Teaching The Classics: Ready Readers, lit guides, etc....

[Beth in SW WA]

Feedback welcome on this.

 

I need a gentle lit analysis/reading comprehension program for dd 7. We do plenty of discussion/narration of our lit, but nothing formal as of yet.

 

Adam Andrew's/TTC samples look delightful. I like the idea of filling in a story chart. Dd will dig that also, I'm assuming.

 

I also own Deconstructing Penguins. I'll try that as well with the early elementary suggestions in the back of the book.

 

I love the idea of using classic/non-twaddle books for this purpose.

 

Thanks in advance!:001_smile:

[plain jane]

Well, according to SWB, you don't need to do anything formal with a child that age. :) That said, I'm in the same boat as you and kept feeling like I should do *some*thing. :001_huh:

 

I'll be watching this thread for ideas as I love the idea of using whole books for this. As it stands, I broke down and bought Ruby because I figured it would actually get done, rather than just wishful thinking on my part. :tongue_smilie: So far, the reading selections are delightful and I'm really pleased with it.

 

I'm :bigear: for what others have to say.

[Melora in NC]

I haven't used the Ready Readers (what a great book selection!), but our hs book discussion book uses TTC to guide discussions and we have found it a wonderful program/system! It is flexible enough to be usable with a seven year old or (I imagine) a seventeen year old. TTC begins by analyzing Peter Rabbit -- the author explains that literary analysis is easier to teach if you start with simple books-- so I'm sure he does a great job with Brave Irene, The Clown of God, etc. I'm sure this will be a fun way to talk about some excellent books!

[Beth in SW WA]

CLE 300 looks wonderful also. I somehow feel I need a reading comprehension program as well as a lit analysis program.

 

I've always assumed I would just use 'real' books with dc, but now I'm doubting that I can provide the discussion & analysis without a scripted program.

 

Talk me off the ledge, people. :)

[nansk]

Hi Beth,

Do take a look at this thread for more ideas: Something like Progeny Press/Mosdos Press literature guides?

 

Also, Dawn (nestof3) has a lot of free lit guides listed on her blog. If you decide to use these, you can get off the ledge :-)

 

I agree, btw - although SWB says not to use any lit study at this age, I do feel the need to conduct atleast an informal discussion with my dd based on our read alouds; and I find that I need some hand-holding, some guidance in this.

 

At present my dd is doing the RFWP Aesop Fables comprehension books, but I can imagine, for your older (advanced) dd, you would be looking for something more.

HTH

[Cleopatra]

I heard Adam Andrews speak at a convention where he broke down "A Bargain for Frances" in the seminar. It was fantastic! All of us were amazed at how much more we gleaned from the book, never mind our kids! :001_smile:

 

While we haven't used the Ready Readers, we have used some of the TTC lit guides and they are excellent. I simply use them to help me have an analytical discussion with my dd. The only writing I ever got her to do was fill in the story chart after we had verbally discussed each part of the story.

 

My main goal was to get my dd talking about what she was reading with no heavy expectations of right or wrong answers, or dread of having to do copious amounts of writing. It depends on what type of child you have but I've found it's not always easy to get them, not only talking about what they've read, but thinking about it as well. If I'd tried to add extras, my dd would have clammed up, hoping that the lesson would finish sooner (and therefore hoping to have less writing because she would have less to say). In any case, we have some wonderful discussions that now seem to transfer to other areas as well.

 

As for reading comprehension, I would get them to read a book and then narrate it back to you. If they can narrate back with few problems or answer basic verbal questions, they've understood what they've read. This is all I've done with my dd (we still do it) and her comprehension is excellent. We do vocabulary building separately.

 

We've also done the Progeny Press guides and found them to be too much busy work. They have some excellent comprehension/analysis questions in them but it is too, too much writing. Best left to older children who love book-work and writing.

 

HTH! :001_smile:

[Beth in SW WA]

Thank you all. We do plenty of narrations. I think we're ready to take it to the next level.

 

I want a comprehension program partly because I love all things school'ish. I don't mind workbooks/worksheets. My dds dig that style of learning -- as well as lots of discussion. I think there is room for both in our little homeschool.

 

CLE 300 looks like a good fit based on samples. Mosdos Ruby looks awesome too. TTC would be great for gentle intro to lit terms.

 

For LA we already do SWR, Shurley grammar 3, MCT GI, WWE 2 (almost done), copywork. We'll start WWE 3 in a couple months.

 

We read, read, read, discuss, repeat. She is reading Prince Caspian lately along with Little House books. I have VP comprehension guides for these books. We do them orally together.

 

I guess I'd like to find something she can do independently.

 

Thanks again, gang.:001_smile:

 

Pondering....

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm pretty much putting all of the lit guides that I'd bought over the years onto Paperback Swap. I just don't find that I've gotten much use out of them. If you're doing discussion and narration, I'm not sure that you're going to get tons more from a lit guide.

 

I've sort of come to think that most of them are good for a classroom, where you need to be able to measure a large group of students at the same time on the same thing. But I think just talking about what you read and eventually learning to write about what you read (really write, not answer questions in a blank) is a much better way.

 

I have been keeping track of my books read this year. I'm somewhere over 50 books. Some of them deserved blog reviews because they were so compelling. Some got reviews because they were so bad. But others just got put on the list with one sentence and that is all they will ever get from me.

[Beth in SW WA]

Reading Detective sounds like something she would like. I'll order the Beginning book and go from there.

 

I also plan to order CLE 300. For $36, it's worth looking into also.

 

We won't stop reading & discussing literature and living books. These workbook'ish ideas are simply supplemental.

 

I am also borrowing the TTC dvds from a friend.

 

Thank you all for taking the time to respond!

[T Baer]

Feedback welcome on this.

 

I need a gentle lit analysis/reading comprehension program for dd 7. We do plenty of discussion/narration of our lit, but nothing formal as of yet.

 

Adam Andrew's/TTC samples look delightful. I like the idea of filling in a story chart. Dd will dig that also, I'm assuming.

 

I also own Deconstructing Penguins. I'll try that as well with the early elementary suggestions in the back of the book.

 

I love the idea of using classic/non-twaddle books for this purpose.

 

Thanks in advance!:001_smile:

 

Each week (we met once a week for an hour), we discussed 1 element (character, setting...) and then used a book from Ready Reader or another book that was from their TTC list. By the end of the 10 weeks, the kids were able to not only fill in the story chart, but participate in discussions. Let me add that I had previously watched the TTC DVD's before I used RR.

[Beth in SW WA]

CLE 300 looks wonderful also. I somehow feel I need a reading comprehension program as well as a lit analysis program.

 

I've always assumed I would just use 'real' books with dc, but now I'm doubting that I can provide the discussion & analysis without a scripted program.

 

Talk me off the ledge, people. :)

 

Quoting myself. Ha! :)

 

Update: We started CLE 300 Reading this week. It's perfect. Just her speed. It will stretch her in areas that we otherwise would not have touched this year. I'm excited.

 

I love the fact that it's independent, requires her to read, think, comprehend & write. Plus, she loves little workbooks and the LightUnits are bite-sized. This will be a nice fit. We will still have plenty of time for her literature reading.

 

Thanks to those who offered feedback.