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Hi all -
I was wondering if I can get some advice. We are just finishing up unit 15 in Beyond and ds (1st grade) has been doing well with the level of the emerging readers up until this week. I noticed him struggling significantly more with the words in Buffalo Bill than he did just the week before with Amelia Bedelia. So now I'm looking ahead to Prairie School next week and thinking it's going to really frustrate him. My "gut" is telling me that maybe I should pause and get some more books at the level of Frog and Toad and Amelia Bedelia (which he totally loved ) and keep reading those for a while. I also thought that I could get some of the extra books listed with the first half of the emerging readers and let him read some of those. I'm not really worried about being "off" on the emerging readers. I could either do them for summer reading (we take a break over the summer) or complete them during the first half of Bigger before we head into DITHOR. Anyway, have any of you experienced this? Part of my problem is that I'm not sure how much to push him to get to the next level. I realize that he needs to increase the difficulty to get better at reading, but I don't want to frustrate him beyond what I should, because with his personality, that will just lead to tears. The type-A personality in me would like to just plow through - but I realize the beauty of homeschooling him is that we can do what he needs, when he needs. So, any advice?
Thanks,
Sharon

We're new to HOD and I have a struggling reader, so take my advice from that. But, I've found it doesn't teach anything to just to keep going when it's too hard. With my ds, if I know he has the skills to decode the words he's missing then I'll slow him down and have him work through it. But, if it's something I know he hasn't yet fully grasped or he's missing similar words then we stop progressing for a while and work on those skills. If he's missing more than 4-5 words per full page then we keep working at that level before moving on. I've found this gives him the encouragement to keep reading. I've found sometimes it's just an extra lesson, sometimes a lot more.

I agree with your "gut" We requested all the Arnold Lobel books from the library as well as all the alternative books recommeded in the ER list, and they were a big hit. (Thought there were some questionable attitudes in some of the Lobel story characters, so be aware ) I'd definitely tread water for a bit before moving on...we did that between TRL and the ER set, and it really built ds' confidence.

My DD struggled there too. I got a couple of early readers from the library and we also had another Amelia Bedelia book that I had her read. After 2-3 weeks so read Buffalo Bill easily She flew through the Science Reader and is now on Tornado I was very glad we had waited.....

I agree that the second half of the ER's is much tougher than the first. I think it is a great idea to use the supplementary titles for awhile before moving on. My ds read up to that stage in first grade, and then I started second with him reading many of the supplementary titles, and some other historical Early readers. He is loving the ER titles and is reading Tornado right now at 7.5.

With your child being only in first and doing Bigger already, I would not hesitate at all to slow down. Just take your time and let his brain get used to that level. He'll get there ; )

You could also look into doing some more work in like the Phonics Pathways book. He just might like the change up to do something different for a while. Or let him check out books from the library on his own and read them aloud to you. He may do better with something he is more interested in right now.

Sharon,
I agree with prev posters. We had the exact same thing happen with our ds in the exact same spot. I pushed on thru Prairie School and had tears. We stopped and did what you are thinking and came back to Prairie School about a month later and he did fine. He seemed to just need alittle more practice. We're finishing up Bears on Hemlock Mountain now. He's really enjoying reading now.

Laurie

Another vote for getting some of the extra titles listed throughout the beginning of the ERS! We've been getting some of those along the way (and pausing the schedule) and really enjoying them! This has stretched the set out for us, and we happen to be in exactly the same place as you. While earlier I think frustration may have been there for my daughter, she is just soaring with her reading now and we're loving the book choices HOD has.

Don't worry about the schedule of the ERS matching where you're at in Beyond. Reading totally follows its own schedule with HOD and you won't be "off" as you move along.

Kathleen

You ladies are terrific! Thanks for your responses. I think we'll pause for a while and enjoy some more books at this mid-point level and then continue on when he's ready. I can't tell you how much of an encouragement it's been to find out we weren't the only ones who had this experience - and that I actually had correct instincts as to what to do!
Sharon