JessMcG Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Do you use a reading program even if your child is a very advanced reader? I've been skipping reading programs with my 1st grader because she reads very well. But now I'm wondering if I'm missing something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn E Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 There are a lot of different thoughts about this, so I'm sure you'll receive a variety of opinions. My dd was an early reader, and we stopped having a formal phonics program and opted for having a reading basket. I stocked it with the readers from Sonlight. Just this year I, like you, began to wonder if I was perhaps missing something not having a formal reading program. Dd was reading very well and above grade level, but I still was unsure if all the bases were being covered. Since I was very impressed with our CLE LA, I looked at samples of CLE reading. Based on the samples and reviews I read here, I decided to add it. I do think it has been a good addition, and I plan to continue it. Whether or not it is essential...probably not, but I think it is beneficial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 My daughter was a very early and good reader (chapter books at 3, for example). I *wish* I had done a thorough phonics program (like AlphaPhonics, Ordinary Parent's Guide, etc) and then a solid ongoing spelling program with her. It turned out okay, but sometimes (and she's 17 in her 2nd year of college now) I cringe when she mispronounces a word or has trouble spelling something. She's *mostly* okay, but I know she could have done even better had I done differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I don't think an official "reading program" is always needed with a child who is reading well. . . But, I do think some phonics/reading programs can help solidify decoding skills and lay the groundwork for good spelling. . . I think Explode the Code is a nice compromise. . . dc can read loads of books. . . then do the ETC to reinforce spelling and phonics rules. . . It is quick and easy. . . and my dc have enjoyed it. A solid spelling program like SWO is also good. My dd7 is done with 100 EZL (age 5) and ETC (through book 6, finished recently) and reads well (3rd grade level or so). . . Her "reading program" is now just the SL reader books. . But she also does SWO, and will continue that indefinitely. I feel good about that plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 There are a lot of different thoughts about this, so I'm sure you'll receive a variety of opinions. My dd was an early reader, and we stopped having a formal phonics program and opted for having a reading basket. I stocked it with the readers from Sonlight. Just this year I, like you, began to wonder if I was perhaps missing something not having a formal reading program. Dd was reading very well and above grade level, but I still was unsure if all the bases were being covered. Since I was very impressed with our CLE LA, I looked at samples of CLE reading. Based on the samples and reviews I read here, I decided to add it. I do think it has been a good addition, and I plan to continue it. Whether or not it is essential...probably not, but I think it is beneficial. I did the same thing...with CLE. It has been a very nice addition. ~~Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 My daughter was a very early and good reader (chapter books at 3, for example). I *wish* I had done a thorough phonics program (like AlphaPhonics, Ordinary Parent's Guide, etc) and then a solid ongoing spelling program with her. It turned out okay, but sometimes (and she's 17 in her 2nd year of college now) I cringe when she mispronounces a word or has trouble spelling something. She's *mostly* okay, but I know she could have done even better had I done differently. I found this with my older kids too, which is why i added CLE in for the younger set. I am amazed at what I skipped...even down to having the kids learn to skim a page for answers to questions. I never would have thought to do that. ~~Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Well reading well is relative. Some people say reading well and they mean on grade level, with confidence. Some people say reading well and they mean they can't keep the kid in books and their 2nd grader is reading Swiss Family Robinson, kwim? I think everyone would agree you want to do something in the name of phonics, whether it's phonics or calling it spelling, just to nail the things that are less obvious. But beyond that, I think you're talking about an actual reading program like BJU, Abeka, CLE, etc., right? Well I'll confess that we've always sort of walked the middle road on this. My dd is a nicely advanced reader whom you can't keep in books, but I have done some of the BJU reading with her. Let's just put it nicely and say she perpetually hated it. It takes away from time they could spend reading REAL stuff, good stuff. It DOES teach some good skills, but it sucks so much time in the process, kwim? I've tried to prune down the workbooks, skip the most egregious, terrible writing, and just in general prune it, yet it still always ends up annoying us. AND YET I keep buying it, lol. In fact, I have the BJU 7 lit I'm probably going to do with her pretty soon. Why? Well