Katiebug_1976 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 What would you recommend for a young K'er? My dd will trun 5 in November, but she has been asking when she gets to start school, so we are going to start some K work this summer/fall. She know some of her letters/sounds but not all of them yet. I plan to let her tag along w/ the older kids using MFW year 4, but I need something phonics on her level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim.4dogs Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I really like them both together. We started using OPGTR this fall with my 5 yo, and as soon as we hit the lessons on blending sounds together to make words, he just couldn't do it. I stopped and he worked through the Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code books (Books A, B, and C) and that really helped him. Since then, we've been working through ETC and OPGTR together. They fit together nicely in my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 My son is using OPGTR and he's the same age. I highly, highly, highly recommend using "The Frog" (Leapfrog Letter Factory) to teach letters and sounds before you start OPGTR. We did letters/sounds through OPGTR, and it was 3 very long weeks. The Frog cemented everything in 3 days. :001_huh: Next child is just going straight to The Frog. Much easier on mom! I haven't used ETC at all, but it looks like it would work well with OPGTR. I don't use OPGTR by itself. I use Webster's syllabary, and then I pull sentences from OPGTR. So I'm kind of doing a franken-phonics approach, and I may add in ETC at some point. I just haven't yet. We do OPGTR at the white board. My son LOVES his lessons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 :iagree: Ditto on the frogs. Simply amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erika Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I like the two together. We started OPGTR at lesson 27 and ETC book one at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 My son is using OPGTR and he's the same age. I highly, highly, highly recommend using "The Frog" (Leapfrog Letter Factory) to teach letters and sounds before you start OPGTR. We did letters/sounds through OPGTR, and it was 3 very long weeks. The Frog cemented everything in 3 days. :001_huh: Next child is just going straight to The Frog. Much easier on mom! I haven't used ETC at all, but it looks like it would work well with OPGTR. I don't use OPGTR by itself. I use Webster's syllabary, and then I pull sentences from OPGTR. So I'm kind of doing a franken-phonics approach, and I may add in ETC at some point. I just haven't yet. We do OPGTR at the white board. My son LOVES his lessons! What is "The Frog"? I googled it and came up with a DVD set. Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyWifeandMommy Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I had all the Leap Frog stuff for preschool and we all loved them. Now to the present, I am using OPGTR with my 6 and 7 year olds along with ETC. My son is reading after completing 100 EZ Lessons but the OPGTR is a review since I haven't boughten anything in the LA department for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 What is "The Frog"? I googled it and came up with a DVD set. Is that right? Yes, Leapfrog Letter Factory is the particular one I was referring to, which teaches letters and sounds. There are also two Word Factory DVDs that are also good. I have one of them, which works on blending. I haven't gotten the second one yet. The DVDs are inexpensive on Amazon. I think around $7ish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I am using OPGTTR with my DS5. It is an amazing find. He complains about doing it, but he has picked up reading so quickly. He would much rather just read his readers, but I make him do a little bit of OPGTTR every day and it is paying off. I am going to use MCP Plaid Phonics to supplement phonics. DS really loves workbooks and it is a great mix of review and new stuff so he doesn't get overwhelmed. SWB recommended it in WTM. I probably won't do the entire workbook, but it is fun for him to do. I have heard good things about ETC as well, but wasn't wowed by it when I saw it at the HS convention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 ETC is a lot of writing, if she writes well and easily (which I've heard can happen at this age, but I have not yet experienced with my very wiggly boys ;)), then go for it! ETC was way too much writing for my oldest at that age so we had to drop it. A year later we came back to something similar (SRA Phonics) that Memoria Press uses and it was not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classically Minded Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 OPGTR is all you need and it works! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I think they work very well together - they really reinforce one another. And here is another pitch for ETC - I used it as a kid. I remember it, believe it or not, from about first grade on in around 1980 and up. It just made sense to me and I believe it helped me to be the strong reader and speller that I am today. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthiopianFood Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 ETC moves much more slowly than OPGTR. I can't remember which book I bought, but it took all 90ish (?) pages in that ETC workbook to cover what OPGTR covered in two weeks. :001_huh: If that is the pace your child is moving at naturally, then it would be excellent reinforcement. For me, I like being able to speed up when she gets a concept quickly without feeling like I have to also do a workbook or I will have wasted my money. When we need to move more slowly, I take more time with her readers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I started my 4 year old on OPGTR and ETC. She was already starting to read and was comfortable writing her letters so it was an easy transition. I think ETC can get a bit repetitive at times but you can skip pages if needed. Also, another happy Frogger here. We have Letter Factory, Amazing Alphabet, a math one, and an older one where the frogs are preparing for kindergarten. I was not sure about showing the kindergarten one since my dc won't be attending public school but am so glad I did. My dd learned her days of the week and all her months from their songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 ETC is a lot of writing, if she writes well and easily (which I've heard can happen at this age, but I have not yet experienced with my very wiggly boys ;)), then go for it! ETC was way too much writing for my oldest at that age so we had to drop it. A year later we came back to something similar (SRA Phonics) that Memoria Press uses and it was not a problem. I am glad it isn't just me. My DS really doesn't like writing and still struggles with his pencil grip too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 Yes, Leapfrog Letter Factory is the particular one I was referring to, which teaches letters and sounds. There are also two Word Factory DVDs that are also good. I have one of them, which works on blending. I haven't gotten the second one yet. The DVDs are inexpensive on Amazon. I think around $7ish? Ok, great, thanks! I think I've seen these at our library. I will have to go and see if I can find them. I think dd will really like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 ETC is a lot of writing, if she writes well and easily (which I've heard can happen at this age, but I have not yet experienced with my very wiggly boys ;)), then go for it! ETC was way too much writing for my oldest at that age so we had to drop it. A year later we came back to something similar (SRA Phonics) that Memoria Press uses and it was not a problem. She's not a real big writer yet. She has started to roughly form some letters on her own, so I think she might enjoy a little bit of workbooky pages, but I don't know if she could handle a bunch. OPGTR is all you need and it works! ;) Great, thanks! I really think I am leaning toward this program for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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