absolutely hit a brick wall for a good reading curriculum for my 2nd grader

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Please, any suggestions? I did pathways, but stopped with my oldest when It started getting into Anabaptist doctrine. So I dont want to go that route again. I did abeka, but found there to be no rhyme of reason. I did bju and again, no rhyme or reason. I have looked into rod and staff, but I dont want to go the anabaptist route again. I am in dire need for help for next year in 3rd grade.

 

 

I did a reading test for her, and she tested at a 5th grade level for instruction but lower than grade level for phonics??? (I personally think she couldnt make out what the voice was saying, how can you be an advanced reader and comprehension but not good in phonics? :001_huh:)

 

Any suggestions?????????

Edited April 12, 2010 by wy_kid_wrangler04

[Sebastian (a lady)]

One of my kids was comfortably reading Redwall but still scored very poorly on a reading section of a standardized exam because our phonics program taught sounds without emphasizing vowel vs consonant.

 

What does she read comfortably right now? With my kids by 3rd grade I've transitioned to just reading books together. My 2nd grader has just finished a series of Frog and Toad stories and is working toward ever longer and more complex readers. (Henry & Mudge, CDR Toad, DK level 3 and 4 readers).

 

My process is to have him read the story or chapter to himself quietly (not silently, but just to himself) and then read it to me.

[JulieJ]

We have used A beka as well and are no longer doing their readers at this time. I have just switched him over to reading small chapter books. We have stumbled across a series of books by Linda Lee Maifair, about Darcy J. Doyle the Daring Detective. My son loves them!

 

He now has his silent reading time, but does narrate to me about them. I love to hear the excitement in his voice telling me the stories compared to the way he used to answer the comprehesion questions about the A beka books.

 

I would suggest a trip to the library and see if anything would interest her. We took an online test as well and my son tested to be in a 4th grade comprehension level but below average in phonics as well. I really haven't paid much attention to the test results because I know he knows his phonics and can read.

 

HTH

[....]

My 2nd grader read through the Sonlight 2 Intermediate and some of the 2 Advanced books this year. For 5 bucks, there's an Instructor's Guide with comprehension questions about the books.

 

There is no phonics in there, though.

[Mom0012]

Well, if she is only in second grade but reading at a 5th grade level with good comprehension, I wouldn't be very concerned. How is she spelling? I think that's what I would focus on. Something like Spell to Write and Read or All About Spelling will focus on all of the phonograms and spelling rules.

 

 

Lisa

[1GirlTwinBoys]

My DD will be in 2nd and I think we're going to go with HOD's emerging readers schedule.

[abbeyej]

I prefer for kids just to read real books, once they're capable. Lots and lots. Sometimes with discussions (not usually lists of comprehension questions, just *talk*about* the books), sometimes not. Sonlight, Veritas, Logos have good lists to help you choose. Or Honey for a Child's Heart. Lots and lots of wonderful, real books. :)

[kokotg]

I prefer for kids just to read real books, once they're capable. Lots and lots. Sometimes with discussions (not usually lists of comprehension questions, just *talk*about* the books), sometimes not. Sonlight, Veritas, Logos have good lists to help you choose. Or Honey for a Child's Heart. Lots and lots of wonderful, real books. :)

 

 

:iagree: My first grader isn't reading as well as your dd yet, and he's doing Explode the Code and then reading lots of books to me...stuff like Little Bear, Frog and Toad, etc.

[Ellie]

Do you want something to cover any holes in your dc's phonics knowledge? Then you'd want to do something like AlphaPhonics, or PhonicsPathways, or Spalding/SWR, or ETC.

 

Do you want material for your dc to read? Then IMHO you'd be better off going to the library and getting real books, not depending on vocabulary-controlled basal readers. Some children enjoy reading *anything,* but the truth is that the books your dc will find in the library are *much* more interesting to read and will do a better job developing his reading skills. Check out the 1000 Good Books List if you need some ideas for good children's books.

[TracyR]

Christian Light. It is from a Mennonite company but is MUCH different then curriculums such as Rod and Staff and Pathway publishers.

Their stories do not incorporate doctorine. Just good oldfashioned character building stories. You can see samples online:

http://www.clp.org/store/by_subject/1

 

Their reading program is really well put together.

I also like K12 and Calvert for teaching reading as well. I wished Calvert seperated their reading as a seperate subject because it is excellent ( it was the only subject that did a very good job teaching reading).

K12 does sell their reading seperately and it too does a very good job with reading.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I have been considering just having her read books, some fictions some non, and then buy some reading comp workbooks and have her d a few a week. Sounds like most of you agree that just having her read books is good at her reading level. I just have a hard time pushing past the "reading curriculum-- she needs a curriculum" So I think Im just going to do that, have her read books, have her tell me about them, maybe have her do a grade appropriate book review. I am going to get some reading comp books for sure!! (just to make me feel better :tongue_smilie:)

Would stories to go with SOTW work for a reading program? She reads some to herself, some to me? I read some to her? What are your thoughts on that?

