Placement for 7 and 5 year old

[sarahuinink]

I have two daughters -age 7 and 5. My 7 year old is just beginning to sound out CVC words. She is hearing impaired and wears hearing aids . . . . her speech and vocabulary are slightly behind but she is SMART. Out of all subjects, she struggles with phonics and reading the most. My 5 year old is smart but does not read yet. What level would be the best one to place them at? I am mainly focusing on my 7 year old this year (5 year old just turned 5 and will start Kindergarten next year) but I would love for both of them to enjoy this program together.

[my3sons]

Hi Sara! Your 7 year-old could place in either Little Hearts for His Glory or Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory from what you've shared so far. Either guide is very appropriate for a 7-year-old! So, to choose between the two guides, I have some questions.

Is your 7-year-old writing letters, words, or sentences? If she's writing sentences, can she copy several sentences fairly easily? Would you say she is ready for spelling words like cat, bat, sat, mat, rat and once a week grammar lessons? Or, would it be better to hold off a year on those and give all you've got to phonics instead? Finally, how about math? Would you say she's ready for first grade math? To be sure, you can give the 1A Primary Math Singapore placement test. I've included directions for that below...

*Be sure to choose the Primary Mathematics placement test. Your daughter can start with Level 1A. If she gets 80% or more correct, she should move on to Level 1B. When you print the test, the answers will be at the end...
https://www.singaporemath.com/placement-tests

For further details about the placement tests, you can check out HOD's blog post on it here:
https://www.heartofdakota.com/blog/2020 ... ent-tests/

Finally, if you are thinking it is a priority now or in the near future to combine your 5 and 7 year-old, you would definitely choose Little Hearts for His Glory as your main guide. You can choose the K options for your 5 year-old and the 1st grade options for your 7 year-old. You can also add any further language arts from Beyond Little Hearts for your 7-year-old if you want (i.e. get the Beyond guide and do the spelling, the once a week grammar, the hands-on 1A/1B math lessons).

I'll check back for your response and chime in with more customized placement then!

In Christ,
Julie

[sarahuinink]

Thank you for your response!

My 7 year old can copy down sentences (1-2 short sentences at a sitting before she wears out). She is working on explode the code phonics right now where she is required to spell words similar to those you mentioned. It's the reading that gets her! She is also already working on a 1st grade math book and doing just fine.

I would like to keep them combined in the main guide now and in the future, if that is possible. I also have a 12, 11, and 10 year old so I need as combined as I can get!!

Thank you for your help.

Sara

[my3sons]

Thank you for your response!

My 7 year old can copy down sentences (1-2 short sentences at a sitting before she wears out). She is working on explode the code phonics right now where she is required to spell words similar to those you mentioned. It's the reading that gets her! She is also already working on a 1st grade math book and doing just fine.

I would like to keep them combined in the main guide now and in the future, if that is possible. I also have a 12, 11, and 10 year old so I need as combined as I can get!!

Thank you for your help.

Sara

Thanks for getting back to me, and I would use Little Hearts for His Glory as your main guide with your 5 and 7 year-olds but add Beyond's LA and math for your 7 year-old. You could use either the K or 1st grade science, and either the Family Time Bible or the 101 Favorite Bible Stories (which is used for the first part of history instruction; you could also use your own Bible, but it is nice to have pictures for little ones in my opinion).

Your 5 year-old would use the K options (i.e. K phonics, Do It Carefully and Finding the Answers, K Essentials A/B Math, and A Reason for Handwriting K.)

Your 7 year-old would use the 1st grade options (i.e. 1st grade phonics, Going on Eagerly and Just Thinking and Choosing, 1A/1B Singapore Math Workbooks along with the Beyond Little Hearts teacher's guide, and A Reason for Handwriting A). She would also use the Beyond Guide for spelling instruction list 1, 1 x a week grammar, and as already mentioned the 1A/1B hands-on math plans. To read more detail about this hybrid approach, check out my blog post on it:
https://www.heartofdakota.com/blog/2020 ... year-olds/

Just give HOD a call if you need help figuring out how to order this! I think you have a wonderful year ahead of you with your two littles!!! If you have any other questions, please let us know!

In Christ,
Julie