My thoughts on ETC...

[Jennefer@SSA]

I have been using ETC for over 5 years now and with all three boys. It has been a wonderful curriculum for us and it has taught my oldest two to read and #3 is well on his way (He read his first sentence this week!!!) But the journey has not been without lessons. I put my thoughts in a blog post. I thought I would share in case another family is starting out using this resource. I hope it helps someone else. You may want to skip the first part that talks about how I used it and jump to the Lessons Learned part at the towards the bottom of the post.

 

If you are an ETC user and you notice anything I forgot, please share! :)

 

Thoughts on Explode the Code

[Farrar]

We are just starting with ETC. One of my twin sons can read (mostly self-taught) and I'm using it to plug holes in his phonics knowledge. The other is still learning, so it's his first really formal program. While I see it working with my son who is still learning, it's brilliant with my son who can already read. He flies through it, but he's getting a lot out of it and the fact that there's so much writing is a plus since it slows him down and gives him a reason to pause and think. It's almost a spelling program for him and I see it really improving his writing - slowly but surely. I think I like it for this reinforcement of skills better than as an introduction to skills.

 

With my son who is still learning, I totally agree about needing to sit with him and make him read every word. If I don't, he just gets lost anyway.

[Tree House Academy]

Thank you for sharing this. I have found much of what you said to be true. My youngest son, 7 and in the 1st quarter of 2nd grade, is starting ETC book 6. He does 3 pages a day (4 days a week) and also does the lessons online once a week. He has learned so much with ETC and he loves it. He learned to read using ETC and I honestly think his writing is what it is today because of ETC. :) We love it!

[PenKase]

What a great blog entry! I've been thinking about dropping ETC in favor of AAS but have been on the fence about it. Your post is helping me rethink ETC. My dd6 has used it since Book 1 and I've seen many great benefits thus far. She is curretnly working through Book 4...we also do the 1/2 levels. In our house, I count dd's ETC work as phonics, reading, handwriting, and spelling. I always say she's a natural speller but I wonder if it's really because of the progress she's made with ETC. Hmmm.

[kfeusse]

Do you all use the TE or just the books. I have never purchased the TE becasue I didn't think it was needed...am I wrong? Also, have any of you used Beyond the Code?

[Saille]

That's a great blog post! Thank you!

 

The only thing I'd really add is that ETC Online requires some management. It's very exacting about speed, and I've found that I had to bump the kids up a level from time to time, because after a while their speed will drop just due to boredom from doing the same lesson again and again trying to hit the speed requirement.

[redsquirrel]

Thanks! That was very helpful. We just started with ETC after stalling with Reading Reflex. This gave me a lot to think about.

 

I have all 8 books and we are almost done with number2. I didn't buy any of the 'half' books but will if I think he needs the extra time.

[Jennefer@SSA]

What a great blog entry! I've been thinking about dropping ETC in favor of AAS but have been on the fence about it. Your post is helping me rethink ETC. My dd6 has used it since Book 1 and I've seen many great benefits thus far. She is curretnly working through Book 4...we also do the 1/2 levels. In our house, I count dd's ETC work as phonics, reading, handwriting, and spelling. I always say she's a natural speller but I wonder if it's really because of the progress she's made with ETC. Hmmm.

 

My oldest is what I have always called a natural speller too but I've always said it comes by virtue of his incredible memory as well as the rock solid foundation he got with ETC!

[Jennefer@SSA]

Do you all use the TE or just the books. I have never purchased the TE becasue I didn't think it was needed...am I wrong? Also, have any of you used Beyond the Code?

 

I have one TE, never used it and didn't buy anymore. :) The end of book tests we just skip. I already know their strengths and weaknesses at that point. ;)

[Jennefer@SSA]

Thanks! That was very helpful. We just started with ETC after stalling with Reading Reflex. This gave me a lot to think about.

 

I have all 8 books and we are almost done with number2. I didn't buy any of the 'half' books but will if I think he needs the extra time.

 

Yes, there was a thread that went around this summer about the concept of "overteaching" when it came to math. Teaching to a point of automaticity is the goal: when a child has done it so much that they can do it without ever thinking about it. I don't think it is needed or even appropriate to apply this concept to every subject; you'd lose your mind! But when it come to phonics and math - YEP! That's what the 1/2 books have been for us, anyway! Taking what they already know and driving it deeper and deeper!

[Farrar]

That's a great blog post! Thank you!

 

The only thing I'd really add is that ETC Online requires some management. It's very exacting about speed, and I've found that I had to bump the kids up a level from time to time, because after a while their speed will drop just due to boredom from doing the same lesson again and again trying to hit the speed requirement.

:iagree: We dropped it for that reason. My kid who can read chapter books was doing WORSE than my kid who struggles through Hop on Pop. That was my clue that speed was weighted WAY too heavily. :001_huh: At this point, I wouldn't recommend it at all, though we like the workbooks.

[Jennefer@SSA]

We've never done the online version either. One of the things I like best about ETC is the writing component - even if that means your child is writing in salt poured on a jelly roll pan b/c they are not ready for the fine motor skills required for all ETC requires. There is something that happens when they are looking at it, saying it and writing it. I wouldn't want to lose that in the online version.

