Aoife Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 So I am still working on this area for and currently we are on lesson 36 in OPGTR but are kind of paused and just playing games until I can figure out where to go. Our long term plan is to go into PR in 1st but here now in Pre-k with a DS begging to read I want to give him the best start possible with the smallest chance of fixing boo boos later from teaching him in less effective manner. My biggest worry is sight words. I don't like them and would rather teach them phonetically to avoid a problem later. OPGTR teaches them as sight words which I am not liking. So do I stay with OPGTR and supplement to get the phonetic teaching of the sight words or do I switch him now to an OG based system? The ones I am looking at per advice and would like to know more about are: Dancing bears Recipe for reading sound beginnings sensational strategies My questions are: Which of these is the most teacher friendly? I love that with OPGTR it's open and go. All I need to teach it is my card set, some magnets and the book and it is pretty scripted. What are you experiences with these programs? Did one work brilliantly for you or is there one that stands out as not working as well? If I went with dancing bears what would I need to buy? There are a ton of books on the site and I am confused as to what I'd need if I chose this route. Thanks so much again ladies you have been such a big help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aquiverfull Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 :bigear: Sorry I can't offer advice, but I'm interested in the replies to this as well. We tried OPG and didn't get very far. I just didn't like it. I'm looking for something as well, and may wait on All About Reading if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skueppers Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 My daughter doesn't naturally memorize sight words with any degree of ease, so there wasn't much danger of having her do so accidentally while using the OPGTR and getting into bad habits. I introduced the sight words to her when they came up, but didn't put them on flash cards, drill them, or review them. I just supplied them whenever it came up in the reading passages. This method worked fine for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 How many sight words are actually in there? I've used PP and there are only a few in it. When I looked through a friend's copy of OPG, it looked like it also only had a handful. With just a few, it's easy enough to teach them phonetically, my sight word page explains how: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/sightwords.html I've looked at the samples of Dancing Bears and it looks good. I own Recipe for Reading. It's explicit, but not scripted, it's more of a guide to using OG methods with word lists and games and ideas. If you add in their workbooks and other things, it's probably more scripted and laid out, but also more expensive. I haven't seen the last two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamamaloca Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I have heard that Sound Beginnings is open and go. I am considering switching to that from WRTR, I'm going to look at a copy of it that a friend has. I will say the author, also the owner of OurFathersHouse.biz, is wonderfully helpful and has answered my questions about it more than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Didn't you own SSWR? Not sure as my memory can be foggy but if you have it maybe you can start there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 BUMP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I was right where you are just a few months ago and here's what I did. I bought, then sold Sensational Strategies b/c really I just needed to "See" how the program worked, but once I got it, I felt like I didn't need everything that was there, i.e. I could imitate it well enough and re-coup some of my $$. I then got a copy of Recipe for Reading from my library and made sure I really understood the program as a whole. Finally I am teaching a letter a week. Now, you're already ahead of that, so I would rec. Recipe for Reading, using the styles and methods of OG (see my blog for nice examples of OG methods to teach). You can even buy workbooks for RR (from the SS website, I think) In your case, I might remove all the sight words from OPGTR and see if you can move forward, keeping in mind that many words they may list as sight words, you may be able to teach using the OG rules and markings. Otherwise, I found RR to be a wonderful and affordable option. It's on my list of things to buy for my personal library, even though I don't really need it, it is worthy of a place in my personal library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBaby Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I am using a book called "Learning at Home: Preschool and Kindergarten" by Ann Ward. It is a full curriculum and Christian in content, however in the back is the Kindergarten reading program and it's really great! It is based on the WRTR(Spalding) and but stretches those beginning skills out over a year. It is OOP, but I've seen it inexpensively at homeschoolclassifieds.com and here on the boards. I think I bought mind for about $7 and it's been well worth that even if I don't use anything besided the reading section in the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 I am using a book called "Learning at Home: Preschool and Kindergarten" by Ann Ward. It is a full curriculum and Christian in content, however in the back is the Kindergarten reading program and it's really great! It is based on the WRTR(Spalding) and but stretches those beginning skills out over a year. It is OOP, but I've seen it inexpensively at homeschoolclassifieds.com and here on the boards. I think I bought mind for about $7 and it's been well worth that even if I don't use anything besided the reading section in the back! My library had this, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 So did you go with Dancing Bears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aoife Posted September 4, 2010 Author Share Posted September 4, 2010 yep I ended up going with A1 , A2 and then into B and C afterward :) Thanks so much for the recommendation and advice!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Well, it's probably too late to offer another suggestion. But, I will in case others might be interested. Here's another idea: Reading Made Easy by Valerie Bendt I recently picked up a used copy of this and ordered the 4 activity books from CBD (with my free shipping code :001_smile:). You don't *need* the activity books, but they are so cute and definitely add to the program. Can I say this.........my dd LOVES LOVES LOVES this reading program. It is soooooooo easy and I can't believe I never had heard of it before. I have tried countless reading programs over the years and this is my favorite. I highly recommend it and am thrilled that I got it. :thumbup: The blue box to the side shows samples and tons of reviews: http://www.valeriebendt.com/ReadingMadeEasy.aspx http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=reading+made+easy&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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