How do you use ETC?

[DragonFaerie]

Do you actually teach it or just have your kids do the exercises in the books? And if you teach it, how? DS has done through book four and he has learned some from it but it seems like a lot of busywork.

[redsquirrel]

How old is he?

 

I have my son do about two pages a day. I sit at his side and he reads everything to me. I mostly cover up the pictures with a cloth napkin and he reads and then I uncover the picture and he picks, circles, whatever the correct picture or word.

 

I do not make him do the writing exercises. He just started book 5 and he can read sentences in Magic Tree House book etc.

[DragonFaerie]

He's 8 and just finished 2nd grade. He is reading on grade level now and can manage chapter books like MTH. Basically, I read the "rule" for the lesson to him and make sure he understands it. Then, I have him read all the words on each page to me before going off to do the work himself (he does all of it; about 1/2 a lesson per day). Any mistakes he makes are corrected and he must read those words to me again to make sure he knows where he went wrong.

 

Is that enough? Should I be doing more? I like the workbooks and I think they are helping him read. I just want to be sure I'm using them to the fullest potential and not just loading him down with busywork.

[redsquirrel]

My son is a new 6 year old (considered a kindergartner by the state) and he just started book 5. It is not busy work for him because he is a new-ish reader. If your son is 8 and reading at grade level he is beyond beginner reading instruction. It might feel like busywork because he has mastered the skill. If he can read a MTH book, then you might be done with reading instruction. At least, that is when I always stopped. Once they are reading at that level I figure I can move on to bigger and better things.

 

If you are wanting to teach phonics rules and he can already read, then it is time to focus on spelling. But, I have never required my kids to know phonics rules inside and out. I just wanted them to read, so YMMV.

[Erika]

My son is 6 and we are just beginning ETC for review and doing readers. Sounds like a phonics based spelling (AAS, SWR, etc) would be better for your son right now.

[lulubelle]

My son is also 8 and is on book 5. We do all the 1/2 books. I want to make sure he has lots of repetition. I have him do 2 pages a day and do not review before hand. I am hoping it gets him to slow down a bit. His spelling is slowly getting better. I also have him doing Plaid Phonics and Spelling Workout. I figure between all these workbooks, reading, and listening to reading he will eventually become a good speller. I will give him this next year through before I seriously consider a specific spelling curriculum. Phonics Pathways, which we used for learning to read, is looking good for a spelling program I may use.

[Jennefer@SSA]

Here is a link to a blog post I wrote all about how I use ETC.

[DragonFaerie]

My son is also 8 and is on book 5. We do all the 1/2 books. I want to make sure he has lots of repetition. I have him do 2 pages a day and do not review before hand. I am hoping it gets him to slow down a bit. His spelling is slowly getting better.

 

This is kind of what I am thinking, too. Although, I am also going to be using RS Spelling With Sound and Structure. I think understanding that there are rules to spelling, though not necessarily memorizing them, will help him both with his spelling and his reading. I'm considering ETC to be extra reading practice, a way for me to make sure he's reading and understanding the words, and help with spelling. It also gives him a little bit of handwriting practice, too.

 

Thanks, ya'll. I guess I'm seeing that it isn't just busywork. It really is helping on several fronts.

[DragonFaerie]

Here is a link to a blog post I wrote all about how I use ETC.

 

Thanks! That's great!

[kentuckymommy]

This is kind of what I am thinking, too. Although, I am also going to be using RS Spelling With Sound and Structure. I think understanding that there are rules to spelling, though not necessarily memorizing them, will help him both with his spelling and his reading. I'm considering ETC to be extra reading practice, a way for me to make sure he's reading and understanding the words, and help with spelling. It also gives him a little bit of handwriting practice, too.

 

Thanks, ya'll. I guess I'm seeing that it isn't just busywork. It really is helping on several fronts.

 

This is the route I have used with my oldest three...my two boys are great spellers. My oldest, dd, not so much. But, they can all figure out just about any word the come across reading and even when they misspell the words make sense from a phonics stand point. ETC, while 'easy' really does make a difference from what I can see, and it also provides a little extra reading and writing practice.

[DragonFaerie]

This is the route I have used with my oldest three...my two boys are great spellers. ETC, while 'easy' really does make a difference from what I can see, and it also provides a little extra reading and writing practice.

 

Thanks. This makes me feel better. :)

[cjbeach]

My 5 yo is on book 3. We use it as our primary phonics program, we do it entirely together. Sometimes if I'm busy with one of my older two I'll turn around to find him having finished the page we were on, or another page independently (the little turkey).

We also use MCP Phonics A but it moves much quicker than ETC. He's a little guy still nailing down long vowels and silent-e words, so I have no desire to rush.

He and his sister (when she was learning to read 4 or 5 years ago) both love ClickNKids for additional reading practice. We "dabble" in 100EZ but both preferred just the phonogram cards.

I am a thrift store/junking junkie. I find and use new and vintage phonics readers that look like fun (especially any that he has found while junking with his momma on one of the dreaded Saturday morning junking drag-alongs;)).

For sight words we use sight word bingo, a ring of flashcards, and STarfall.

[DragonFaerie]

He has done all of Starfall. I think most of it was pretty easy for him. I think I am mainly using ETC now for the rules of how and why to sound out words and also for some spelling reinforcement. The handwriting parts don't hurt, either. :D

[Satori]

Since ETC is just a review of what we learned in other programs, I just set her to work independently in it. I circle 4 page numbers (now just 2 in ETC 8) and tell her to go at it. I've blogged about using ETC a few times. It's been with us in homeschooling since the beginning. I'm a bit sad to have to say goodbye to it forever later this month.

[DragonFaerie]

Since ETC is just a review of what we learned in other programs, I just set her to work independently in it. I circle 4 page numbers (now just 2 in ETC 8) and tell her to go at it. I've blogged about using ETC a few times. It's been with us in homeschooling since the beginning. I'm a bit sad to have to say goodbye to it forever later this month.

 

My son does his independently after we read the rule and he reads all the words to me.

[Guest]

Since ETC is just a review of what we learned in other programs, I just set her to work independently in it.

 

Same here. I did try to do them as lessons but quickly realized that there was nothing new for Adrian there. I just ordered books 7 and 8 and will have him whip through them quickly just as review.