[Sandy in Indy]

We stuck with the online version for almost two years--and I wish I hadn't. I bought the books at convention and ds is flying through them. I think he got caught on the speed issue with the online version. He isn't quick at things (like math facts) but he's very accurate. Anyway, I'm much happier with the results I'm seeing with the print version.

 

We also started reading the Magic Tree House books. Certainly not great literature--all the sentence fragments drive me nuts! BUT, the stories have caught his attention and he's excited now about sitting down with a book. He reads a page and I read the remainder of the chapter. Next book, he'll read another page. Pretty soon, he'll be reading all of it!

[Mama2two]

I have been using ETC for over 5 years now and with all three boys. It has been a wonderful curriculum for us and it has taught my oldest two to read and #3 is well on his way (He read his first sentence this week!!!) But the journey has not been without lessons. I put my thoughts in a blog post. I thought I would share in case another family is starting out using this resource. I hope it helps someone else. You may want to skip the first part that talks about how I used it and jump to the Lessons Learned part at the towards the bottom of the post.

 

If you are an ETC user and you notice anything I forgot, please share! :)

 

Thoughts on Explode the Code

 

Jennifer, so you use just ETC and readers for teaching how to read?

 

I was considering doing that (my son is struggling with the paragraphs in OPGTR but leaves ETC) but was worried it wouldn't cover everything.

[Spy Car]

One thing I liked about ETC is that we could very successfully use the Primers and ETC 1-3 without doing the handwriting at all. We did them "orally" and/or using a finger instead of a pencil.

 

Because my son was a little on the young side when we started I was pleased how well ETC could be de-linked from the handwriting without compromising the reading/phonics.

 

Now I like the handwriting element. But earlier I didn't want any possible frustrations with handwriting to cause frustrations with reading. This approach worked well for us.

 

Bill

[ChrisB]

We are using ETC and primers too. DD literally just finished with book 5. The only 1/2 books we've used is book 4 1/2 to help cement syllabication. I also start the kids on the primers right when they turn 4. They actually beg for it at that age. I've found small stickers to be a great motivation for them--one sticker per page completed.

 

ETA: I restrict how many pages the kids can complete per day. I'm finding, with my children, that if they complete 2 pages versus 4 or 5/day, then they grasp the concepts better. Especially since they do not complete most of the 1/2 books. Or I'll change it up, 3 easy pages or 2 harder pages, for example.

Edited October 21, 2010 by ChrisB

[Jennefer@SSA]

Jennifer, so you use just ETC and readers for teaching how to read?

 

I was considering doing that (my son is struggling with the paragraphs in OPGTR but leaves ETC) but was worried it wouldn't cover everything.

 

Basically yes, with 2 additions. I have used the Leap Frog videos to teach sounds that letters make (while I am doing school with big brother) so that when they start the ETC primers they already recognize all their letters and know the sound they make.

 

And I read to my boys out loud quite a bit ( I wish I could do it even more than I do but I probably now average at least 30 minutes a day). They have listened to books from the day they were born. They also listen to lots and lots of unabridged audio books. It grows in them a love of reading, a great vocabulary and a longing to learn for themselves because love for the printed word is already there!

 

That aside I think that ETC with lots of practice in phonics readers (I have 3 sets) is plenty to build a strong foundation for most kids in my experience.

[Jennefer@SSA]

One thing I liked about ETC is that we could very successfully use the Primers and ETC 1-3 without doing the handwriting at all. We did them "orally" and/or using a finger instead of a pencil.

 

Because my son was a little on the young side when we started I was pleased how well ETC could be de-linked from the handwriting without compromising the reading/phonics.

 

Now I like the handwriting element. But earlier I didn't want any possible frustrations with handwriting to cause frustrations with reading. This approach worked well for us.

 

Bill

 

Yes! I agree. :) I always keep a jelly roll pan full of salt for my boys to "write" in when they get tired. Also a gallon size freezer baggie filled with some shaving cream and air squeezed out is a fun way to practice for a child who isn't ready being needlessly frustrated by the fine motor component.

[Mama2two]

Basically yes, with 2 additions. I have used the Leap Frog videos to teach sounds that letters make (while I am doing school with big brother) so that when they start the ETC primers they already recognize all their letters and know the sound they make.

 

And I read to my boys out loud quite a bit ( I wish I could do it even more than I do but I probably now average at least 30 minutes a day). They have listened to books from the day they were born. They also listen to lots and lots of unabridged audio books. It grows in them a love of reading, a great vocabulary and a longing to learn for themselves because love for the printed word is already there!

 

That aside I think that ETC with lots of practice in phonics readers (I have 3 sets) is plenty to build a strong foundation for most kids in my experience.

 

thanks Jennifer, I may try that as well since OPGTR is causing frustration but my son does great with ETC. We aren't as consistent with readers so I will try replacing OPGTR with more of those.

[Jennefer@SSA]

thanks Jennifer, I may try that as well since OPGTR is causing frustration but my son does great with ETC. We aren't as consistent with readers so I will try replacing OPGTR with more of those.

 

You are welcome! Glad it helped and hoping it all works for you!!!

[stripe]

Good heavens! Your little boy in the green striped shirt is darling! I laughed at his excellent posture and amused expression while doing his work. :)