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100 Easy Lessons...what next?


ruthie5573
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You can go to Pathway readers. This is what I did with dd (#1) after 100EL. I also added an inexpensive phonics program because I found that she wasn't equipped to read some of the words in the books I was checking out from the library (such as "would" and "eight"). This was years ago (before OPG) and I chose Simply Phonics by Shoelace books. (100EL goes up to beginning 2nd grade reading level and SP goes to the end of 3rd grade level.) We went through the first half of the book very quickly and then slowed down for the new material. This worked well for us because it was an oral program and dd was young. I found that many programs that are written for dc at that reading level are meant for older dc and have longer lessons and require more writing. At first I tried "just reading," but found I wasn't good at choosing readers from the library that progressed in a logical order. The SP/Pathway combo worked well for her. As we progressed through Pathway readers, I sometimes alternated reading pages with her because the stories were meant for older dc with longer focus/attention spans.

 

With ds (#2), we went with Funnix 2. This is a bit expensive, and I looked for a used copy for a couple of months before breaking down and buying it new. We found that it was worth the $$ -- ds loved the stories and the bits of animation on the software version of the stories. It basically goes like this: child reads new words on the computer and you press "next" once they are read correctly (a few screens); then he reads the story from a book with no pictures; next, it's back to the computer for a few comprehension questions (answered orally) and an illustrated, fun version of the story (child reading again, but not exact words from book); finally, the child writes answers to about 5-6 reading comprehensions and a few matching questions on a sheet of paper. (This could be done orally for a younger dc.) We found Funnix 2 to be a perfect fit after 100EL since the method is very similar. (Funnix 1 looks to be basically a computerized version of 100EL.) Ds loved it, and so I plan to go with Funnix 2 again after my 3rd dc finishes 100EL.

 

HTH!

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My son is 6 years old, and he's at the K level. We just finished Reading Made Easy which, like the 100 EZ Lesson, brings him to the beginning 2nd grade level. However, since RME uses marking (just like 100 EZ), he's not accustomed to read material without the marking.

 

This is what I did first to make the transition easier:

- made little readers (or booklet) out of the stories from RME WITHOUT all the marking. It works really well.

- Got him progressive phonics from http://www.progressivephonics.com which is a real deal considering the amount of phonics it covers phonics (btw, I got the download version for 10 dollar, which is half the special price offer, by filling out the scholarship form and stated that I am a homeschooling mom ). Progresive phonics allowed us to read aloud together. He read the letters with the big fonts, I read the rest. The reading is organized into 'phonic rule' starting with the short vowel, then vowel team, then silent e stuff, etc. At first, he enjoyed it. One book later, he balked at it because he didn't like the stories. Sure the stories are humorous, but sometimes my son just didn't get it. He prefers RME-type of stories. So, I ditched it.

 

What we are doing now:

- finish off the little readers from RME stories (home made).

- supplement this with the Mc Guffey primer and other 'old' primers (FREE from googlebooks, baldwin projects, gutenberg and many more sites). Here are other old primer you can try, if you are willing to print them out and use them:

a. Rose Primer and Sunshine primer (googlebooks). Starts out very easy. Just like Mc Guffey.

b. Runkel-Elson Primer and Treadwell primer (google books and baldwin projects). Starts out a bit advanced than the ones I mention in a).

Elson primer has a teacher guide at the back of the reader. So you can make an elaborate lesson out of it if you want. I highly recommend you to at least try Mc Guffey and Elson.

 

All these primers depict sweet moral stories, just like Pathway Readers. I was about to order pathway readers when I found these gems. My son loves these. He prefers these primers to Progressive Phonics. YEt, they are MORE difficult than the progressive phonics.

 

I also found that these old primers move quite fast. If you want to stretch your lesson so that your child can practice more on a concept, you should use these primers together. I also teach phonics as we go along, depending on the words he has difficulty with. I find that the BEST way to teach my son phonics is to do it that way.

 

He's kind of boy who will balk on phonics lesson if I attempt to do it separately. He hated Phonics Pathway and the Pyramids which made him read list of words and non-sense sentences. Progressive pHonics is better because it incorporates those words in a context (or so I thought). But turned out he hated it because of the stories. So now I try hard to only give him REAL stories. Looks like his taste is for sweet stories like RME stories, Mc Guffey and oldie goldie primer stories. I suspect if I give him pathway readers, he will love it.

 

I also do tandem reading with him. E.g. we read Snowy Days by Jack Ezra Keats (his little sister's favorite) together. I read the difficult words, he reads the easy words. We enjoy it because he likes the stories and he feels like he reads that aloud to his sister. The sentences make sense to him. The stories make sense to him. That's what matter to him.

 

HOpe this helps.

 

Dian

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We have use 100ez successfully with 3 so far, then I have gone to Phonics Pathways, skipping what they know and reviewing anything 100 didnt cover, which didnt seem to be too much.At this point, we also did a phonics wkbk, MCP plaid ones, starting with A(K was too simple), at the same time. Then we have pretty easily gone onto easy readers, and covered the readers VP recommends for 1st. I have only bought the 100 bk, Pp bk, and the phonics wkbk, the rest I get from the library if i dont own it. I dont know if this is foolproof, but it seems inexpensive and has worked well, my 5 1/2 yo can read Hill of Fire, Blueberries for Sal, Ox-Cart Man, among others, w/o much trouble.

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I recall shipping as fairly expensive but the books are very cheap for what you get (so many stories!). So, I bought all the books 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade. I've never used any of the workbooks or other materials, just the readers. Love, love, love them. My dc tend to go through Gr 1 level very fast (few months max) and then Gr 2 in abt 6 mos, Gr3 in abt 6 mos, so they cover all 3 "years" in maybe 12-18 mos and by that point are reading well enough that there are many appropriate books to choose from. The Gr1-3 books are all loosely about the same family/children, so there is a real connection with the stories/levels.

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