Doing R&S 3 with Bigger

[Mumkins]

My 3rd grade DD will be 9 in Dec. She seemed to know most concepts in R&S 2 when we went through it last year on the one day a week she was homeschooled. (Long story). She's home full time and doing Bigger with R&S 3. She has auditory processing and visual perception issues. She's reading at an early 2nd grade level. She's progressing well though, but due to her issues we're using a lengthy reading and spelling program. So, 6 lessons in, she's doing well with understanding the concepts. But it's really early. #1 goal this year is to focus on reading. I'm wondering, with the ultimate goal being done book 6 by the end of 8th, if I should just back of grammar and do level 2? Or should I do half a lesson of 3 each day? Should we just keep going with 3 daily unless it seems like a struggle? She's writing resistant, but will write it and so far, understands it.

Any thoughts?

[MomtoJGJE]

I would keep going at one lesson a day, but maybe do all of it orally? Or you write it? Until or unless she seems frustrated by it anyway. At that point maybe back down to doing half speed.

[StephanieU]

Can I ask why you are doing Rod and Staff 3 with Bigger? Rod and Staff 2 is scheduled, so doing 3 puts you ahead. The goal is to complete 6 by the end of 8th grade (MtMM), which includes doing at least 2 years of half speed. If you are doing 3 with Bigger, you will do 4 years at half speed (1/2 of a Rod and Staff book a year). So, I definitely think going down to 1/2 speed when you are focusing SO much on LA already would be fine.

[Mumkins]

She was held back a grade due to reading. I've chosen to not try to catch up because I don't want her finishing highschool do young. Not to mention, given her issues, I don't want to push so hard I kill every ounce of joy in learning. But I am aware she's 'suppose to' be in 4th. She knows it too. So doing a grade 2 book seems so behind. It feels like she's working 2 grades below her peers. Also, we did go over the 2 book very lightly last year, but all orally and shoving many lessons in one day. Plus 4 is scheduled as an option in Preparing.

I guess if I half pace it though, the only book we'd do full pace is 4 in CTC.

She got the basic diagramming, subject and predicate on a sideways cross, but I'm worried how it'll go when it goes more in depth.

I'm probably borrowing trouble worrying now, maybe we should just keep going til it gets hard and then reevaluate. But if I'm going to drop to 2, I should do it now at the beginning of the year.

I just want her to succeed, reach her best, but not over pressure her as well.

[MelInKansas]

I think if you do most of it orally and are willing to slow down if it starts getting bogged down, then R&S 3 is fine. It does go a lot more in depth. We are 2/3 the way through and it's doing adjectives, adverbs, lots of learning about those, and diagramming them. If she's not really solid on noun/verb, subject/predicate this would be hard to go into next. But if she is, she'll probably do OK.

Labels and levels are so dangerous. It's a good lesson to learn that you don't define yourself by a label. You are doing what she's ready for right now and she is learning. I'm not sure how to convince HER of this, but it's something to pray about at the very least. Of course in homeschooling you are also giving her the freedom to be who she is and get what she needs at her level so that's great!

[Nealewill]

My son has APD also. He is 8 and I am doing Bigger with him this year. He also used All About Reading to learn to read and All About Spelling to learn to spell. And I am not sure if that is company that you are using but I am guessing that it is? Before last year he couldn't read the word tophat. If it was more than 2 syllables or had more than 2 vowels, he would freak out and start screaming and throwing stuff in the house. It wasn't pretty. I was reluctant to try AAR because I figured he would just eventually catch on but he didn't. So we started AAR level 2 last year and finished all the way through level 3 over the summer. I am telling you this only because he can now read books from the level 2 and 3 book packs and I think if he were motivated enough, he could read the books for Preparing (though he won't need to for a full year). This fall we are doing AAR level 4. It is a little bit longer than level 3 but that is okay. For us - we spend 20 minutes on day on reading. Every other lessons is learning a new sound. And then every other lesson is the story - split that between 2 days. We don't want to spend more than 20 - 30 min a day on reading. By doing this, he reads either 4 or 5 times that week. But if for some reason he is really struggling one day, we may stop after 10 min and try again tomorrow. I don't stress and I don't let reading control my day. As for spelling, same thing. We never spend more than 10-15 min per day on spelling. On the first day of the lesson, we do the learning of the rule. Day 2 - 4 we do one or two review cards if needed and then the dictation. That is it. My goal is always no more than 10 min. If you are using the logic of English, then I have no idea how their program is set up. My oldest is dyslexic and that is how I found AAS. She also is no more than 10 min a day. I have set limits on myself for this stuff because even though she may seem "behind", she will get there. Me stressing her out about it makes it worse. And after level 3, she could then spell a ton. And finally - I want my kids to enjoy school - so me stressing all the hard stuff doesn't make learning very enjoyable.

