Would you continue with...

[cseitter]

the ETC series if your DS isn't doing the letter writing just doing the phonics part of the book? My DS (4.5) is doing the ETC Get Ready series. We just finished the first book but we only did the phonics part and he did the circling parts (circle the one that is different, circle the one letter that the name of the pic starts with, that sort of thing) .

 

I am having a REALLY hard time getting him to hold his pencil correctly. We are doing HWOT as well but he just isn't ready for all that writing.

 

Would you continue with the series even though you are only doing part of it? He knows all of his sounds really well and his beginning reading. We are also using HOP.

 

If you wouldn't continue with the series would you do something else? He has a twin sister that is writing really well and working through the ETC series using the entire book. :)

[KS_]

Yes, I'd continue it (and did w/ my two dc). Ds, especially, didn't have the fine motor control to do any of the writing when we started the books, so I'd just have him trace as best he could with his finger and we did the rest orally. I stuck with the series all the way through and was very pleased with it.

[rootsnwings]

My DS(3.5) is almost finished with book A. He had a HORRIBLE grip until he started doing ETC. I just corrected him continuously until he got it. After 3 or so weeks of correcting him every time, and showing him my grip the entire time he's trying to write, he finally seems to have caught on!!! Now if he would decide which hand he wants to use, we'd be golden! He's still swapping right and left but is predominately left-handed at this point. :)

 

I would stick with ETC and put away HWOT until he's a little older and DOES have good control with the pencil/chalk. Just let him practice formation with ETC (and learn the phonics!) Maybe incorporate HWOT's teaching methods on the day when you're learning the new letter, and then just let him practice the writing in ETC.

 

I personally wouldn't stop ETC. My ds is learning too much, and while he doesn't have the control to write well yet, he still tries, and he's learning to READ which is so much more important, imo, at his age. Just encourage, but don't force him if he's not ready. It's not going to hurt him to skip some writing, but he will gain plenty just by going through the series.

 

ETA: Maybe he needs to skip to book 1 if he already knows all his letter sounds?

Edited April 7, 2011 by rootsnwings

[rootsnwings]

Another suggestion that might be helpful:

 

I cut the binding off all the primer books and put them in page protectors in a binder. This way we can use dry erase markers and after Caleb goes through them, we can wipe them and reuse them again for Julie. I bought some *little* dry erase markers that are about the size of a chunky crayon when the cap is on the back of the marker. PERFECT for his little hands. The writing is a little "slick" at first, but it seems to have made him have to concentrate more on what he's writing, and now he's learned to hold the page, etc. to keep the marker from slipping.

 

Anyway, just a thought for you, especially since you have 2 working through the books! :)