LHFHG and placement for early readers

[my2guys]

OK, so here's another question for you ladies. Do any of you with early readers use the emerging readers set at some point in LHFHG? I'm thinking about this b/c we're still 1/1.5 years out from Little Hearts and ds is starting to read "early reader" books on his own. We haven't really done any formal phonics with him yet. I tried some of the ETC prep books a few months ago, but he resisted it after a while even though he was doing well with it. I think he's just not ready for "formal" phonics yet - even though he's figuring it out on his own just fine. (His writing skills are very good too - but I still let him do a lot of the ETC orally and he still got tired of it.) Anyway, we probably would start Little Hearts for his K year, which will be fall of 2009 (may start a little earlier). It seems like based on where he's at now, at some point during that K year ds will be needing the emerging readers, right? I guess my point to all the rambling is that I don't want to start him in Little Hearts for pre-K or we will be doing Preparing for 2nd grade! So what do those of you with early readers do with your little ones? And what about phonics instruction. Do you still run through phonics at a quicker pace when they're ready to sit through the lessons - even though they've figured a lot of it out on their own? (Can you tell this is my first child? )

[mom2boys030507]

I have an early reader. We did start Little Hearts at 4.5 but he was ready for the "formal" lessons and able to understand the history readings. We just started using the emergent readers when we were in unit 28. I don't see anything wrong with this as long as the child is able to read and understand what they are reading. I am not sure I will go directly into DITHOR just because he may not be ready for the extra work that it takes so we might just continue reading harder books out loud and discussing them when he is done with the emergent reader schedule.

[Tabitha]

OK, so here's another question for you ladies. Do any of you with early readers use the emerging readers set at some point in LHFHG? I'm thinking about this b/c we're still 1/1.5 years out from Little Hearts and ds is starting to read "early reader" books on his own. We haven't really done any formal phonics with him yet. I tried some of the ETC prep books a few months ago, but he resisted it after a while even though he was doing well with it. I think he's just not ready for "formal" phonics yet - even though he's figuring it out on his own just fine. (His writing skills are very good too - but I still let him do a lot of the ETC orally and he still got tired of it.) Anyway, we probably would start Little Hearts for his K year, which will be fall of 2009 (may start a little earlier). It seems like based on where he's at now, at some point during that K year ds will be needing the emerging readers, right? I guess my point to all the rambling is that I don't want to start him in Little Hearts for pre-K or we will be doing Preparing for 2nd grade! So what do those of you with early readers do with your little ones? And what about phonics instruction. Do you still run through phonics at a quicker pace when they're ready to sit through the lessons - even though they've figured a lot of it out on their own? (Can you tell this is my first child? )

Hi Sharon,

I just pm'd ya back tonight!

You son sounds a lot like my oldest. We actually started her in AO Horizons K when she was just 3 1/2 yo. She was ready for it. She learned her ABCs between 14-16mo from a cookbook of mine, and then between 18m-2yo she learned all her phonetic sounds just playing with Little Leap. By 2 1/2 yo she was writing. At 4, Dr. Suess books were a great level for her to read.

So, we did do phonics instructions even though she knew them prior by using AO Horizons Phonics. And, we also used 100 EZ lessons for her. Again, she knew her sounds and could read BUT this let her see how words and sounds build and she started reading much quicker, etc, and could read for longer periods without getting tired after reading for just a little bit.

From what you're say...I think you should start with a phonics program now. You may move faster through it and that is fine. It doesn't hurt to reinforce what he knows.

Don't worry about his age. If he wants to do it, let him and encourage him. A warning though...it may tire you out because he will keep you on your toes! My dd sure did. And you may have a little rocket scientist on your hands as well.

Feed that brain, follow his lead.

I've seen some refuse to do things due to age, and their children are starving to learn more. Then when the parents decide age wise that they will start, the kids hate it.

I think LHFHG would be fine for him. Start off on the gentler end and see where he's going, and tailor it to his pace. You can always span the program across 2 years, and take time to delve into various topics/areas a bit more if you wanted.

Just my $0.02

Tab

[my2guys]

Tabitha - your dd does sound a lot like my ds - only more so! I can imagine that she keeps you on your toes b/c I know mine does. The questions never stop around here. Seriously, NEVER!
It is such a hard balancing act, trying to give them what they need without pushing them beyond what they're ready for. AHHH! Makes me crazy sometimes. I've been thinking I might pull those ETC books out again and see what he thinks of them now. Thanks for your encouragement!

[my3sons]

Hi Sharon! I agree with Tabitha. I think it's a good idea to start phonics now, taking it at a happy, comfortable pace for him. That will help you fill in any gaps he may have in his sounds. Then, whenever you finish phonics, and he's reading early readers quite well, you could just start the Emerging Reader's schedule. We did this with my oldest son. He did well with phonics and took to reading very quickly (another firstborn - I'm sensing a pattern here!). I did buy the Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory guide to use the Emerging Reader's Schedule and discussion questions in its Appendix. We started it about in the middle of LHFHG. It worked out great! And I felt like he was building his comprehension skills as well as his reading out loud skills. He'll need the discussion questions to prepare for DITHR next. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[my2guys]

Thanks Julie! That does help. I'm going pull out ETC again this week and see how he does with it. It's good to hear from others who have been in the same spot - confirmation that I'm thinking in the right direction.

[Carrie]

Sharon,

I just wanted to encourage you too! My first-born read early as well, although his fine motor skills have never been able to keep up with his reading! My first-born balked at the early writing, but when we switched to a phonics program that didn't require any writing (at age 4), he took off as a reader. At that time we did HOP, which was $300! But, you could get the same effect by trying out Reading Made Easy $45 or The Reading Lesson $27.95 (or with CD $49.95). Neither one requires writing. Just food for thought. Sometimes the writing holds boys back as readers!

Blessings,
Carrie

[my2guys]

Thanks Carrie! Funny thing is I was just on The Reading Lesson website earlier today looking around. I was thinking about the exact thing that you posted. I guess just some more confirmation from the Lord that I'm moving in the right direction. My son is actually good with handwriting, but I'm thinking it may still be slowing him down. So I was thinking of trying a reading program where we could just cuddle on the couch every day for a short amount of time. So that's what I was researching today!