For those with 6 y.o.s not yet reading, what does next year's schedule look like?

[FairProspects]

There seems to be tons of schedule info for K/1st graders that doesn't apply to us because ds isn't yet reading. If you have a 6 y.o., or 1st grader, who is not yet reading fluently, what does your schedule look like?

How much time is spent on reading and how much on other subjects?

 

So far, I think we will do:

OPGTR - 20 min

Copywork/Handwriting - 10 min

Right Start B - 20 min

History/Science alternating days for about 30 min (including reading aloud and hands-on activities). We will be using SOTW 1 & AG and Elemental Science Intro to Science for these. We will also do additional reading aloud and art with Artistic Pursuits every other week.

 

I'm reticent to move on to either grammar or writing (WWE) without significant progress forward in ds's reading skills. I also don't want to spend all our time working on phonics to the exclusion of other fun subjects. How do you strike a balance of content and skill subjects for those older kids still working to learn to read? For those in a similar situation, how do these compare to your plans?

[Carol in Cal.]

I agree that there isn't much point to teaching grammar and writing to someone who doesn't know how to read.

 

I think that teaching the writing of letters, though, should continue--maybe one every day.

 

I would look at things like this: Teach math and reading every day, without fail. Teach writing one letter a day most days. Read aloud for a long time every single day. Two hours total would be about the minimum, but not all in a row--read to her after breakfast, in the afternoon, and before bed. That's cuddle time, and it develops her vocabulary and comprehension tremendously. Read in science, history, and literature. Read poetry. Read goofy stuff. For science, consider the Ms. Frizzle books.

 

Go on lots of field trips to natural history sites, museums, and science places. Allow for plenty of building, mudplay, gardening, and sensory work (with bowls of dry beans, sand, dry rice, etc.) Play good music in the background. Cook together. Talk about what you're doing. Make up progressive stories in the car.

 

There is no need to be bound completely to curricula at this age. Make sure the basics get covered, and have fun with the rest. If history is refreshing, teach history. If it's onerous, wait on that and pick something else for subject area work that is refreshing. When DD was not yet fluent, history was one of her oasis subjects. Even though I was counselled not to start it with her until she was reading well, I saw no reason to deprive her of it as she enjoyed it so, and it gave us a head start once her reading took off.

[rafiki]

.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

My 6yo's schedule will be like this. She turns 7 in Dec. and we will change to grade 2 in Jan.

 

Learn to Read (CLE) books 6-10 (books 1-5 completed this spring)

CLE Language Arts 1

FLL - (half of year 1 already completed)

AAS Level 2 - (review Level 1 - just completed)

CLE Math 100

Copywork

Sonlight Science 2 with older sister

Read alouds from TOG with older sibs

Bible time/ Memory Verses

Poetry Memorization

[Donna A.]

Five in a Row :001_smile: http://fiarhq.com/fiveinarow.info/index.html

[Ellie]

My younger dd didn't read at her age level until she was 9½. She did KONOS activities with us, went on the weekly field trips with us, went to the library with us, did arithmetic-y stuff, let me read aloud to her sometimes, kept herself busy. We did Spalding for about 6 weeks each year, and R&S's Unit O (it has a different name now and I'm too lazy to look it up, lol).

[sbgrace]

The vast majority of our time is still free play and reading great books together.

We plan to keep going this summer but it's:

 

Reading every day (primarily BRI-I See Sam Readers-at this point)

Rightstart

Handwriting (HWOT) or other fine motor

bible (this is fun/active/we start the day there)

LHFHG for literature, history, etc.

 

It takes us however long it takes us but I'm playing off how it's going. I don't hesitate to take more than a day for a Rightstart lesson if we're just not attentive on a particular day, we might do cutting stuff instead of Handwriting w/out Tears on a day that the concentration is shot, etc.

 

I don't hit them all boom, boom, boom most days. Oh, we school four days a week year round.

Edited May 11, 2010 by sbgrace

[Tree House Academy]

When my ds started 1st, he was not reading wonderfully (though he was reading short sentences and CVC, CVCV words). We just continued with phonics instruction and lots and lots of reading and in this one year, his reading level jumped from just on track to 4th grade level! Just keep plugging along and it will click.

[i.love.lucy]

My son will be 6 this summer and going into K

 

SSRW every day (which is reading and handwriting)

Miquon every day

 

We are enrolled in CC for this coming year so he will work on his memory work, and both kids will explore science and history based on the CC stuff we do.

 

Lots of snuggly reading, exploring nature, and playing. He might be able to do music lesson with his sister too. That's about it!

[AngieW in Texas]

My youngest is dyslexic. She wasn't reading at 6yo. Here's what we did for her 1st grade year.

