PAL Reading/Writing with Kindergartener!

[jeffcolemanfamily]

Is anyone else using PAL Reading/Writing with their kindergartener?

 

I have watched all the videos and listened to the audios. We have done the lessons for three weeks now and I am finding that my kindergartener is forgetting the phonograms she is learning as it seems like so many are introduced so quickly!

 

Unlike other reading programs I have used, there is no reading out of real books until well after 80 lessons or so which I find very frustrating. I like the folder games and the Discovery cards look interesting but is a kindergartener going to remember all the sounds once they get to the Discovery cards to put them altogether?

 

I am doing the Reading and Writing lessons and I worry that teaching her how to write AND read the phonemes at the same time may be too much or confusing for her. Should I just drop the writing for now?

 

This program has been GREAT for my 2nd grader and 3rd grader who has dyslexia and the writing is great for teaching them how to form their letters correctly and we love the Aesop fables and comprehension questions.

 

I am freaking out that I may have spent a lot of $$ on this curriculum for my K daughter and it may be too fast and too much for her. Do i keep on keeping at it or slow it down for her but keep at the same pace for my older daughters? It takes a lot of time each day to teach {about an hour total for the reading and writing lessons together plus another 20 min. for file folder games}. I don't know how I will have time to teach two separate lessons each day.

 

Any ideas??

 

Thanks!

[2Boys]

:bigear:

 

We are kind of in the same boat. It takes longer than I thought it would to get through a lesson. I have been having to divide it up over two days (with the reading and writing). I have a 4.5 year old boy and he does seem to be retaining it. I will ask him random questions when we are looking at other books or out and about and it seems to be sticking. We are going to keep at it for now, but I keep glancing back over at my copy of OPGTR and wondering if I made a mistake, too!

[jeffcolemanfamily]

Yeah I am considering getting OPGTR or going back to my tried and true Sonlight LAK program for her since I know it works and I am comfortable using it.

 

I really think Pal is not for a kindergartner at all and it is frustrating that it takes so long to get to actual reading books. Kinders want to read RIGHT AWAY.

 

Ugh.

[PhotoGal]

We are using it and I know what you mean. I was surprised that it taught "ee" and "ow" right at the beginning. Those probably aren't the most helpful vowel pairs to learn and they aren't related at all. I'm tempted to hold off on it and concentrate on ETC for awhile, but I think ETC goes too slowly. I'm not sure dd is remembering all the vowel pair sounds we've done. But then again they will be introduced and taught a second time in AAS, so that might help.

 

I do not like the printing without dashed lines. I've had to print out my own printing practice sheets.

 

I do like the stories/questions and dd likes the games.

 

We've been doing it every other day (alternating with ETC), but that might be one of the reasons that dd isn't retaining the vowel pairs well. Maybe we will review the phonics farm everyday to keep the sounds in mind.

 

I do wish they did the sounds together (like ou and ow can make /ow/). It feels a little disjointed to be jumping all around with different sounds. Dd does know how to read color words now! But I'm not sure that would be my top priority. :001_smile:

[PhotoGal]

Also, we do read little books on our own (like Bob books or simple pattern books). But we tend to do that on our ETC days because we have more time. PAL does take a lot of time to do it all.

[Homeschooling6]

I would stretch the lessons out. Instead of doing a lesson, review the letter stories, play the games and practice letter formation.

 

With the 'ee' and 'ow' the child is not expected to master the sounds right away. It's more of introducing and seeing them.

[Homeschooling6]

Is anyone else using PAL Reading/Writing with their kindergartener?

 

I have watched all the videos and listened to the audios. We have done the lessons for three weeks now and I am finding that my kindergartener is forgetting the phonograms she is learning as it seems like so many are introduced so quickly!

 

Unlike other reading programs I have used, there is no reading out of real books until well after 80 lessons or so which I find very frustrating. I like the folder games and the Discovery cards look interesting but is a kindergartener going to remember all the sounds once they get to the Discovery cards to put them altogether?

 

I am doing the Reading and Writing lessons and I worry that teaching her how to write AND read the phonemes at the same time may be too much or confusing for her. Should I just drop the writing for now?

 

This program has been GREAT for my 2nd grader and 3rd grader who has dyslexia and the writing is great for teaching them how to form their letters correctly and we love the Aesop fables and comprehension questions.

 

I am freaking out that I may have spent a lot of $$ on this curriculum for my K daughter and it may be too fast and too much for her. Do i keep on keeping at it or slow it down for her but keep at the same pace for my older daughters? It takes a lot of time each day to teach {about an hour total for the reading and writing lessons together plus another 20 min. for file folder games}. I don't know how I will have time to teach two separate lessons each day.

 

Any ideas??

 

Thanks!

 

Can the older children {the 2nd and 3rd grade dc} play the file folder games with your K student?

 

With regards to time set a timer for whatever amount of time you would like to spend on a lesson. Once the timer goes off, stop and move on. The next day start where you left off.

 

If you feel you need to slow down with the writing. Again, set the timer, have your K student practice making the letters. Skip the journal or you write down what she dictates to you. After lesson 10 PAL/Writing no longer provides the narration passages so I'm using WWE 1 for that. Some days I'll have my ds narrate via PAL/Writing by asking who was in the story, where does the story take place etc. and other days I'll do this how WWE is written.

 

Also if the writing is too much have her write in the air or put some salt or rice in a box to form the letter. Use pudding etc.

 

If needed take up to a week with one lesson.

 

HTH,

Linda<><

[Homeschooling6]

We are using it and I know what you mean. I was surprised that it taught "ee" and "ow" right at the beginning. Those probably aren't the most helpful vowel pairs to learn and they aren't related at all. I'm tempted to hold off on it and concentrate on ETC for awhile, but I think ETC goes too slowly. I'm not sure dd is remembering all the vowel pair sounds we've done. But then again they will be introduced and taught a second time in AAS, so that might help.

 

I do not like the printing without dashed lines. I've had to print out my own printing practice sheets.

 

I do like the stories/questions and dd likes the games.

 

We've been doing it every other day (alternating with ETC), but that might be one of the reasons that dd isn't retaining the vowel pairs well. Maybe we will review the phonics farm everyday to keep the sounds in mind.

 

I do wish they did the sounds together (like ou and ow can make /ow/). It feels a little disjointed to be jumping all around with different sounds. Dd does know how to read color words now! But I'm not sure that would be my top priority. :001_smile:

 

The author Jill Pike also suggested using a regular notebook. Using two spaces instead of one.

Or you can purchase a composition book for younger students that have that middle line.

 

Linda<><

[jeffcolemanfamily]

Thanks Linda!! Those are some great ideas!! Aside from it taking too long, I am frustrated that it will be many months before we get to reading real books. That is NOT what I expected from a learning to read program.

 

I am having my 11 year old practice the file folder games with my kinder and that is working out good for now. We do ETC workbook and AAR Pre level right now, the sped up version. But that's it. And I think the AAR pre level is more for my prek level child than for my kinder. LOL

 

There is way too much writing for her and I may just opt out of the writing lessons altogether for her and just do that part with the older girls instead.

 

Ugh.