because frankly I'm running out of books and need to take her in a new direction. I have the source books for each of the selections, and we'll flex it a lot. I LIKE having the chance to read books together and discuss, to create a common experience there. We did the Hobbit a while back, and it was good in that sense. If you truly have an advanced reader who will fly ahead irrespective of what you do (and only be held back with busywork), totally skip the reading program. That's my two cents. I just can't fathom any value to you at this age, not when those same concepts, lit terms, etc. are going to be repeated over and over and over each year in the curriculum, not when you could go into it a few years from now and be at the same place. I think doing oral and then written narrations like WTM says is important. I like the book VP sells How to Report on Books, which has levels and covers basic lit elements in them. I think it's fine to dabble in a lit guide, just to say you did and see what happens. I think it's even wiser if you google first and try to find a lit guide for free online. ;) I did the McCall Crabbs books with my dd when she was little, simply because she found them fun. They're fine, but again they're not going to be astonishing for a very advanced reader. Non-fiction and textbook reading are actually harder skills for these kids, because the words matter. When kids read quickly, sometimes they skip words they don't know. Textbook reading is a whole other ball of wax, and at some point you'll want to wrangle with that. But it doesn't have to be now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessMcG Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 We do SWO now and I'm considering switching over to CLE LA soon. I looked at the CLE's reading program samples for 2nd grade. It seems to cover LA stuff, like compound words. Is that just review from the LA or is it something not covered in LA? We already do narration with WWE and SOTW so I am covering comprehension. But I liked the way they intertwined Bible verses and morals into the comprehension questions. So... I'm still undecided. :tongue_smilie::tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Do you use a reading program even if your child is a very advanced reader? I've been skipping reading programs with my 1st grader because she reads very well. But now I'm wondering if I'm missing something. My eldest dd read the Little House series, most of Roald Dahl's books, the Children's Homer (considered a young adult book) and many other similar books when she was 5. I still did a phonics program with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 My 7 yo was reading well at 5 and we would simply read together. Now he is reading Call of the Wild, Classic Starts Jules Verne, Swiss Family Robinson, and the like. I occasionally have him read out loud to me, and note if he is making any errors (which I'll correct). My sense is 'don't make life more complicated than it needs to be'. Pay attention, notice gaps, and fill them in. But if your child is reading well, I think the most important thing you can do is read with them occasionally, have them read aloud from books that are slightly above their level to challenge them, and make adjustments as you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 My eldest dd read the Little House series, most of Roald Dahl's books, the Children's Homer (considered a young adult book) and many other similar books when she was 5. I still did a phonics program with her. :iagree: My son is an advanced reader and a good speller, but I am still over-emphasizing phonics/spelling as ElizabethB would say;) Why not try Webster's Speller and a good solid phonics program coupled with McGuffey Reader's from 1879 for a rigorous foundation;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 that will tell you what's covered in each subject. http://www.clp.org/product/scope_and_sequence_elementary_1711 I LIKE CLE Reading grades 4 & up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 DS7 read Harry Potters 1-4 while enrolled in ps kindergarten. When I pulled him out we went straight to Progeny Press lit guides. No point in phonics if you can read just about anything put in front of you imo. brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillStanding Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 There are a lot of different thoughts about this, so I'm sure you'll receive a variety of opinions. My dd was an early reader, and we stopped having a formal phonics program and opted for having a reading basket. I stocked it with the readers from Sonlight. Just this year I, like you, began to wonder if I was perhaps missing something not having a formal reading program. Dd was reading very well and above grade level, ........ Same here. All my children read above grade level. We stop using a “program†as soon as they where able to read regular easy readers from the library. My two cents : Read, Read and Read some more. I read to them, they read to me and they read to themselves. We use Sonlight ,Winter Promise, Verita and even the Rainbow Resources catalog for lists of book (I am able to check out books from my library online and then go pick them up!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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