Explode the Code and another question

[MamaPajama]

Does anyone here have experience with ETC? I have been using Phonics Pathways for a while with DS, and he's getting hung up about midway through. I pulled out a couple of Explode the Code books that we didn't use, and am strongly considering trying them instead. I don't love the workbook approach to phonics so much, and it's not in line with Charlotte Mason. However, he did well with them before, and the only reason I put them away was because I realized after some time that I was pushing him too hard with them. (I noticed they now have grade level guidelines that I don't remember seeing before.) I thought about using ETC as our primary phonics program, with PP as a supplement since he really hates the lists upon lists of words in PP. I keep going back and forth because I think PP would take less time in the long run to complete, and would leave him with a huge vocabulary, BUT ETC is something he seems to enjoy and may be a gentler approach for him. Whichever way we decide to go, the main goal is to get him reading. I just don't want to push him. I want it to be enjoyable for him, and not a stressor. (I should also mention that I tried to switch him to The Reading Lesson, but he wouldn't have it for some reason. He just wasn't interested in even giving it a try.)

MY stressor is that since I'm pretty sure ETC would take him longer, I'm not sure when he'd be able to begin the emerging readers. If we started back on ETC right now, I'd start him about 1/3 of the way through book 3, which is listed as 1st grade. I feel confident that he could get through that book, probably complete book 4 (2nd grade), and possibly move into book 5 (also 2nd grade) by the end of his 1st grade year. I looked at samples of both books 4 and 5 online to get a feel for them, and it seems to me that he wouldn't really be ready for the emerging readers until he completed those books (though I suppose I could be wrong). And in a quick comparison with the Rod and Staff English 2 book used in Bigger, it seems that it lines up best with ETC book 6 (listed as 3rd grade). So I'm thinking, then, that I would have to get him through 3 ETC books by next year in order to get him on track for Bigger and the ERs in 2nd grade.

Can you tell my head is spinning? I hope I'm making sense, here. Any input on what I just wrote?

My other question is, once you get started with the readers, do you continue with the phonics instruction or just move on with more difficult books? Thanks!

Edited to add: I'd like to get input from a CM perspective too, and from those who've done Beyond before. I don't want to overload the little guy on workbook pages and writing.

[jjcmehl]

I can only give you our experience with ETC. This was the first phonics-based curriculum we tried. We used it for K & 1st grade. She was reading, but very simple words and it seemed to be taking forever. At the time we wre also using Ambleside online. I didn't like the worksheet approach, but was afraid of teaching reading (looking back this was quite silly of me). My dd loved the worksheets most of the time. Then in 2nd grade I decided to try Alphaphonics (a lot of people say Phonics Pathways is similar) with the combination of ETC....that did the trick or it could have been she just needed the time. We actually stopped using ETC not even 1/3 of the way through 2nd grade. I do have to say we love some of the rules that were introducd in ETC. Looking back it was a great intro to phonics. I just couldn't imagine the length of worksheets for 3 plus years.

[arstephia]

LOVED LOVED LOVED Explode the Code. We used it along side with Reading Made Easy. My kids have all loved them and would do the workbooks for "fun." It really helped us with learning phonics and even spelling. This year I did ETC online, and it was very good too. It kept working dd through concepts until she mastered them before passing her on. It is not a stand-alone phonics, but is definitely a wonderful supplement to continue the development of phonics understanding.

[countrymom]

We used ETC for awhile, but I would not use it as a stand alone. When we found and began "The Reading Lesson", our real progress began. Now I just pull ETC out now and then to supplement something if my son is struggling. Having said that, I am going to use the 3 before the code books with our youngest with LHTH this coming year, and I think they are a great "pre-reading" tool. Every child is different so I guess it ends up being whatever works. That was our experience. Good luck deciding, we have been very happy with TRL.

[MamaPajama]

We used ETC for awhile, but I would not use it as a stand alone. When we found and began "The Reading Lesson", our real progress began. Now I just pull ETC out now and then to supplement something if my son is struggling. Having said that, I am going to use the 3 before the code books with our youngest with LHTH this coming year, and I think they are a great "pre-reading" tool. Every child is different so I guess it ends up being whatever works. That was our experience. Good luck deciding, we have been very happy with TRL.

Thanks for the input. I'm going to give TRL another try with him. I planned it all out on paper the other night and I figure that if we pick up where he would be in TRL, he could be done by Christmas, or maybe even sooner depending on how long we take our "baby break". Then after TRL we'll start the ERs along with the last 1/3 of Phonics Pathways to further his reading ability. (I read the other night that by the end of PP the child should be reading on a 4th grade level.)

I also considered using the Before the Code books with DD this year. She LOVES workbooks, and I'm sure those would be no different. That will all depend on money, though.

[moedertje]

Khara-I pray that the peace of God will guide you in making your final decisions. I would take my time and really focus on your son learning how to read and not putting a date on when he needs to read the Emergent Readers. I understand that planner in you wants to have everything in order, but all children are different and they learn to read at different times. As I understand you are planning on doing Beyond this year. He may all of a sudden take off for you half way through the year and even if he does that while you are in BHFHG the year after. We are doing BHFHG at 1/2 pace, due to family circumstances and now that I have decided not to rush through school and have my ds become more independent, more mature and get his fine motor skills to catch up, before moving on to Preparing next year. With this said you could always go half pace with Beyond so your biggest focus can be on his reading and than speed it up and do Emergent Readers when he is ready, so your plan of doing R&S 2 in BHFHG can come to pass. Especially with Baby Sam on the way

There are some posts on the importance on good phonics teaching with some great input from Carrie and Julie, if I locate any I will post them for you, or perhaps someone else knows how to find them.

FYI:I love the name Elijah (my oldest sons name as well, and he did start with ETC, but since reading is his biggest strength, we went to a more rigorous program).

Success and let us know what you prayerfully decided and may the grace of God be with you!