WiseOwlKnits Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 We're finishing up CLE 100 right now. I've been thinking this for a while and I'd like to get some feedback. I'm not convinced though that we need to do a reading program. It doesn't seem like she learns anything from reading lessons. Her reading improves the most when we she just reads on her own or reads with me, both of which we do frequently. We cover phonics as part of CLE LA. She can read pretty much any book she picks up. I'm tempted to just assign her books to read and talk about them with her and call that good for reading. Is this an awful idea? Am I going to be hurting her down the road if I do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in the UP of MI Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 You don't need a reading program! I mostly just read books to dd, but I do ask her to narrate those books occasionally. She also does narration with WWE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 What finally worked best for my slowest-to-learn reader (the other two pretty much taught themselves) was lots of early readers plus Explode the Code. I like ETC to make sure they're covering all the bases with phonics, but I haven't done anything more intensive than that for any of mine once their reading took off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Really? Wow! The idea of not doing a formal reading program next year is really intriguing. Hmmmmm..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Unless you are remediating a specific problem I wouldn't bother. The advantage of homeschooling is you know if she understands. Your spelling program (if/when needed) will reinforce phonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassy Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I've used phonics and spelling programs, but I've never used a reading program. I just pick books at their level for reading and let my kids read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I was doing CLE Reading 100 for about 3 weeks. Then I realized it was really just busywork. I switched a couple weeks ago to just having him read aloud to me for a bit, doing a narration once or twice a week, and just basically discussing what he's read. This has improved his reading more in the 2 weeks we've been doing this than the 3 weeks we'd done CLE. Probably around 4th or 5th grade, we'll start some type of literary analysis. Until then, occasional narrations, discussions, and reading aloud is all we need, I think. Our first book was Boxcar Children #1. This week we started Charlotte's Web. I think these stories are better literary quality anyway. For spelling, we're doing AAS, which takes care of phonics. I'm so happy to not see the overuse of the schwa in CLE ever again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 After finishing Reading Made Easy, my dds had phonics instruction through All About Spelling. Other than that, we read. A lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 You don't. Let her read... that's what my 3 and 4th grader as well as my 1st grader do. They are all reading fluently for their level so I just let them enjoy. I do pick out their books though... With my K'er we are doing phonics which I believe is necessary, but when he is reading fluently we'll drop any "official" reading curriculum. I think our main job at this stage is to immerse them in wonderful literature and teach them the love of reading. There will be plenty of time for analysis work later! You may want to listen to SWB's lecture on literary analysis. It confirmed my belief that kids just need to read, read, read unobstructed at this age. Next year I will begin some light lit analysis with my oldest (5th grade)... SWB has a GREAT plan for how to implement this when the time is right.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 No reading curriculum here! Phonics Pathways now for K. DD is reading well and we'll do phonics based spelling (AAS) next year. Other than that, we just live immersed in good literature - for her to read and for me and DH to read to her. Maybe different if you have one slow to pick up reading, but maybe not?! Many here seems to have done the same as we are doing even with children who read later than K/1st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I'm loving the confirmation from you guys! She loves to read and she's good at it. She loves to tell me about whatever book she's reading and what's going on in it. We do CLE LA for phonics, which I *love* and we do Sequential Spelling for spelling because spelling does NOT come naturally for her. We do narrations through SOTW and just in general. We're finishing 1st grade this week and next and I'm really excited about not continuing with a reading program next year! I already bought the entire CLE RDG 200 set though... Oh well.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 I was doing CLE Reading 100 for about 3 weeks. Then I realized it was really just busywork. I switched a couple weeks ago to just having him read aloud to me for a bit, doing a narration once or twice a week, and just basically discussing what he's read. This has improved his reading more in the 2 weeks we've been doing this than the 3 weeks we'd done CLE. This is exactly how I'm feeling about it. As much as I love CLE LA, CLE Rdg is seeming more and more like busy work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I use a reader, but not in the instructional manner that I believe you are asking. I choose to use the Elson Reader series. You often choose a reading program for several reasons: phonics, learning to decode a word, introduction and understanding of vocabulary, comprehension, et cetera. Many of these concepts can be accomplished through supplemental programs. I like that the readers are geared for a specific level of reading and move graducally from that intial difficulty to improve skills and vocabulary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) I would use a reading program. I'm of the old-school thinking. Reading isn't just about comprehension. There's a lot of critical thinking skills that go with it; comprehension is one in a million things attached to reading. In addition, there are morals, main ideas, fiction, facts, interpretive skills, vocabulary words that are unfamiliar in the book and the list goes on. However, if you think you can pull these out while talking about it, I would say you don't need a reading program. I went with no reading program then found out later how much we missed by just discussing what happened in the book. My kid loves those "dreary" books. LOL, but they're not anymore! And for what it's worth, when I grew up with them, they were. But she loves CLE's and BJU's Reading books. Great character traits and BJU has a ton of different types of stories, from limericks to rhymes to for fun, to tall tales, to non-fiction. Edited February 5, 2011 by alilac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I didn't use a reading programme with my boys at that age - they just read good books. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Just giving you more confirmation, we don't use a formal reading program. Dd reads above level and has great comprehension, at least from what I hear her tell her dad :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I did not read all the replies but I completely agree that you do not need a formal reading program when your dc can read well. I do highly recommend you read (if you have not already) the book deconstructing penguins! That is an awesome book about literature in the elementary aged kids. Just a side note- I did find a wonderful reading "curriculum" that we love (yes, I know I sound like a hypocrite right now LOL. Check it out, you might be intrigued :001_smile: Classic Worktexts/Shakespeare Worktexts. I go through these with dd (2 sections a day) then the next week she will read the full version of the book with amazing understanding. She really REALLY enjoys these. Now, if you have time to read and pull out vocabulary before then that would work well with the classics as well- but teaching 3 1/2 kids (4 year old is the 1/2 lol) I dont have time for that... although I could during the summer for the next year, hmmmm.... that is a thought. I might do that and save almost $100..... Anyways back to the point of my post, I highly recommend you read Deconstructing Penguins :001_smile: Sorry, this ended up being a rambling post LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Maybe I need to look at some more recent ones before I make judgements :) Mine is beginning K next year so we aren't there yet. I just remember being tortured by it in school. LOL...No, you're right, I too was tortured by it in school. But dd loves them and I hear a bunch others with CLE & BJU...Even I think they're pretty good. Not so....sooooo long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
---- Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 No reading curriculum here. We just cuddle up on the couch and read books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skueppers Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I don't agree with everything Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise have to say, but this quote from TWTM (first edition) resonates with me: "We strongly feel that 'reading texts' (books with snippets of stories and poems followed by comprehension exercises) turn reading into a chore. Books, even in the early grades, ought to be sources of delight and information, not exercises to be mastered." They then go on to describe reading and narration as their recommended alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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