 

30 minutes daily working on vision therapy exercises (1x/week was with the therapist, 6x/week was with me)

daily work in Reading Reflex (split into 2-3 sessions)

daily work with Fry's 100 most common words (both reading and spelling)

daily work in Singapore 1A/1B

SL Core 1 for history and readalouds, but with SOTW1 instead of CHOW and some Core 6 books pulled in

listened in to SL Science 4

 

After she finished vision therapy, I started her in the I See Sam books. Those were wonderful. They were the first books that she could actually read. She couldn't stand the Bob books and those moved way too fast anyway.

 

I talked to the VT about her lack of progress in reading and the VT recommended that I have her tested for dyslexia since she had several dyslexic traits. Vision therapy fixed her visual efficiency issues, but doesn't do anything for dyslexia.

 

I took her to the ps for testing at the start of her 2nd grade year. She actually has dyseidetic dyslexia (school gave diagnosis of gifted with severe learning disability affecting all academic areas, but most severe in reading and written expression).

 

I was able to get her up to grade level in reading by the end of 4th grade. At that point, she tested as LD only in written expression. She'll go through the testing again at the end of 7th grade. I'm sure that she won't qualify as LD anymore.

[prairiegirl]

My 7 yr. old will be starting Gr. 2 in the fall and is nowhere near ready to read. We do the basics of reading, math and copywork every day. I still have her do history and science. She gives me narrations and I write them out for her.

 

I don't do a formal writing, spelling or grammar program as there is no point. I think your plan for next year is a good one.

[Diana B]

I haven't had a chance to look through all the replies, but I'm going to add in my 2 cents.

 

I think what you have looks pretty close to what we had. I did HWOT the beginning of the year, followed with copywork after he finished HWOT.

 

The one thing different was we did First Language Lessons. There is no reading necessary and it's VERY basic. I personally think it's a nice thing to add in. When your dc does start reading and writing more, there will be a good base.

 

And as for time spent with phonics/math vs other stuff, usually the science and history will take up plenty of time and will (usually) be a lot of fun. :) It will trickle into all the rest of life! :D

[choirfarm]

I had the same exact feeling with my 2nd grader this year. When she started this year, she wasn't reading very well at all though she had made some progress through vision therapy. This is what we have done:

 

Phonics- DAILY DAILY DAILY..we would do part of a Saxon Phonics lesson, Phonics Pathways, and ETC every day

 

Reading practice- She at first only read for 15 minutes a day with my reading the timer. I gradually increased her time as the year progressed.

 

Math- daily- a variety of Singapore and various math workbooks my mil gave me. I had to read a lot of these to her at the beginning of the year. Doing the math wasn't a problem, reading word problems was.

 

Writing- Many days she naturally chooses something to write... a note to me, a letter, etc. She also had to keep a journal for vision therapy. We also did WWE 1. (My boys were not like this. She draws and now writes notes constantly.)

 

Grammar- I chose FLL since it is all oral. She LOVES memorizing the poems and she has enjoyed this program. I also used School House Rock Grammar

 

Vision Therapy- daily for 30 minutes

 

Awana- memorizing verses

 

Violin- practice twice a day for 15-20 minutes

 

History- I read a book from the TOG selection. Normally gets done at least 3 times a week.

 

Science- this has been interest based and only gets done 2 or 3 times a week.. She'll watch an experiment. Right now she loves looking at all of the birds around here. We have about 10 nests in wild places: on the porch, on the door in the wreath, inside a stump, underneath the wagon, inside the goalpost, etc. She is making a notebook and I read to her from Zoology I just the bird section from Apologia.

 

 

She has made TONS of progress this year. Last year at this time when she was in first grade, she would get so fatigued reading. She cried and hated reading. Now, she tells people that is her favorite subject and now she hates math!!! Last week, she read all three of the Sarah Plain and Tall series of books!!!! I no longer have to require her a time to read. In fact, I have to say, "Stop reading...we need to do some other school!"

 

So next year will be different. So your instincts are correct. If she had been one of my boys, she wouldn't do as much writing as she does, but she loves it so much.

 

Christine

[Renee in NC]

My 7 and 9yo boys do not read.

 

My 9yo is slowly working on reading and phonics. He read the word "drink" the other day on his own!:D That was huge because he doesn't "hear" adjacent consonants. He is doing copywork (of things he can read.) We're starting on Spell to Write and Read (finally) because I think he is at a point he can do it now. He is also using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons to work on blending.

 

All of his other subjects are where his abilities/interests fall - Singapore Math 1A (doing well with number bonds!), SOTW, science TWTM way, and read alouds.

 

My 7yo doesn't know his letter sounds consistently, so we work on letter sounds and writing everyday. He is getting better, but he still can't blend three sounds together (he can "hear" the word if I do it, but not if he does it.) He cannot do 100 Easy Lessons - I try every so often, but he just isn't there yet. He does the other subjects the same as his brother.

