Overwhelmed Mama needs help - phonics to start with

[abrightmom]

Blessings to you for even reading this!!! :) I have several questions . . . I guess I'll start with phonics.

 

Is it important for a child to actually have phonics rules committed to memory OR is the application of those rules all that is needed?? My 7 year old is a great reader. He is at the end of OPGTR and doing fine with it - just needs to take his time to read multi-syllabic words but can read them just fine. He devours books. I never did any kind of systematic phonics with him - he just kind of took off and I was stunned. I made him fly through some of the later OPGTR lessons this past month just to see if he'd stumble. I am CONVINCED that I've totally messed up in laying a good foundation in so many ways . . . . mastery comes by repetition (I think :) ) and I want my boy to be solid in his foundation. Any thoughts????????????????? I am have been way. too. lax. MFW 1st grade has been fun for him but the phonics was a cinch (so didn't add anything in the way of challenge). Should I remediate his phonics instruction or strengthen it in some way or just move on? He is doing Rod Staff Spelling by Sound/Structure 2nd grade. So far so good. Also FLL and WWE.

 

Boy #2 is 5.5 - can read CVC words fairly well and is working on harder words now. I don't love SL1 (blech on the creative writing, copywork isn't inspiring, the readers are just O.K. for me, he is great with ETC). I honestly didn't know what to do and made a desperate attempt to get something that was at his reading level (I was about to give birth to #4 and feeling crazy.). I think MFW1 moves too fast for phonics and is also lacking in review to solidify concepts for a slower student (like my 5.5). He may do fine with it later on but not yet. Do I just jump into OPGTR and plod through it? Memoria Press materials and Reading Made Easy both look inspiring.

 

I don't want to struggle any more in this critical area of instruction!! My littles coming up the ranks will greatly benefit from their Mommy figuring this out now. I've shed many tears in recent weeks as I've read and researched. Praise God that I am figuring it out now . . . that is something to be thankful for.

 

Thanks for your help! I have greatly FEARED posting anything. I have searched and read a lot but couldn't find an answer to my specific question.

 

:D

[ELaurie]

It sounds like your 7 yo ds is doing fine. He doesn't need to memorize rules for decoding words (phonics rules); the important thing is that he is able to apply them. I think it's fine to jump into OPGR at whatever chapter is appropriate for his reading level, just to be sure you've covered all of your bases (for example, decoding multisyllabic words).

 

Since you have OPGR, why not just use that with ds 5.5 as well?

 

RME is well done; I used it with ds 10 and liked it, but OPGR is systematic and more through. You can move through it more quickly than the recommended pace, skipping some of the "two review and one new" lessons and suggested activities if ds 5.5 catches on quickly and doesn't seem to need as much review.

 

If your 7 yo loves to read and your 5.5 yo is learning to read, you're off to a great start! No more tears.

 

:grouphug:

[robsiew]

It sounds like you're doing better than you perceive! My oldest learned to read without many of the phonics rules (as did my 2nd) and they are doing fine. I have found that as we work through spelling we hit the rules from a spelling perspective and that often helps their decoding of words they don't know as well. In my experience, my kids did the same thing yours did.... they just take off after a certain point and you lose track of the "rules". I tried remediating my dd's phonics and it ended up being a disaster. I just help her with words that she doesn't know. It works and she continues to progess in her reading level.

 

Do you like OPGTR? If not, you may want to take a look at something else. We use Phonics Pathways... it's not glam, but works well for us. My youngest is pretty much at the same place your 2nd child is at. You may want to look at some controlled readers as well such as Bob, I See Sam or Nora Gaydos readers as well. That could break up the monotony of OPGTR. We use Bob readers and Phonics Pathways (and now beginner readers from the library for my 6 y/o) and it's a good blend. Some instruction/some "real book".

 

Also, I don't think you should view your 5.5 year old as "slow". DS is SO young yet! He may not be where your older child was at that age, but really.. 5.5 is very young and it sounds like he's making good progress on reading.

 

Be gentle to yourself!! You're doing great, Mama!

[abrightmom]

for the :grouphug: and the counsel!! There is a swirling vortex of curriculum choices and methods out there!! I guess we ARE getting somewhere . . . doubts creep in though I just had to ask if I'm missing something!

 

Thanks a lot!!!

[siloam]

Follow your instincts, and know that you can use a phonics base spelling program (like AAS) to "plug" any holes they have. If they are reading well, then let the phonics go and focus on spelling instead.

 

Heather