I just listened to a Q and A with SWB today from the peace hill press youtube channel. I think it was one of the first two Q and A's. Anyways, she answered this exact question and I believe she basically said you can skip the dictation and narration and just do the WWE exercises. With the release of the revised FLL in 2010, they did try to cut down on the redundancy. I would go listen to her answer there. :) I'm on my phone otherwise I'd go find the link for you. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

A friend of mine uses CLP grade 1 for spelling. Flipping through that is what gave me the idea that I could do the very beginning by myself. My one complaint about the CLP spelling Grade 1 is that the printing area is so small! So tiny... I haven't seen a copy of spelling workout. Does anyone know if the line spacing is large enough for grade 1? Meaning, around the same as TWTM suggests? Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Thanks, blondchen for your response! I'm definitely thinking more for beginning spelling, not much past lessons on basic long vowel rules. I do see what you mean as the rules are not directly even mentioned in OPGTR, as far as I can tell in my skimming in future lessons. I'll probably just keep doing what I mentioned above more just to develop his phonemic awareness of hearing the sounds in basic cvc, cvce, etc for this year before we try spelling workout A in grade 1. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I just read through the TWTM for spelling and she did mention that spelling workout A is quite easy, but has good foundations, but if you already did AAS1, I can see how that would be too easy. Have you looked through spelling workout b?

So, I just pulled out my third edition of TWTM, and she has them starting spelling in first grade and after they are at least halfwaythrough OPGTR. I think it is grammar she recommends starting in third grade. ETA: I re-read your post and see that you were talking about other educational methods say after 3rd or 4th grade.

I can't imagine waiting until the third grade! I'll have to pull out TWTM again. So, I suppose I just continue with the printing practice and move on to simple copywork until I begin with FLL and WWE in grade 1. I guess I just assumed it was the next step as I see everyone talking about AAS1 starting after they finish AAR1. Which when I look at AAR1, I think we would be finished that by now. Leaves me with something to think about it! I'll have to find that book. :) Thanks for the info.

Has anyone NOT used a spelling program in the early years, and just winged it? Or used a reading program as a guide, such as OPGTR. (I think Jessie Wise or SWB mentions somewhere, whether in OPGTR itself or elsewhere, about following the phonics rules to teach spelling. I am fairly confident I can do this on my own. Just wanted to hear thoughts from others and check if there was anyone who has done this before and can give me tips. For a little more info, my DS is nearly 5, still working on perfecting letters. We are currently on lesson 57 of OPGTR (but he can read WELL beyond that level) So, I thought I'd throw in some spelling. I didn't want the fact that he isn't a strong printer yet to hold him back from spelling, so I have been using letter tiles. We also do use a little bit of Words Their Way (picture sorting). So far we have mastered beginning sounds of CVC's and are now focusing on recognizing the middle sound of CVC's. For example, I will choose the first and last letter (Let's say m _ p) and I will have all the vowel sounds at the top of the magnet board, I then say "mop", and he chooses the correct vowel. I will give all possible combo's before moving on to another set of letters, like r_p, and continue. After he masters the middle sounds, I was going to continue to ending sounds and then move on to assembling the whole CVC word on his own. Hopefully by this time he will be more confident in letter printing and can graduate from using the letter tiles. I may incorporate fill in the blank for extra printing practice. If you'd read this far and have any comments/concerns/tips, I would greatly appreciate it! also, if you could comment how programs you use for very beginning spellers compares that would be great! TIA!

Lol!!!! My nearly 5 year old...exactly. Web slinging during math and phonics And power ranger jumps and kicks. [emoji5] Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I was going to mention the Ikea dolls, too!

We also skipped lesson 1-26. We learned our sounds through the leap frog letter factory and he had them down by age 3. I tried really hard to get the vowel song they have in there, but I could never get it right. Lol. So at age 4 we started OPGTR, we are only at lesson 56 a year later, but he can read books well beyond that lesson. Totally love it. Like others have said, we had to write out the words on a separate page with bigger type, but that wasn't that time consuming. I no longer have to do that, now we go straight from the book. I also skipped a lot of the follow up exercises. They were too difficult for him at the time. Also, it seems more like a spelling exercise than reading. And expecting a beginning reader to be able to form a word from scratch seems unrealistic to me. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Also, even it the youngest is grade k-2, just picking the fun stuff and making it memorable is still possible with the full TOG year plan. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Well, it really depends on the age of the elementary student. If they are 3rd grade or above, Primer would be too easy... Unless you have another writing and literature program.But then it would still be double be the work. I'm all for doing TOG with both age groups, regardless of the age gap. You read the teacher notes to prepare for weekly discussions with rhetoric student, and to help prepare for younger students lessons and activities. I don't have a rhetoric student yet, but my understanding is that it can be mostly independent. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I'm just guessing as I don't have those books on hand, but my son could read those around lesson 50 or so. Be aware that there are a lot of sight words in those books, so unless you are covering sight words as well, it might still be a challenge. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I totally agree. Don't do away with the whole thing if there are parts you enjoy. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Wow! How exciting! Really great news...Also, don't be discouraged later on, I think for us it was around lesson 50, when you seem to hit a wall and they aren't picking it up as quickly. I still did review lessons (3 review, no new) and lots of Bob books, then tried again every couple weeks. Now we are at the point where he knows all the words before the lesson! (Of course, we do them anyway :) ) Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Hey! While I haven't tried the phonics program your asking about, just wanted to give you an idea for using OPGTR. When my newly 4 yr old and I started with it last fall, I noticed he too had trouble with all the print on the page, it was so too small. I spent 4-5 months writing out the daily words as we went through the lesson, and each sentence, too. After that I tried going straight from the page and it was fine. As for the wiggles, it's getting better, but we never do it at the table, mostly on the couch or floor. It's only for 15 to 20 minutes and I think it's good training for him to be still for only a short time. Hoping others can give you info on saxon phonics, but thought just in case you were willing to give OPGTR another try.... :) Good luck!

