Mixing CLE LA with WTM - can it be done?

[mom4knights]

Hello! I am starting to really put plans together for next school year and I have already found some great suggestions on this site for staying organized (as much as possible with 4 boys! :D)

 

I will be HS 2 ds this year - 1st and K'er. Being that I am a curriculum junkie (already! this early in hs?!!:tongue_smilie:), I have the CLE Learn to Read, OPGTTR, CLE LA 1 and Read to Learn 1, FLL, WWE and AAS.

 

Typically, the CLE LTR program only takes part of the year and then the student starts the RTL program. The CLE LA 1 is started about 1/2 way through the LTR program. My ds #1 is already reading very well so I wanted to just start him with the LA 1 and RTL program. I was planning on using the LTR program with my K'er.

 

For K'er (completed Explode the Code A, B & C last year):

Since the CLE LTR program in the recommended schedule only takes part of the year, I was thinking of combining it with OPGTTR. Doing CLE 3-4 days/wk. and OPGTTR the other.

 

For 1st (comp. ETC 1, 1 1/2, 2 & 2 1/2 last year):

Also since the CLE LA1 & RTL program are scheduled for part of the year, I thought about combining it with FLL, WWE and AAS, similar to above.

 

Am I crazy???:D Has anyone ever combined WTM with CLE before? Any suggestions? I know I will need to go through the WTM materials and arrange the use of them according to the CLE schedule, but before I went through all the trouble I thought I'd ask for some advice!

[mom4knights]

Any suggestions?:lurk5:

[blessedmom3]

Yes , you are crazy :)

CLE LA is a complete grammar program .

CLE LTR is also complete and you don't need to add ETC or AAS

 

You can do either FLL + AAS and/or ETC

or

CLE LA + CLE LTR

Doing all would be overkill for your poor 5-6 yo !

 

I like all these for different children. FLL would not work for one of my dc , CLE is perfect .

FLL is exactly what my younger needs and would get lost in CLE:)

 

ETA : I do use CLE LA with WWE for my 2nd grader but they complement each other very well .

[mom4knights]

Thank you so much for your response ~ and yes, I was afraid that I am crazy!:D

 

Did you combine WWE with CLE for 1st grade? I looked through the WWE workbook and it looks good but is it overkill when combining with CLE?

 

Also, you mentioned that one of your kiddos might not do well with CLE ~ is that b/c it is more traditional/workbook based? I am wondering if my ds#2 (K'er) might be the same way. My oldest is a "classical" schooler - loves workbooks but I'm afraid my ds#2 is exactly the opposite (go figure! LOL!) I was thinking that OPGTTR is more orally driven which I thought might "break" up the work of CLE or can parts of CLE also be done orally to ease up on the amount of workbook pages?

 

Thank you again for your info and advice!!:)

[blessedmom3]

No, I did not use CLE & WWE for 1st grade because there is enough writing in his LA . He already did some copywork in his science & history too. Adding WWE would have been be too much but now when his writing is better , we are using it at double speed :-2-3 lessons /day . He does not do copywork but dictation from WWE 1 .

He is a visual print learner , "Competent Carl", which means he does great with self-learning workbooks .

 

My younger one is going in 1st and he is more of a visual spatial - kinesthetic learner. He also has speech delay and FLL helps with that. Maybe I will add CLE LA later but he hates workbooks at this time . I am definitely planning to add WWE but right now he is not ready yet .

 

So for each child different materials . Thanks God for having a great selection :)

[blessedmom3]

WWE takes very little time. For us , one lesson about 5-8 min. It's the perfect combination with CLE 200 but for CLE 100 it would be way too much if you also use their LTR program. That's my opinion, but you can also try it. It's very short if you do only one lesson.

[....]

Hi! I use a lot of CLE and also WWE, some BJU, etc.

 

CLE LA 100's was very intense for my son last year. He also did CLE Reading 1 and had a hard time with the Lightunit, so I just had him read through the Reader (I Wonder).

 

Here's what he did last year (1st Grade) for Reading/LA:

 

CLE 100's

CLE Reading 1 (just the Reader)

WWE 1 (this helped him a LOT)

BJU Spelling 1

HWOT Printing Power

Sonlight Readers 2 (these are little books that he read independently)

 

 

This looks like a lot, but stretched over the year, it wasn't bad. In fact, I had pulled him out of ps at the beginning of his 1st grade year and he still couldn't read. He didn't know his letter sounds. By the end of the school year (well, I guess that's this spring), his reading level had skyrocketed. His spelling is also really good and his writing is much, much, much better.

 

I do take cues from them at that age, though - especially boys. If he started feeling like he couldn't get through his schoolwork, I would stop right where he was. We would divide lessons in half sometimes. We also would do school outside, on the patio, at Grandma's house and his best friend's house (who also homeschools). I would let him stand up, walk around reading, fly his Lego Fighter Jet thingie around while doing LA, etc. He was able to do it. He's very proud of his reading right now.

 

Good luck!

[....]

Oh, as far as CLE Learn to Read, my K-er is working through that program right now. It's challenging for her (and I can see how it's written for a 1st grader), but she's getting through it and it's a REALLY good program (especially for that price). I don't think LTR would be a waste at all. And a 1st grader would buzz right through it very quickly.

 

However, I would not start WWE until your student is finished with LTR.

[mom4knights]

Thank you both "blessedmom3" and "starrbuck12" for your suggestions!

 

Just for clarification, I was planning on using the Learn to Read program with my K'er and wondered if adding OPGTTR (since a lot of it can be done orally) would be a good supplement ~ but did you find when using LTR with a K'er that it takes a year to finish? I was wondering this b/c I am afraid my K'er will struggle with the workbooks (again, he is totally opposite from his big brother). :-)

 

For my 1st grader, I am just going to start him in the LA 100 program and the Reading to Learn 1 (I Wonder) program.

 

"Starrbuck12" - can you tell me what your son struggled with in the LU? My son hasn't started these yet and I would love a "heads up" on areas that might be too challenging. Also, did you follow the workbook for WWE 1? How long did it take you to complete? Lastly (sorry for so many ?'s!), did it take you the entire year to finish the LA 100 program? Thanks so much for your help!

 

"blessedmom3" - may I ask how your son does with the WWE orally? My son is an avid reader and he realizes that he learns quickly so sometimes he gets frustrated when I try to do things orally with him. But, I figured if he is starting the LA 100 w/out going through the LTR (since he's already reading), then we may have time for it. I am still struggling to figure out if we are a "classical"/"CM" or just eclectic family! ;-) I really like the idea of having him work orally (to practice making complete sentences, etc.) I am glad to know that WWE has worked well for you guys - do you also use the workbook it come with?

 

I really appreciate this forum!!!! Being able to ask ?'s of other moms has been so helpful to me!! :-)