ETC...how far do you go?

[notbefore7]

My first grader (really...second grade but missed the cutoff by 2 months) is finishing up Explode the Code level 5. She'll be able to finish level 6 by the end of this school year.

 

We haven't started any formal spelling (as she hates writing, so I just can't see having her copy lists of words...ETC has been serving this purpose for us) But I want to begin spelling when she is done ETC.

 

My question for ETC users - did you do all 8 books or only 6? I noticed in Sonlight that they only use the first 6. I wondered if there was a reason to stop there.

 

She reads well. Of course, she needs more practice on "reading stamina" at this point, but the ETC are easy for her - not really "teaching" her the rules, but reinforcing.

 

Thanks!

[Mabelen]

My first grader (really...second grade but missed the cutoff by 2 months) is finishing up Explode the Code level 5. She'll be able to finish level 6 by the end of this school year.

 

We haven't started any formal spelling (as she hates writing, so I just can't see having her copy lists of words...ETC has been serving this purpose for us) But I want to begin spelling when she is done ETC.

 

My question for ETC users - did you do all 8 books or only 6? I noticed in Sonlight that they only use the first 6. I wondered if there was a reason to stop there.

 

She reads well. Of course, she needs more practice on "reading stamina" at this point, but the ETC are easy for her - not really "teaching" her the rules, but reinforcing.

 

Thanks!

 

:bigear: I will be there next year at some point and I am interested in the responses.

[StephanieZ]

I've used ETC with my two youngers (hadn't discovered it for the oldest, poor thing, her spelling suffered!!) . . .

 

First time, we just went through 4. . . I don't recall why, lol.

 

Next time, through 6. I meant to take her through 8, but Sonlight doesn't sell 7 & 8 and I just never got around to ordering them anywhere else, lol.

 

Both of those dc have turned out to be super readers and exceptional spellers. . . (My oldest was always a great reader, and her spelling has caught up over time, despite the handicap of missing ETC.)

 

If time permits, I think going through 6 was worthwhile. . .

 

Once the child is reading at 3rd gr level or so (chapter books), then I have a hard time convincing myself s/he needs phonics. . . (Particularly since my dc hit that level by age 6 or 7. . .) BUT, I do believe ETC is awesome for spelling skills. . . So, I'd advocate for taking it through 6, at least, just for that purpose. . . and keep on until 8 if phonics and/or spelling skills aren't exceptionally strong.

 

Honestly, in my ideal world, I would have taken my youngest through 8 even though she was doing super in everything. . . I think I was just lazy about ordering them, lol. :blushing: So, if you're asking, what *should* you do. . . I'd say do them all. What *did* I do, well, that's a different story, lol.

 

FWIW, once I drop ETC, I move on to SWO. . .

 

HTH

[Jennefer@SSA]

I did all 8 books plus most of the half books with my first ds and plan on doing the same with ds5. We do about 4 pages a day starting with Get Ready, Get Set and Go for the Code in pre-K. With my oldest we finished at the start of second grade and went right into a formal spelling curriculum.

[The Governess]

I did the first 6. By then the only challenging pages were those that asked dd to spell the words from memory. At that point I decided we would be better off switching to a spelling program. So we did! :001_smile:

[NancyNellen]

We have always done the first 6 only.

[Laurel]

I think M did the first 5, maybe 6. (I think I bought 6 but we never ended up using it.) By that point, she had finished OPG and ETC was just busywork for her, so we dropped it. If we had been using them as our sole phonics program, that would have been different, but the purpose for us was reinforcement of phonics lessons.

[LanaTron]

My 4th grade ds is going to finish level 8 this spring. He is an excellent reader, but I consider ETC to be his spelling program. Looking back, I probably could have changed him over to one of the EPS spelling programs, like Spellwell, but by the time I realized it we were already in book 7 of ETC, and he'll go into Megawords next year in 5th.

 

My 1st grade dd is moving through the ETC books at a quicker pace than ds, so it is very likely that she will finish all 8 by the end of 2nd grade, or early 3rd grade. I'll probably fill in with Spellwell until she's ready for Megawords in 5th.

 

All that said, I think the last two levels of ETC are valuable for the spelling practice, and there is a bit of reading comprehension in there, too.

[notbefore7]

Thanks all! I am certain we will go through book 6. She is a pretty advanced reader, so we are finishing book 6 at the end of first grade. She really doesn't have any issues with it as she is reading chapter books (Little house in the big woods). I guess the debate is a spelling program or Books 7 and 8 as the spelling for the first part of second grade.

 

Thanks! I think I will take a look at the books and compare them with some spelling programs.

[Hedgehogs4]

My son just finished book 5 of ETC and was hopelessly bored, so i just started him with SS and HE LIKES IT! :eek: I'm in shock. This kid has hated phonics and spelling all along, and I have suffered with him. but this--he likes. go figure.

 

not that this in any way answers your question, but had to share. sorry for hijacking your thread. :leaving:

[frankcassiesmom]

I did the first 6. By then the only challenging pages were those that asked dd to spell the words from memory. At that point I decided we would be better off switching to a spelling program. So we did! :001_smile:

 

This was the same with us. My dd tried to do 5, begged me to skip it, started 6, felt the same way and I just moved her to a spelling program.