New - Questions about Phonics/Reading

[BethMomTo3]

Hello,
My husband and I have decided to use LHFHG for our 5 yr old son starting this summer or fall. We are very excited to have found this curriculum as it seems to make homeschooling with excellence very "doable" considering we also have a 2 yr old and a baby due in November. We also love the Christ-centeredness as well as the Charlotte Mason influence.

Here's my question. Our son has been reading for a while now, I'd definately consider him an emerging reader. He completed Hooked on Phonics K program, but hasn't had formal phonics beyond that. We've explained phonics rules as we've read together. I've looked at both of the recommended phonics programs and his reading level really seems to be beyond both of these. Would it be possible to use the emerging reader schedule with LHFHG? Or, would it be better to go through a formal phonics program just to reinforce the concepts? Or, would a middle of the road option be to follow the emerging reader schedule with some phonics workbooks on the side (like Explode the Code)? I'd love some advice from experienced homeschoolers. Would doing the emerging reader books early throw him off for future years in HOD?

The other question I have is about handwriting. He loves writing and wants to write all the time, but he definitely needs to work on being neat. I am considering the Italic handwriting program, but I am just not sure. The other program I'm considering is HWT. Has anyone done this program with just the workbooks, or are all of the manipulatives a necessary part of the program?

Thank you! I look forward to learning and sharing as we begin this adventure.

Beth
Mom to Andrew (5), Jeremiah (2) and baby due in November.
Planning to begin LHFHG for K

[moedertje]

Welcome to HOD you will love it!

I have used the Italic handwriting and I love it. The work book is not complicated and the style is easy to learn. It's quick and simple especially with the two little ones, you want to keep everything quick and uncomplicated.

Phonic is a tool to learn to read, so if your son is reading than the going recommendation would be to start the Emergent Reader program and just keep him reading.

I just read it in my A Beka manual again that phonics is to teach your child to read! So if they can read, let them read progressively more difficult books and that is exactly what the Emergent Reader Book list does. We have started it and my ds loves the books.

Success!

[Jessi]

Go ahead and start emerging readers. If it is moving to rapidly for him, I'd encourage a program like Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading because it has phonics lessons that take you to a fourth grade level so you could start wherever needed to boost reading skills. I have heard good things about ETC too so you couldn't go wrong with either.

I vote for HWT but that is a personal choice. HWT makes handwriting fun and I used A reason for handwriting but my daughter's handwriting was sloppy at best. Then I got HWT and she loves it. They make learning how to write letters fun and her letters are SO neat now...and she is a lefty so that is saying something. My daughter loves to write too and does it constantly. This is helping her to hone those skills much better than A reason....sorry I dont' know know anything about Italics. So I can't comment on it.

Good luck. LHFHG is a great program. I think you'll love it!

[FiveLittlePeaches]

Hi,

Welcome to the board!

I just wanted to address your question regarding phonics, because it's something I've been trying to work out with my children as well. My oldest daughter was an early reader, and quickly transitioned into chapter books by the age of 5. Anyway, now she's 7 and she's finishing up grade two of R&S phonics. I will never forget her response to one of the tests earlier this year. They instructed the children to get five different crayons, and told them to underline and cirlce all the digraphs, consonant blents, diphongs and modified vowels. Needless to say when she gave her test back to me, it was a mess. She was so disappointed, and then she says to me, "but Mommy, I can read." and I just started laughing! So ever since then, I have really lightened up on phonics for her. I'd say there is value to having a full years worth of phonics just for the purpose of learning how to sound out more difficult words. Is two years necessary? I don't know, it probably depends on the student.

I have a 5 and 6 year old and they were reading beginner books when we started Little hearts. They've done phonics lightly -- half of CLP K book, and they're on Explode the Code book 3 1/2. Personally I don't think ETC is as thorough as R&S, but it's a lot more fun! When we start Beyond, whenever that is, I'll probably have them do R&S 1st grade phonics. I don't know that I would have them do the second grade, like my oldest. I think it will depend on how their reading continues, but they are definitely on the right path.

It's nice to know what other homeschoolers do. I certainly have been helped by others on this board. But you know your child best and sometimes you just need to use your own judgment.

Hope that helps!

Joy

p.s. I have to run because my daughter just wrote a story and comprehension questions...

[BethMomTo3]

Thank you for all of your helpful advice! I definately appreciate your perspectives and experiences. We'll be chewing on all of these suggestions.

Have a great weekend!
Beth

[Tree House Academy]

My son is also 5 and reading well. We have decided to keep plugging along with ETC just to cover all phonics, but we are also still doing the emerging readers. My son is read for them so I won't hold him back. Reading is one of those things that only gets better with time and practice, so there is really no reason to EVER hold a child back in reading, IMO. My older son learned in ps how to read by sight words. Now, he is almost 10 and I did start to see some issues creeping in...mostly in spelling and sounding out new words because he was never taught phonics. We went back and did ETC books 6-8 and now he is cruising right along. Once a child can read, the rest is cake.

Once you finish with the emerging readers, move on to DITHOR 2/3, then to 4/5, and finally 6/7/8. Because the levels can be used year after year witht he same guide...just different books, you will never get "behind."

[my3sons]

Beth - Welcome to the HOD Board! I think you will enjoy LHFHG so much - we certainly have. We started the Emerging Reader's about halfway into LHFHG and loved it. I got the BLHFHG guide to have the comprehension questions and the reading schedule for the set. The questions are written according to Bloom's Taxonomy and are excellent for building reading comprehension. If you are able to afford that, I'd really suggest doing that. We also did ETC, just a few pages a day of the first levels to keep phonics going for a bit in a fun, simple way. For HW, we've used A Reason for Handwriting and loved the Biblical focus, the simplicity of the way letters are presented, and the coloring pictures were a hit too. It is a great program, but I have also heard wonderful things about the Italics program! I think there are many excellent HW choices available, so if you think Italic looks like a good fit for your child, I'd definitely go with that.

In Christ,
Julie

[BethMomTo3]

Thanks again for the replies. I'm excited to get started and your input has been very helpful.

God bless,
Beth