great program, and I'm glad we've started when we did! I hope that helps!

Have a blessed day!

This all really helps me too, I had the same questions!! Thanks.
Kirsten

Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement. I am feeling so much better - not overwhelmed at all, now.

Blessings,
Amanda