I am using Jump Math, which is free except for the work books. The books are $11 each (only two) and the teacher lesson plans are available on their website, all you must do is sign up to access and download. I love that they have all 5 strands of mathematics and include a lot of manipulative work and activities. What you save in money, you do spend time in planning before the lesson, (in printing the necessary Black Line Masters or just going over the days work in order for the lesson to go smoothly. While they do start with Grade 1, they start at the BEGINNING, meaning, the first lesson in number sense covers rules and strategies for counting objects! I was using it this past year with my K4 with only minor adjustments. I really have only great things to say about it. :) Jumpmath.org

I think they use Saxon math. ETA: duh sorry, I was thinking peace hill press!

Jump Math Grade 1 -They don't have a Kindergarten program but it starts from the basics in all 5 streams of math with guided discovery (through socratic-like questions and answers), I couldn't find a comparable kindergarten program. Plus the Teachers guide/lesson plans are FREE and I just have to purchase the workbooks which are $11 for two books each year plus the manipulatives as I need them. We started in K4 and we are are only a quarter way through the year plan. Taking it slow and skipping things that are above his grasp (NOT a lot), but so far so good! Can't say enough about the program! Tapestry of Grace Primer - Also started for K4, even though it is recommended for K5/Gr 1. Still my favorite part of our day. :) Trying to keep on track to finish so we can begin year 1 next year. Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading - Pushing through! Started in K4 as well. Son is motivated as Dad said when he finishes the whole book they'll buy a gaming system. :) We hit a couple bumps along the way, but each time I just stopped doing new lessons and would just review and read bob books in the mean time. Love that we can now get the early readers from the library or bookstores and that he can read these almost on his own! LOVE this book. I Can Read - from 1+1+1=1- He usually already knows the words before we get to them, but the worksheets are fun for him. Raising Lil Rockstars - Also from 1+1+1=1 - Bible and memory verses. Catechism This Reading Mama - Bob book printables - I am using these as spelling activities for the CVC words. Build a word puzzles, roll-a-word and write it down activities, etc. We read the bob book and do the activities. Words Their Way - Use this for picture sorts. Right now working on recognizing beginning sounds. Message me if your interested in this program, I found some PDF files online somewhere! Rhyme a week - Learn a rhyme, do some activities. This website also has a book a week program that I would like to do. I haven't kept up on this program for all of K4, but it short and fun, so I hope to start it up again. Science- eek. I am terrible at this. I just bought one of those fun science experiments at home books and I am going to commit to doing at least one a week. Art- Um, also needs work. Other than the crafts included in Tapestry of Grace Primer, I haven't really done anything... Painting and free craft time once in a while. Need to step up my game! Penmanship - While he has no problem copying letters if they are in sight, some letters he forgets so I am just going to keep practicing letters and numbers through our other worksheets, and only pull out the Letter specific tracing and blank line sheets if absolutely necessary. I'd love to start journaling with him, too. Maybe starting My First Piano Adventures... That's our plan! I have made some spreadsheets and charts to keep me on track, and we are going lightly through the summer. I am due with baby number 3 for the end October and am just preparing for some downtime from then until December. Love reading everyone's plans!

I agree with the other posters above. We do all the lessons, I don't expect him to be able to repeat the rules to me. I do expect him to be able to read all the words of a lesson before we move on to the next. If he can't remember how to read the word, we review the lesson (and do three review, no new). When they begin a spelling curriculum is when they will need to remember the rules. I think, I haven't started one yet! Right now just working on spelling the CVC words, one word family at a time. :)

LOE is Logic of English I haven't used it myself, but my only concern would be fine motor. My DS is 4 1/2 and I think he would have been frustrated with how LOE progresses through letter formation. but you can also just skip it if its a problem.

Yeah, I rarely log into the group. I do love getting the emails though! Even though they are mostly unrelated to anything I am experiencing right now! I love hearing about other age levels to learn what to do, what not to, hear other peoples struggles, etc. Prepare for the years ahead! Also, it feeds my obsession with all things TOG. I am constantly on the website look at the Year plans. I have to keep myself on task and remember that I need to concentrate on Primer NOW. I am always looking ahead, but I am sure most Homeschooling moms are like that. Are Curriculum Obsessive Disorders. HAHA. If you log in, go to "manage my groups", and sign up for the 'daily digest', if there are any messages for that day it'll go straight to your email. I would really like to buy the WHO cards for the Big Story Game but at $25....GULP. I can't do it! DE.....I bought the DE Primer because I thought it was printable....I knew that one of the two (Guide book or Hand book) was not, but I thought it could still work. I can't stand it! I FINALLY got a second license for my iphone, that makes it easier, because I rarely have time to sit at the computer except after 8pm when the kiddos are sleeping. I'd rather be curled up on my couch! I will be purchasing the DE, but printing everything I need as we go. Well, at least the Teaching Guide. Although, I may start running out of room to store the hardcopies.... Who knows, maybe I'll get used to it... The only things I would need to print is all the assignments. What I hear most of the ladies doing (overheard on Loosethreads) is they somehow transfer only the assignments the have assigned into another document to print so they don't have to print the entire threads and assignments pages. It is really great to hear from you ladies that are using TOG! Thanks for sharing!

Oh... Yes, you definitely need to sign up for the daily digest email. They send you an email of all the conversations.

You should join the loose threads group on yahoo. I don't have Facebook either and I feel like I'm missing out! :(

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