Reddy Fox and Comprehension

[julieabird]

I am doing LHFHG with my 5 yo dd (just turned 5 in July). Everything is going well except for StoryTime. She is wiggly while I read Reddy Fox and is not comprehending any of it. She cannot answer any of the questions and even if I read a sentence 3 times and ask a simple question about that sentence, she cannot answer it. I was hoping for suggestions of some other books that I could start her with. She LOVES when I read her story books with colorful pictures. Maybe I should just start letting her pick out the books and then I could come up with questions for her to determine her comprehension of those books? Is there a way I could find out her level of comprehension? I can keep reading Reddy Fox to her, but I don't think she is geting anything from it. Motor skill wise - she has no problems. Reading wise she is flying through phonics and sounding out words and reading short sentences. Thanks for any suggestions!

[my3sons]

Hi Julie - I just have a moment to pop in here, but this post may help...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=126

Learning to listen attentively to short segments of a living book with only a few (or no) pictures is one of the goals of Storytime in LHFHG. Another goal is for dc to build comprehension skills by using Bloom's Taxonomy-based questions as a follow-up to Storytime. These skills take steady practice with the Burgess books throughout the year of LHFHG to be taught. For these reasons, I think it is important to stick with the Burgess books and slowly work on these skills each day, incrementally throughout the year. The Burgess chapters are only 2-4 pages long, so gradually dc improve with listening attentively and answering comprehension questions well about the readings. They also are especially good for teaching dc to hone these skills, as they are centered around a common group of characters. This allows characters, settings, and plots to more fully develop throughout the entire year. Using books that are all written by different authors or have little to nothing to do with one another cannot accomplish these goals as well. Keep on teaching those skills slowly, and dd will begin to come along in these areas throughout the year. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[twoxcell]

I would stick with the burgess books and add in picture books just for fun. The Burgess books are an excellent begining for kids to learn to listen to chapter books with minimal pictures, and it can take some time for them to get used to. We started LHFHG at the beginning of last year and my dd was not yet 5. She had a hard time with them for a while too, but slowly throughout the year she improved. We are on the second to last book now and she loves them, listens well, asks for more, and can answer all of the questions. It was really worth it for us to stick with them so she will be ready for Beyond.

[Carrie]

julieabird,

I'm so glad that you are getting a chance to use and enjoy LHFHG! We are just getting ready to start our own little 5 year old on LHFHG, and I can hardly believe this will be my third time through this guide. Where do the years go!

I would encourage you to continue reading Reddy Fox and doing the follow-up activities, as it is no suprise that your little honey is struggling with it since she is used to colorful picture books instead. The books within the Storytime box of LHFHG are not meant to be picture books but were instead chosen to transition your child to listening to longer chapter book style readings. This will be a needed skill as your child heads into Beyond Little Hearts. Listening to chapter book style readings is a skill that takes time to learn, so we would not expect your daughter to do well with this skill at first. However, if you downshift to reading colorful picture books instead, it will be a skill that your daughter will not acquire this year at all.

With this in mind, I would encourage you to continue doing the Storytime plans as written for 9 weeks. The storytime readings are meant to be short and the follow-up are meant to be short too. As you read, do not stop to reread or to explain the readings. Instead just read the scheduled pages straight through. This is because stopping and rereading makes a child lose the flow of the story. It also decreases the attention the child gives to a single reading. The habit of attention is another habit we are working to cultivate through Storytime. After the readings, if your daughter is unable to do the follow-ups, jump in and help her as needed, making sure to keep the follow-ups short and sweet too! Over the next 9 weeks, as long as you remain positive and cheerful about this area, I think you will be truly surprised at the progress your child makes.

If she were flying through everything in LHFHG easily, it would be suprising! Instead, we have skills she needs to gain throughout this guide and gaining skills takes time, practice, and patience!

I'd love to have you share an update in 9 weeks to see how she's doing if you get a chance!

Blessings,
Carrie

[julieabird]

Thank y'all for the replies!

I now understand that her not understanding is OK for right now. I do desire she learn this important skill of listening attentively to books with few or no illustrations. We shall press on and I will update on her progress in 9 weeks! Thank you very much!!!!

[Heidi in AK]

Julie, this helped me too. Thanks for asking the question! And thanks, Carrie and Julie, for coming over and weighing in!

[julieabird]

I wanted to give an update on my daughter's progress with her comprehension of the Burgess books. We've now finished Reddy Fox, The Adventures of Peter Cottontail, and are within a few days of completing The Adventures of Danny Meadow Mouse. She enjoys Storytime very much, listens attentively and is able to answer most questions at the end of the reading. I am thrilled with her progress and so thankful that we continued as directed! Thanks for all the support! WE LOVE HOD!!!! I can honestly say I don't think we would be able to Homeschool without it. I sincerely Thank You again!

[Molly]

Julie, thank you for updating this, as you posted the original question before I found LHFHG. We will be starting LHFHG with my oldest son in the next week while and it was great reading through this and now knowing what to expect from him. Although he is six, he has a language delay and so I imagine this will be difficult for him at first too, but I really look forward to seeing his skill develop.

[spidermansmum]

Its great that you updated.I am just starting this with my very ,nearly almost 5 yr old.The first day i asked ,he didnt grasp much from the story.Fortunately I expected this,I used LHFHG before with his big brother .I found a librivox reording and we listened again.Thats my plan right now.Lots of breaks and re listening with librivox at bedtime.

[abrightmom]

Thanks for the update!! What an awesome testimony to staying the course and what can result! This encourages me to BEGIN LHFHG with my almost 6 year old daughter. She has been resistant to our efforts to structure her school day even a little bit. If I say "jump" she sits. If I say "read across the row" she wants to read "down the column".

DH and I just decided it is time to "begin again" and I'd like to start Little Hearts with her. I PROMISE not to jump ship if she moans, groans, or zones while I'm reading Reddy Fox. There are so many awesome testimonies like this one! For the record, the boys and I ADORE Reddy Fox. We couldn't put it down.