Reading

[momof4...]

My 7 year old is reading the pathway books for his reading and that is about all we are doing. He is in the first grade 2 book, each chapter we read he struggles with 1-3 words. When we come to a word he doesn't know I help him sound it out. My question is should he be doing something else for reading? I sometimes have him narrate as well.

 

I'm mainly asking because my 6 year old is going to start AAR level 1. He can read cvc words and most words containing 4 letters, as long as they can be sounded out phonetically

(No blends yet like 'er' or 'oy' ). He needs extra help with reading and 100 easy lessons just didn't work for him.

 

Should I purchase level 2 AAR for my 7 year old or just keep reading books with him? He is also doing AAS 1, FLL 1 and WWE 1.

[tmstranger]

I don't have advice for reading since I started homeschooling after my kids were already reading fluently, but you may get a better response on the K-8 board.  Logic stage is generally 5th-8th grades, but you may have some moms that can help you here.

[momof4...]

I thought this was k-8 lol

[stlily]

Hi there,

 

Susan Wise Bauer HIGHLY recommends using a primer like Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy lessons, Phonics Pathways, or The  Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, and finishing it with your student.  This is important because the temptation is to drop the primer once reading seems to "click" for the student.  If you quit the primer to soon, the child never learns the skills they need to attack longer, unfamiliar words down the road.  Phonics instruction is very, very important.  

 

You said your younger child will be starting All About Reading Level 1.  You could actually do level one with both of your children.  When teaching a student how to read you want to start at the beginning and not skip anything (I was a kindergarten teacher before homeschooling my children:).  My recommendation is that you put the Pathway readers away for a while (you don't want your child to struggle and develop a dislike for reading), read to him in huge amounts, and do one of the following:

 

1) Resume the primer you own (Teach Your Child to Read In 100 Easy Lessons) or even go back to the beginning.  This can help you pin point where your child begins to struggle.

2) Choose a different primer (I use the Ordinary Parent's Guide... but any of the ones I listed above will work)

3) Do AAR Level 1 with both of your children.

 

One more tip, as I go through the primer with my children, I do not move on to the next lesson until they are able to read the words and sentences with some fluency, and not too much pausing and excessive "sounding out" of words, even if the primer is meant to be taught one lesson a day. When they first begin to sound out words, we stay on a lesson for a week and sometimes longer, if necessary.  There is no sense in moving on if they having mastered a skill, sound, blend, yet.  I don't skip any lessons either.  I hope this makes sense and I hope this helps.