If you're a fan of CLE Reading....

[creekmom]

will you please tell my why? I know there are people on this forum who are die hard fans! My daughter is entering 4th grade and has been reading various novels for reading time. She will occasionally write a short narration and we'll discuss the story, but I'm wondering if she needs more (like comprehension questions/ vocab. etc.). I checked out the sample onliine, and I was a little disappointed bc one of the characters in the story used incorrect grammar " ....so we was going...". I realize it was the way the kid talked, but I still don't like it in a child's reading book. I'm still interested simply bc I've heard such rave reviews about their reading. Thanks! :001_smile:

[motherdear]

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[creekmom]

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Yes

[creekmom]

OK- I was looking through the Light Units and saw that the incorrect grammar was addressed (the child needs to correct the poor grammar of the kids who didn't know any better in the story). One more question - is the teacher's guide necessary?

[momtotkbb]

We've used a variety of approaches and publishers over the years. We are using CLE this year w/ the Light Units for reading because I just felt there were some areas missing in my reading/literature instruction. The stories are sweet - not terribly long - but the questions in the LU's require more thought than what I've seen w/ SL, Abeka, or BJU. I like too that the program is set to where we can do it for a few days a week and then the kids can read "real" books. Most other curriculums are scheduled for a full 160-180 days. What we typically do is spend a couple weeks on the LU's and then take a break and the kids read a book and do narration, a written report, or project. If there is a character flaw in one of the character's in the stories my experience has been that they address it in the LU's discussion. I haven't found the tone overly religious which I had had issues w/ in other publisher's materials. I do have the Teacher Guides --I haven't used it a great deal. I'm getting ready to begin the 9th grade lit though and it does have somethings in it that I plan to use.

[FriedClams]

We use CLE reading and I love it. Like an earlier posted said - it addresses lots of things that the kids need to cover with regard to lit and comprehension - but it's a lot more than just test prep comprehension. My kids are very strong readers - but I think this is a really easy way to make sure we don't miss or gap anything. And, my kids really like the CLE reading (next to CLE bible it's both of their favorite subjects). I would recommend you look at the scope and sequence available on their website as it shows the full depth of the program.

 

I have one kid in CLE 401 reading, and this is the scope/sequence for that lightunit as an example:

Working with vocabulary words

Using a map

Comparing and contrasting past and

present

Pioneer and modern windows

Choosing the main idea of the story

Noting which lines of a poem rhyme

Matching characters to actions

Identifying rhyming words in poetry

Writing an ending line for a poem

Predicting events if circumstances

would have been different

Statements as fact or opinion

Characters’ feelings at given times

Abbreviations No. and Nos.

Discerning between imaginary and

non-imaginary statements

Interpreting a figure of speech

Learning the term simile

Identifying similes

Vocation in the story and in a poem

Determining why a story character’s

action was wrong

Writing about a personal fear

Using a map in an encyclopedia

Which story idea was most important

Characters’ actions — character traits

Sentences about a poem’s content

Deciphering a code

Finding parts of sentences that verify

statements

Inferring details from a story

Topic sentences of paragraphs

Putting story events in order

Identifying anachronisms

Inferring characters’ feelings from their

actions

Showing a characters’ feelings

God answered a character’s prayers

References to find various information

Pioneer life – enjoyable or not?

Interpreting a Bible verse

Memorizing and applying Scripture

 

My kids really like the reading program and look forward to the days they have stories (usually it's one story for 2 days and the love the readers!). I will say though that the activities are much more challenging than the reader "level", so I wouldn't make a placement based on the reading "level". I think it's a great program and highly recommend it!