 

Has anybody tried the Story Of Western Civilization reading comp books? Would that work with SOTW?

 

I have looked into Christian liberty press readers, I dont know though, The nature readers sound ok... but I have been looking into putting a program together with some of their readers (of different grade levels) and some from sonlight. I am still looking at those!!

 

Thanks everybody and if anyone has anymore suggestions I am all ears :bigear:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I have also been looking at this any thoughts

[joyfulhomeschooler]

We used sonlight for K & 1st along with the explode the code books. Next year though we are going to try learning language arts through literature. You may want to look into those programs. We are going to do the reading in LLATL and just add on as many library books as possible or books from our overflowing book shelf. ;)

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Looks good! Does it come with any reading comprehension questions, or would you have your dc write essays? There are many things you can do to create your own reading program.

 

 

It does come with comprehension questions, but Im also thinking if I type my own reading comp questions and have her do book reviews and book reports that would work for a decent reading curriculum. That way I can save the comp questions on the computer for my boys when they get to that age. Also, they have inbetween grade levels, she would go to a transition 3/4 with 4 or 5 books, then level 4 and so on with the transition levels. I love the fact that she will be getting into the classics!

Edited April 12, 2010 by wy_kid_wrangler04

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I have also been looking at this any thoughts

 

I agree. The Natures Readers look okay to me, but my son loves them. I was actually going to suggest picking from different grade levels if she is a good reader. Pick the best looking ones from several grades. You know the TM's are reading comprehension questions for the child to answer (it includes the answers). Also, the following booklet is really good for a reading course:

 

http://www.christianlibertypress.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CLP29825&cat=63

 

If you don't like these, I do agree with the poster who reccommended Christian Light Education. Cute books/stories and the light units will provide a complete reading curricula as well. If I didn't like R&S so much, I would probably be using that.

 

 

Or I could do a combination from both! That might work great! If I pick and choose the best from the CLP and do the classic worktexts--- I think that will work GREAT!!!! Thanks!!!

[kidsnbooks8]

My two younger girls are enjoying Elson Readers. There are all different activities in the TG to go with the stories.For each story there are discussion questions and an activity. One day we had to make a list of adjectives to describe the 2 main characters, another we had to write a friendly letter to the Miser and offer any advice we had that may be a help to him... In the younger one there was a picture to color and she had to color the cat and her kittens the way they were described in the story.

You can find them at Lost Classics and they now have them at Amazon.

[elise1mds]

Curriculum? OK, that's the one thing I haven't ever done is a reading curriculum. I hand him books that I think he can handle, encourage the classics, and call it good. He has to do his own SOTW reading and reads his science out loud, so I can correct things if needed. Next year I'm going to take the books from WWE and make sure he reads those, but that's about as close as I'm going to get. We're at the library weekly as it is :)

[robsiew]

I've never done a formal reading program beyond phonics instruction. If your dd needs work on phonics I'd suggest something simple and easy like Phonics Pathways. If you're just looking for reading material my suggestion would be to use classical literature book lists and check them out from the library. I use a combo of classical children's stories and history lists found in WTM. We informally talk about the books they read individually and then each child has a book they read with me daily. We discuss vocab/comprehension together as they read out loud to me.

[hmschooling]

My DD will be in 2nd and I think we're going to go with HOD's emerging readers schedule.

 

:iagree: Easy to point out phonics rules and have her practice sounding out...even though she can read well, the practice with this would be great for her phonics skills. There's a schedule as well as questions to use for discussion.

[Smithie]

"I just have a hard time pushing past the "reading curriculum-- she needs a curriculum..."

 

Keep pushing! My ds has worked his way through the K level and half the first grade level in the K12 phonics program (Phonicsworks) this year. We are oh so very done with "phonics." Aaaaaargh.

 

Next year, it's Spelling Workout A and B, SOTW related read-alouds and independent-reads, and half an hour of "children's classics" read-alouds in the afternoon. I'm going to make him read out loud to me from the McGuffey's first reader a few times per week. I really really think that's going to be enough to keep his fluency progressing.

 

In case you're interested, here are the books I've purchased specifically to read to him and/or have him read independently as literature tie-ins to SOTW:

 

One Small Blue Bead

I Once Was A Monkey

The Gilgamesh Trilogy

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths

Black Ships Before Troy

 

... and in addition to those, we'll probably shoot to get one storybook per week from the library that ties in to the period we're studying.

[kalanamak]

My son is addicted to this old series:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Leonora-Hornblow/e/B001H6SOLS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 

Also, the grammar/fun books in the series with A Mime, A Lime, A Pool of Slime.

 

The other thing he loves reading is directions. For really stretching his reading, we read the instructions on cleaning, e.g. our gas fireplace insert. :)