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My son will be in 3rd grade and beginning Bigger next year. We used a different phonics and reading program while doing Beyond (we spread it out for 1st and 2nd). We are now reading the books at the end of the emerging reader set and he has no problem at all. It is not even a challenge. Would that put him in the level 2 books for DITHOR next year or would level 3 work. I am just thinking that level 2 means 2nd grade and level 3 is meant for 3rd. Should I go ahead and get some of the level 2 books and have him read those instead of the emerging readers? Anyone advice will be appreciated.

Jennifer,
I found that if you go to HOD home page and then go to "book shop" there is a list of the level 2 and level 3 books and they have the reading levels listed on them. It appears that level 2 is reading level 3.0 to 4.1. I discovered this when I was trying to figure out the same thing for my 8 year old last year. He was intimidated by some of the level 2 books because the "words are so small" so I just went back and had him finish up all the emerging readers including the additional suggested books that are listed in the schedules even though they seemed so easy for him. At the same time he was reading other books to himself for fun that had lots of small print and then he transitioned into the level 2 books with no problems.

I am finding with my 2 oldest that I can't really plan to far ahead about their reading levels because they seem to be going along at one pace and the SUDDENLY they are reading books that a week earlier they thought were too difficult for them.

You've already gotten some good advice here. I'll just chime in to say both of my dc could easily read the end of the Emerging Reader's books too when we got there, but I'm very glad we finished them. Doing the comprehension questions along with them (as they are listed in the Appendix for the Emerging Reader's Set schedule) continued to help grow their comprehension so it matched their oral reading ability. Both of our dc did very well with reading early on, but DITHOR is so much more than that. I wouldn't skip Book Pack 2 of DITHOR. The rest of what he'll be learning in DITHOR will challenge him enough, and though the pack is titled "Level 2", the books are at a third to fourth grade reading level. Anyway, I'd let him finish the set out and start DITHOR 2/3 with Book Pack 2, but that's just my 2 cents.

In Christ,
Julie

Julie,

What phonics program did you use? My son can read fine if he has a review first of some of the harder blend sounds, so I'm afraid to use the emerging readers that don't include review. Maybe he just needs more time in phonics and maybe even more review time.

Pam

Thank you so much for the suggestions. We will just keep going with the emerging readers, maybe read some of the suggested extras through summer, and begin with the level 2 books next year with Bigger. Thanks again.

pamh wrote:Julie,

What phonics program did you use? My son can read fine if he has a review first of some of the harder blend sounds, so I'm afraid to use the emerging readers that don't include review. Maybe he just needs more time in phonics and maybe even more review time.

Pam

Hi Pam! We used HOP, as I'd just bought it and it cost some bucks , before HOD came out with Phonics suggestions. For review purposes, we just did Books 1-3 of Explode the Code along with the Emerging Reader's Sets. They are short, funny, and do a great job of reviewing. I told my ds he could do anywhere between 1-4 pages of them a day, but he usually chose 4. He loved them, and they were a great way to review without holding him back. He loved the Emerging Reader's Set - what a bunch of great books that made the transition between beginning readers and chapter books a happy and easy one. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie