Awesome!! Thanks for the review. I've been wanting to see it.

I'm looking for a thorough phonics program that gets the job done without alot of manipulatives that the kids will enjoy (arent' we all, haha). I also want a workbook because I think it helps to reinforce what they are learning. With my older kids I used ABEKA. The 1st grade book will be too advanced for my DS and I don't want him to use the same book as his younger sister. I will be doing a next year 1st grade (coming out of PS) knows CVC words K - knows letters & sounds (thanks to Leap Frog video :001_smile:) Pre-school - learning letters & sounds I will also be HSing a 5th grader so I will need to split time.

I gave birth to my last child at 41. No problems other than other people making comments on how big I was, lol. He was my 6th birth, 8th child.

I'm referring to Phonics Pathways. She highly recommended it and I will need to do phonics with 3 kids next year and different levels. I'm not much for all the manipulatives and was looking at this one. If you know of a link on WTM where I could get some good reviews that would be great :001_smile:

I would! You can do the advanced readers for your 4th and regular readers for your 2nd. I didn't always do the read alouds but I had a great reader and would just have them read some of the read alouds for extra learning and reading. You absolutely can tailor it. Just do what works for you and your kids and don't be so rigid to follow what they say. I do like the TM because it's all set up for you. It made my life easier when teaching multiple kids.

Which ETC books would you suggest for my kids?I really don't want to pay for a placement test. 1st - can do CVC words K - knows the letters & sounds (Thank you Leap Frog video :001_smile:) Pre-scool - learning letters & sounds.

I'm thinking about doing Phonics Pathways for phonics. I need to review for a next year 1st grader (DS) (who I will be pulling from PS) and a next year K (DD). I want to also do a workbook because I think it helps seal in what they are learning. Any suggestions? I thought of doing PP is because I could teach them both. I want to reinforce phonics with him because he was learning too much sight (guess) learning for me. So next year I will have: 1st Kindergarten Pre-school

I was just wondering as I try to make some final curriculum decisions how much stock I should take into Cathy Duffy's reviews? Any thoughts?

I was going to suggest Winston Grammar. I used it with my older kids and will be using it next year. I'm also pulling my son from PS and will be in the 5th grade. He hasn't done any diagramming nor does he know very many parts of speech. I like it because it is a hands on way to learn. It introduces each part of speech and it has cards for each. It also has a workbook and is fairly independant. I am actually going to do this in addition to a regular LA program because It's not too much work and I think he's behind.

I used it without the TM. Everything you need is in the workbook. I think the extra border sheets are just for extra practice. I'm getting ready to use it again in the Fall and only going to order the workbook. I'll admit I don't know what is in the TM because I figured I could teach it myself. Maybe someone else can jump in who has seen the TM. I talked to the guy at the Cincinnati convention and he said the TM is strictly optional as where as the TM is highly recommended in the Spelling program.

When I taught my son to read with abeka I didn't use the TM at all. I used Letters & Sounds workbook and went through the "Handbook for Reading" just him and I together. I'm sure you could go without it and move more at your daughter's pace.

Specific question: I need it to explain each lesson and how to do it. Does this do that? I'm not good at Math so if they need help I need to be able to read over it myself first to be able to explain it. It wasn't clear when I looked at the workbooks that it did that. Actually had a hard time finding any explaination. I might have just overwhelmed at the whole convention by that point, haha. Does the LA do this also?

I have done the placement test and he is going into 5th grade and placed at level 400 for Math and 300 for LA.

I used Saxon with my older kids and liked how it was self taught but agree it has a ton of problems. I was thinking about using CLE for LA & Math because of all the great reviews and that it can be fairly independant. I liked what people said about it covering the information great and didn't overload like Saxon can. After going to the convention and actually looking at it I began to have my doubts. Before each lesson it seems Saxon has the teaching of the lesson laid out well and I didn't see that with CLE. Am I missing something? I was going to use it for LA also because I liked all the reviews of the program. It seemed to be what I was looking for (I used ABEKA in the past). I wouldn't use the Spelling or Handwriting portion of the book because there is something else I like better. Can I get a little bit of feedback please? I'm really confused on what to do now. My son will be coming from public school and struggles with Math.

Thanks for this. I'm still trying to decide whether to do CLE in LA & Math. I've read good things but after seeing it at the convention had my doubts. My son will be coming from public school and I know he is a little behind because of it. Thanks for the good reviews.

Would this be enough? A reason for Spelling A reason for Handwriting Winston Grammar Wordly Wise Would I need somethink like Easy Grammar and Daily Grams also? I'm horrible at Writing so I would need to find a writing program easy for me, haha

He does need handwriting because he is coming out of public school and hasn't leaned cursive yet. He'll be in 5th grade but I think he is behind that't why I said 4th or 5th. I HSed him up to 2nd grade and sent him to PS because I needed it at the time. We will be doing Sonlight so he will be reading alot. He is an excellent reader so I'm not doing a formal reading program. Thanks for everyone's help :001_smile:

So if I piece meal it. Is this what I need to have? Spelling handwriting grammar writing Vocabulary If I have all these things would that be what I need for LA. I will be working part time, do you think doing all these independantly would be more time consuming than doing something like CLE, ABEKA, or Bob Jones?

I think it is. All I'll do with my K this year will be phonics and numbers and writing. Still deciding what I want to use though. Thinking about ABEKA and All About Handwriting myself.

Thanks everyone :001_smile:

I thought I had a LA program figured out and went to the convention and didn't like it like I thought I would. Now I'm starting over. If I piece parted a curriculum what all do I need to include. I'm tempted to go back to ABEKA which I used in the past to make sure I covered it all. Do I need a program like that which is comprehensive? I hesitate because so many people don't like it that I'm thinking there must be better stuff that I'm not aware of. If so, any recommendations? If not, tell me what all I need to have to make sure my son gets what he needs. What do you use for LA?

Thanks. I just printedo off a parking pass and directions. I'll head on up after my daughter gets done with softball. I'm sure I will enjoy it :001_smile:

I would only be going to the exibit hall which is $10. I wouldn't be going to see the speakers.

Do they have better deals at the convention?

you only had 1 subject to choose? Would it still be worth it? I was going to go to the Cincinnati convention tomorrow to look through the phonics programs to see which would suit us. I'm now wondering if it would be worth the price for admission, gas (I'm 40 minutes away) and parking. Or would you just try something and stick with it? We are watching our budget so I was wondering if the money I would save would be better used toward the curriculum or has it really been worth it for you to go and be able to see it first hand. Thanks :)