As for R&S, APD doesn't affect "thinking" but just how a child process things spoken to them orally. R&S does great job at teaching rules. Even though my son struggles with me explaining things, if he can touch it or has some type of rule to follow, he is fine. I actually consider my son to be extremely smart - he is probably a genius like Einstein or something like that (or at least that is what I tell myself LOL). He just doesn't process things like me and that is what makes him special. If she is doing fine with R&S 3, then I would stick with it. I wouldn't go down to R&S 2 because I think it will be too basic. Even if R&S 3 gets a little tricky, I wouldn't give up on it. I would give her a little bit of time to see if she catches on. My oldest dd struggled for a few lessons but then she finally would get it. Let her preserver.

As for writing, I would have her write down one exercise. Most kids I know if left to themselves would prefer not to write stuff down at all. That is very normal. But I think having her write one exercise is very appropriate. Honestly - I usually only have my kids write about 5-6 sentences each time. If the exercise has 10, I normally assign 5 written. I want them writing some but not all the time. And I do think the copy work does help also with spelling too. With my oldest dd and my ds, I had to teach them how to sound something out and write what they heard. My son was horrible LOL. He would look at a words like "preserver" and we would say p.r.e.s.e and the write prese and then go on to the rest of the word. He doesn't process things like us. It is much more natural to write and spell each syllable. Because we have now been working on this type of thinking while we spell things, he now has become less hesitant to try and spell words on his own. It has been a huge leap for him. I am very proud of him in this area too! So the copy work - it is all through HOD - will help with spelling even with a child with APD.

[Mumkins]

Thank you everyone so much!

Yes, she's using AAR 3 and AAS 2. I hope to have her finish AAR 4 and AAS 3 this year. Thanks for the tips on how to make it less overwhelming.

I think I'll stick with R&S 3, just slow down and stay on a lesson, even if it's several days, til she gets it.

We are doing some copy work and AAS dictation HOD style. I'd like to move her over to HOD dictation, but I think she needs more basic spelling skills first.

[Nealewill]

Oh - okay - cool! My son is still in AAS level 2 at the very beginning. It is going very slow! I think the rules help up through level 4 of AAS because that is most of the rules. My youngest doesn't seem to need rules but my older 2 desperate need them LOL. I think that is where the copywork helps tremendously. They eventually start to see it and memorize it. But I have seen such a different between that child and his sisters and how processes info. It is just so interesting to see the differences

[Mumkins]

We're really early in AAS 2 too. Step 3. So far so good though! I'm really praying she'll be able to handle Preparing for reading. I'd like her to do DITHOR next year too. I'll have to evaluate what book pack to get her, but, I'm probably going to do DITHOR 2/3 still, for 1 year. Maybe do 4/5 for grade 5, then do 6/7/8 in those grades. IDK, I'll come back for more advice when we get closer to that bridge though.

I had such a moving moment this week thought. She looked up the bible memory verse Prov. 2:3-5 and read it with no trouble except the word 'insight'. I was watching her reading from the bible for the first time and I almost cried tears of joy. She's progressing so well! Seeing her reading the word of God was just amazing.

[Nealewill]

I was watching her reading from the bible for the first time and I almost cried tears of joy.

What a blessing!!!!! I have cried those tears too!!!!