
Well, she's now 5.5 and turning 6 on Aug. 27. We did "Kindergarten with ACE and Christi" but it was really only a preschool curriculum. That program doesn't have the dc reading or writing at all! I finally had the nerve to jump out of the program and move out onto my own and let her begin to read some PhonicWorks Readers (from K12) I had. She is now being challenged and is soooo excited about her school, whereas before she was sooooo bored. She went through 3 of those readers in a few days and will not quit until she finishes one. She's not learned to write at all so I just ordered "Handwriting without Tears- Kindergarten" to teach her before we begin 1st grade in August. Our K program was much too easy for her so I want to challenge her in 1st grade, yet not overly so that she looses her zest for learning. I have also begun reading her "Little House in the Big Woods" just for fun.
Now to my question!

LHFHG says "ready for phonics instruction", she knows all her letter sounds, but what does that mean? What does "finishing phonics" mean in BLHFHG? What does "formal instruction to math concepts" mean in LHFHG? I don't know if she's done any of this stuff at all.

Which program has been designed with 1st grade in mind according to national standards? That is, just in case she would have to jump into a school. I wouldn't want her to be behind since she's a pretty smart little girl. (thanks to my dh genes!)
Would it be best to place her a little above her level (at Beyond....) and just work at her pace, or into Little... and go faster as needed? I see that there is no handwriting written into the Beyond... program though and alot of readers. However, I don't know how advanced the Beyond... readers are or how fast she'll take off. Right now she says she "loves to read and loves math" don't want to spoil that or make her bored again like this year.
If I choose Beyond... and only use the Phonics, when will those emerging readers get used - half way through the year or the next year? Will half of her program be too advanced and half be at her level and she'll be all lopsided?

I'm just so confused after such a slow year, I would just hate to let her be bored and underachieve another year too! But I also don't want to swing the pendulum the other way and expect too much and burden her just when it's getting fun for her.
Thanks,in advance, for listening! I will really appreciate any help in getting the ball rolling for us!
God bless!