 

I probably will add in grammar for the 9yo next year, but he can do that (orally) - he just can't read! I have faith that he will start to read eventually, so I want to keep him moving forward.

[Snowfall]

Oh, good! We aren't the only ones entering first grade without a fluent reader! lol DD will be six in 2 days and is a rising first grader. She can read a little, but she's very reluctant and far from fluent. Here is our plan:

 

We're going to continue Phonics Pathways over the summer.

 

In the fall:

 

Phonics Road 1

Continue Phonics Pathways (probably)

SOTW w/AG We'll probably read once/wk and do the AG once/wk

R.E.A.L. Science Life Science

Pfeiffer House Music for 1st grade

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Atelier Art (probably)

 

Now my math plan isn't exactly set yet. :tongue_smilie: We started Rightstart B this year and she hated it, so we set it aside for a while. Now we've picked it back up and she doesn't hate it so much. We were also doing MEP. The problem is that I LOVE the way MEP makes her think about things, but I broke down and bought Horizons the other day because she loves colorful worksheets and is so much more motivated to do them. Three programs is probably overkill, :o but I can't imagine dropping MEP, so I don't know what we're going to do exactly.

 

Then of course there's all the stuff we'd do anyway: Library visits, lots of reading aloud, gardening, museum trips, cooking, etc. We'd do that no matter what, though.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot I have the MBTP 6-8 Culture Concept, too. We'll probably throw that in a couple times a week, but maybe not. I haven't been overly impressed, but DD does seem to like it.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Snowfall

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

My ds will be 6 in July and in 1st grade next year, he does not read at all.

Next year's plan is:

CLE LTR

FLL

Italics

CLE Math 100

LHFHG

LBC Grade 1

CLE LA100 (mid-way through the Year)

[Tabrett]

A child entering first grade is supposed to be reading fluently????:blink:

 

So far, I haven't experienced a child that was reading fluently before entering first grade.

 

Most children don't learn to read until first grade. I think any first grade curriculum you like would work fine.;)

[susankenny]

My 6 year old will be going into first grade. He is reading simple CVC words currently. Our plan is:

 

Finish Hooked on Phonics K & move into HOP Gr 1 in the fall

Saxon Math 1

Apologia Science (astronomy) & Magic School Bus videos

WWE 1

How Great thou Art (with big sister)

American Tales reader for History & Gr. 1 Abeka History

HWOT Gr 1

AAS 1

[Snowfall]

A child entering first grade is supposed to be reading fluently????:blink:

 

So far, I haven't experienced a child that was reading fluently before entering first grade.

 

I don't see much of it in other places, but when reading this board, I see lots and lots of references to 5 and 6-year-olds who read very well. I thought I was in a very small minority here (not elsewhere) to have a 6-year-old rising first grader who wasn't reading much. I'm glad to know I'm not. :)

[Donna A.]

I don't see much of it in other places, but when reading this board, I see lots and lots of references to 5 and 6-year-olds who read very well. I thought I was in a very small minority here (not elsewhere) to have a 6-year-old rising first grader who wasn't reading much. I'm glad to know I'm not. :)

 

Snowfall, my firstborn was an early reader, but my 2nd wasn't able to start blending until right when she turned 6. She progressed slowly, and it took a good year or more before she was reading comfortably.

 

My 3rd dd is an anomaly due to having Apraxia, or Severe Articulation Disorder (depending on who you talk to). She's 7-1/2 and still struggling to get much past cvc words, but we're working on it. I think we'll eventually get there, but it's taking some time.

 

Don't worry, you're doing fine. :001_smile:

[2_girls_mommy]

My first dd was reading fluently in K. My current Ker is not. She is reading the 1st reader of R&S reading well, because we practice the words daily. In her R&S phonics, she reads at most 7 words in a 30 second timed test of the phonics rule she is studying. So she is not fluent by any means. She can read Bob books up to level B books, but they are not fluent yet either. So we just keep plugging away at it.

 

Her schedule next year is:

 

Rod and Staff phonics and reading grade 1 units 2-5. This will take up the majority of our time and be the focus of her year.

Rod and Staff handwriting (don't love this, but I needed a workbook she could do mostly independently, and this at least goes with the phonics.) I plan to keep up copywork too. But this helps me when I am busy.

Rod and Staff math unit 1

Rod and Staff music once a week. We also read a section at a time from What Your X grader Needs to know series and do any activities mentioned.

SOTW vol. 3 w/Activity guide. When my oldest was 1st, we had lots of time to devote to this, since she was already reading. She obviously will not be doing the supplemental reading on her own next year. I will read extras as bedtime stories. She will give me narrations that I will write (and maybe use some for copywork at times,) do the mapwork and coloring pages, and the occasional project. Projects are what we have less time for as the older one gets more subjects and we have more outside activities.

