Spy Car Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 (edited) My son (5.5) is close to finishing up ETC 4, and reading beautifully. In the past I wouldn't have given a thought to using one of the 1/2 books, because they haven't seemed at all necessary. But I'm less sure this time. The syllabication rules are being understood, but not with the same sort of high mastery I've been used to seeing. Not bad, but not 100%. Anyone else been thorough this? Did you mush on to 5? Add 4 1/2? I'd appreciate words of wisdom. Bill Edited April 9, 2010 by Spy Car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I'd just go on to 5. ETC 4 doesn't really explain the whys of syllabification, probably because they're very complex and most of us never learned them. Why is it seven and bacon? Honestly, I still don't know, ds doesn't either, and I doubt 4.5 would have cleared this up. There are some things that you learn from practice (or Megawords, when you finish ETC :D). In the meantime, you have to try the word with both the long and short vowel sound and see which rings a bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 It could be maturational. I'd just give him time at the level he is on. Could you pick another resource and just wait for his brain to "catch up?" May not be the case at all, just a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I just move onto 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 My 6yo is now finishing up ETC 6. ETC 4 1/2 is the only "half" book we've used so far, and I'm glad we did. She wasn't struggling, but she did find ETC 4 more difficult than ETC 1-3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 We moved on to 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 The syllabication rules are being understood, but not with the same sort of high mastery I've been used to seeing. Can you tell me what "syllabication rules" are? Doodle is the same age, but we are in book 3. I initially only purchased 1-3 and need to purchase the next set soon and am wondering if I should get the 1/2 book for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I'd go on to 5 and 6 for now. Consider coming back to 4.5 later on, *after* having done the other ETCs. I wouldn't suggest this for any of the other levels, but the 4 level is so different and relies more on development that I find coming back around to that material later is often more useful than sticking with it for "mastery" between 3 and 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 Can you tell me what "syllabication rules" are? Doodle is the same age, but we are in book 3. I initially only purchased 1-3 and need to purchase the next set soon and am wondering if I should get the 1/2 book for him. There are an number of rules presented in ETC 4 that show vowel/consonant patterns that "usually" suggest where the syllable breaks and how that affects pronunciation. In some cases a "word" (technically a "heteronym" although the term is not used) can be split in different places. So if "pol-ish" is split thusly we know from the rule that the first vowel is "closed" short. And means "to wipe with a cloth." Where if the same word is split as "po-lish" the vowel is "open" or long. I'm finding the child basically has to know the word to understand where the syllable breaks, and I'm not sure how it could be taught otherwise. For fun we have played with the pronunciation if it is split in the "right" place, and what it would be if were split otherwise (in terms of making open or closed vowel sounds). It isn't daunting. It is just something "new" that pops up in ETC 4. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 we are doing book 4 right now too and finding the same thing. I have just been supplementing with anybook I can find where he can practice those words. I plan on going on to 5 and just keep reviewing all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 You know, we have always used the 4 1/2 book immediately after 4. It's the only 1/2 book we've used, but all 4 of my kids have needed the extra practice w/ the syllabification rules. I guess it just seemed natural to me to nail down the concepts before moving on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilyporter3 Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 We had not done any of the 1/2 books but we did do 4 1/2 based on my child's score on the ending test in book 4. He struggled as well with dividing syllables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemykids Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 We just moved on, and then in later cases, skipped 4 entirely. I am sure we had syllabication in other programs so I wasn’t worried about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 I really appreciate all the input. I'm finding it interesting that our experience with 4 doesn't seem to be unusual. Fortunately I can get the books here locally, and can look through 5 and 4 1/2 and struggle over the decision whether to do 4 1/2 now or to return to it later as a review. But I'm thinking now or later it is something we will probably use. The idea of "development" that Abbey mentioned does make me wonder about returning to 4 1/2 later, especially if 5 is less of a step up. But I've seen neither 4 1/2 or 5 first hand. Cheers, and thanks to you all :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swainsonshawk Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 After three times through book 4, I plan on skipping it with my next three kids. It's just torture and isn't really teaching "reading" but more teaching the "theory of how to pronounce a word." I don't know if I'll put it in later or not, but for now I just plan on skipping it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 What happens in 5? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 CBD has a jpg of ETC5's table of contents: link. Click on image to enlarge it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 CBD has a jpg of ETC5's table of contents: link. Click on image to enlarge it. Thank you. So it looks like we'd be done with syllabication rules for awhile? Yes? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Thank you. So it looks like we'd be done with syllabication rules for awhile? Yes? Bill 4 is the only book I've remember them being in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Yes, you're done with the syllabication rules. However, multi-syllabic words do appear in ETC 5, 6, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 The idea of "development" that Abbey mentioned does make me wonder about returning to 4 1/2 later, especially if 5 is less of a step up. But I've seen neither 4 1/2 or 5 first hand. I realized later that I had not been very clear. My suggestion is to finish 4 now and consider it "exposure". The material in 4 doesn't need to have been mastered completely (the reading does, but not the technical knowledge) in order to be successful with 5 and 6. So continue on, then return to 4 later on (some time after 6) and go for mastery *then*. Mastery of the 4 material may not even be possible *now* (despite your child's facility with language and reading), but will be in the future. Thus, I like having 4.5 reserved for use a little further down the road, when you can cash in on the exposure you put in now and the time for development... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share Posted April 10, 2010 I realized later that I had not been very clear. My suggestion is to finish 4 now and consider it "exposure". The material in 4 doesn't need to have been mastered completely (the reading does, but not the technical knowledge) in order to be successful with 5 and 6. So continue on, then return to 4 later on (some time after 6) and go for mastery *then*. Mastery of the 4 material may not even be possible *now* (despite your child's facility with language and reading), but will be in the future. Thus, I like having 4.5 reserved for use a little further down the road, when you can cash in on the exposure you put in now and the time for development... That's precisely the way I took your meaning. Although I do appreciate the clarification :001_smile: I'm thinking I'll probably follow the advise as well. Pick up 4 1/2, but do it later. His reading is progressing so nicely that I'm thinking I don't want to get hung up on "rules" that seem to sift without rhyme or reason. The little-man is going to scream when he sees a "4" anything after doing 5 or 6 (nothing gets past him) but I'm still bigger than he is :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 ...but I'm still bigger than he is :D... I've always found that useful. Though I fear I won't have size on my side much longer with ds. (I'll likely always be bigger than dd! Ha!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I have skipped 4 with both dc. I always thought it was developmentally inappropriate to put it in that place in the sequence. :confused: They did fine going from 3 to 5, so I'm sure skipping 4 1/2 will be fine too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share Posted April 10, 2010 I have skipped 4 with both dc. I always thought it was developmentally inappropriate to put it in that place in the sequence. :confused: They did fine going from 3 to 5, so I'm sure skipping 4 1/2 will be fine too! How is it I didn't get the memo? :D Bill (out of the loop :tongue_smilie:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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