Tiramisu Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Why can't I just think it's enough for a fifth grader who is a good reader with a strong vocabulary to read good literature? Why do I have this (irrational?) fear she's going to miss something big if I don't buy CLE Reading, Mosdos, or something similar this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy to monkeys Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Fear not! tee hee Seriously, I don't think that you NEED a reading program for 5th grade. If you're really concerned, you could just get the mosdos reader and let your dc read that at their own pace. Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong, but I BELIEVE that concepts like plot etc are included in the student text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I've never used a reading program and I'm not sure I ever plan to. I used a phonics program and then my children just jumped right into books. I assign them various books during the school year but even with that I'm pretty easy going. My daughter who will be eleven in Sept is currently reading Pride & Prejudice and my 8yo son just finished the entire How to Train your Dragon series in less than 2 weeks. They are both voracious readers. I hear them read aloud in the evenings when we have family time. I read aloud often to them and that helps increase their vocabulary. They are constantly telling me about the various books they are reading so I know they comprehend them. Guess I'm just not terribly worried about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I'm going to use http://www.bookadventure.com as an incentive to have them take quizzes on reading material that I pick out, but really I've never done anything and my daughter (12) currently has 74 books from the library. She reads ALL the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Let her enjoy good literature & forego the reading program. Really, it will be ok! :) Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessedmom3 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 CLE is more than just a reading program . Just look at the Scope&Sequence . One could never cover all these things by just reading books. That said , I do not plan to do any program before 4th grade , but after that , I do consider CLE or DITHOR . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Why can't I just think it's enough for a fifth grader who is a good reader with a strong vocabulary to read good literature? Why do I have this (irrational?) fear she's going to miss something big if I don't buy CLE Reading, Mosdos, or something similar this year? It's enough. Don't kill it with formal curriculum. Get a reference book of some kind that lists literary terms, and informally go through it. For 5th grade, teach plot, and character, and so on, informally, so the kiddo knows the terms (if they don't already). Ask about what they are reading and discuss in the normal way that people do, when they've read a good book. Read a few of the same things, so you can discuss, in the way that people do when they read the same books. Consider asking a few other kids to create a book club. Ask them what that would be like. Try out a few ideas. Make it fun, not tedious. Maybe a sci-fi book club, or a historical fiction book club, or a girly book club. Or just a general one. Watch some Shakespeare, listen to some audio stories, have a poetry reading circle, make up your own songs, write stories. Whatever catches your interest. IMHO, formal lit studies, *for a child who is an eager and able reader*, can wait until late middle or early high school. Getting a lot of reading under their belt is the best prep for later, more formal studies. Don't get bogged down in school-y stuff. This approach worked well for my kids, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Read classic lit and discuss. If you need comp guides for your benefit, they are often free online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 31, 2010 Author Share Posted July 31, 2010 Thank you for all your reassuring comments. I made the mistake of looking at the CLE samples and now I'm wavering even more. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 If you have an avid reader I wouldn't worry. I do think the 5th grade reading CLE program is for half a year to allow for plenty of other reading. Now if you have a reluctant reader like I do, it hepa cover many bases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen Academy Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 I have never been a fan of reading programs, but last year I found a CLE 6th grade reader, cheap, at a used curriculum sale. While I was ordering math for my younger ds, I order a few units of the 6th grade reading program for ds11. He is an avid reader of quite advanced material, but we haven't done much in the way of analysis, literary terms, etc. What I liked about CLE reading was that it offered just that, in a way that wasn't heavy handed. The selections are short enough that he was still able to do all of his other reading, and I liked the vocabulary and scripture it included. He actually really enjoyed it, and found it a little challenging in a good way, said it made him think. Because of this, I went ahead and ordered 3rd grade materials for two ds9, one of whom has a hearing loss, and the other who has some visual tracking issues. The second remembers everything he hears, but has trouble recalling what he's read. The CLE reading program was wonderful for both of these ds as well, for different reasons. I still don't think a reading program is necessary, but if you are considering one, CLE is a great program. It doesn't contain twaddle and busywork you might find in other programs, and is actually, IMHO, worthy of the time spent doing it. Blessings, Aimee mom to 6 great kids, ages 7-19, schooling grades 2, 2, 4 and 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 While I don't think a reading program is necessary at 4th grade, I will say that my DS did CLE Reading 6th, and I was actually impressed and shocked at some of the literary terms that were being taught...which I would have never thought to teach him. And I agree with another PP, these are things that most children are not going to pull out of reading themselves. So while I don't think it is necessary at 4th grade, I would not advise never having done some sort of program that teaches about these things. For me, CLE was a great open and go program in 6th grade, one that he virtually did on his own, with me just coming up behind him and checking his work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinagirl Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 We did BJU 4th and 5th complete grades with my youngest son. What I realized this past year was that he really didn't need a reading program anymore. He missed maybe one or two questions the entire year. I think his 4th grade reading did a lot for him though, in just getting him to think more about what he was reading. I wouldn't say reading in 5th grade is 'useless' but I do agree with others that if you have a child who is good at reading and does well in comprehension, then it probably isn't necessary. With that said though, I'm not familiar with CLE and their scope and sequence. A reading program might teach other things. I know BJU also has some word roots, dictionary skills, etc. It wasn't just reading/comprehension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 Thank you all. Since I have to order CLE math anyway, I may just order the reader and one light unit. Perhaps that will convince me one way or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.