Science: Older sis is doing Chemistry. I have a material Science book for preschoolers that I will use at first w/this dd. It has activities. Then we have the Usborne Science in the kitchen I can use which is listed I believe as an extra resource for the 3rd grade year, so it fits right in. Plus we will read from What Your 1st grader needs to know. She will participate in discussions and experiments w/her older sis' science as much as possible.

Extras: co-op once a week, I don't what classes will be available yet. Art: SOTW projects and we follow What Your X grader needs to know, plus various contests through the year. P.E: dance class and at home skills. Latin: she will follow along w/the pronunciation C.Ds. with us and hopefully pick up the prayers and some vocab.

 

The main focus of her year will be learning to read and math facts. But we will be doing the other subjects too to keep the year interesting and well rounded.

[FO4UR]

My ds7 is at the end of 1st grade, and is probably reading *at* grade level if we are comparing to ps standards. idk for sure. He can read level 1 readers.

 

We started the year with SWR, ditched it and tried ETC, Happy Phonics....love and keep Happy Phonics, but ditched ETC....began reading& spelling through Word Mastery and then found Recipe for Reading. (poor kid:001_huh:) I am liking Recipe for Reading, and we use some of the SWR techniques with it. It just goes a LOT slower than SWR and builds one lesson upon another - slowly! (so it sounds like more curric hopping than it felt like to ds...spelling is spelling to him LOL) Recipe for Reading (for spelling mostly), Word Mastery (for reading through patterns), Happy Phonics (for fun review of phonograms), and reading whatever books we have around the house (or find at the library) just may work! (let's hope)

 

I started the year all hyper to do EVERYTHING, and have greatly pared it down to the basics. This has been a good thing. When my ds7 can read a chapter book for fun, we'll add it all back in. (grammar, f. lang, ...)

 

Handwriting is done with spelling (recipe for reading)...so it's reading, writing and arithmetic. The rest is reading aloud. (and my ds7 is a voracious listener...We cover plenty of history and science and literature through reading aloud and oral narration.)

[MyLittleWonders]

My 6 1/2 year old is just now reading at what I'd consider almost grade-level (he can read most level 1 readers and is reading the chapter books from the first half of the first grade Hooked on Phonics program). He started this school year only reading simple c-v-c words. This has been his schedule this year (technically 1st grade started in July as we go year-round, so it will technically end in June, but we go by ability when it comes to progressing to the next book/level/etc.). Oh, and we don't hold off on grammar, writing, or spelling while learning to read - we incorporate it all in helping build literacy and fluency.

 

Phonics Pathways/Hooked on Phonics - 10-15 minutes a day

Reading (leveled readers/HOP readers) - 10-15 minutes a day

AAS - 15-20 minutes a day (10 words and then two sentences for dictation - in the beginning he was only doing 5 words and 1 phrase for dictation; by Christmas he was doing 10 words and 2 sentences)

WWE 1 - He started this in the fall some time; he began with one word copywork, working up to 3-4 word sentences for copywork as his penmanship and fine motor skills improved.

FLL 1 (and now he sits in with ds#1 for MCT Island level materials)

Miquon/Singapore Math

Latin - Song School Latin; he will probably begin LfC A with ds#1 this summer, but depending on how well he does it with, he may just sit in on the lessons but not be required to demonstrate any learning.

Electives - history, geography, science, art, Spanish

[LoveBaby]

A child entering first grade is supposed to be reading fluently????:blink:

 

So far, I haven't experienced a child that was reading fluently before entering first grade.

 

Most children don't learn to read until first grade. I think any first grade curriculum you like would work fine.;)

 

I don't see much of it in other places, but when reading this board, I see lots and lots of references to 5 and 6-year-olds who read very well. I thought I was in a very small minority here (not elsewhere) to have a 6-year-old rising first grader who wasn't reading much. I'm glad to know I'm not. :)

 

:iagree:

 

My son will be turning six late summer and I will consider him a K'er. He was no where near ready for formal K this year. We worked on basics, but not a lot of formal studies.

[crimsonkelley]

My son was not able to read until this year - 2nd grade. However, we used FLL #1 during our first grade year. He knew what a noun, adjective, etc... were. We also did math, science and history. (He listened to everythign I read to aloud and did the science experiments along with his 4th grade sister.) There were times I wanted to give him a book to read, but I enjoyed the time we sat down and read together. There were books I had never read - nor would have - had I not read them to him. We also worked on spelling, but it was very frustrating for him. He just wasn't ready. This year, he's doing great in spelling.

 

It was a concern that he didn't start reading until he was 7-8, because my daughter started reading at 4 1/2. However, I've learned to relax. Each child is different. Not all children will read by 6, 7 or even 8.