Remedial phonics- where does SWB talk about this?

[plain jane]

I was talking to a friend about something SWB wrote about some students hitting a wall in 4th grade with their reading and this was because they stopped phonics instruction too soon. I believe she gives recommendations on how to fix this?

 

Is this in the WTM? On the WTM blog? I can't find it :willy_nilly:

 

Can someone here point me to where I can find this?

[ElizabethB]

The author of Phonics Pathways, Dolores Hiskes, talks about the 4th grade slump in her free download, "The Comprehension Dilemma," scroll down from this page with her free downloads:

 

http://www.dorbooks.com/downloads.html

 

There was no 4th grade slump before whole word teaching. Here is a post I wrote about the 4th grade slump on a blog I used to post on. (I now only have time to keep up with my website and posting here.)

 

http://kitchentablemath.blogspot.com/2009/10/first-use-of-phrase-4th-grade-hump.html

 

I don't remember SWB specifically writing about that, but I remember agreeing with most of her phonics/reading/spelling ideas, so it wouldn't surprise me.

 

How to fix it? My phonics lessons and the program on my how to tutor page are what I use for my remedial students. The syllable division exercises and Webster's Speller are especially helpful for making the transition to the more difficult types of words that start appearing around 4th grade. I also like Marcia Henry's Words. The new edition includes a CD that lets you print out worksheets for all the children in your family or students in a class. I just used it (Along with Blend Phonics and my syllable division exercises and Webster's Speller) for my last remedial class, this was a remedial homeschool class. They improved 2.4 reading grade levels, on average. It was a 10 week long class and we played Scrabble the entire last class as a reward for their hard work.

Edited November 19, 2011 by ElizabethB

[redsquirrel]

I think it is in an audio lecture. I am wanting to say it is "A Plan for Teaching Writing: The Middle Grades." But, that might not be correct. It might be the elementary years?

 

She discusses using spelling lessons as a phonics instruction for kids who didn't get it or need more.

[Hedgehog]

:bigear: you just saved me writing an identical post, Jane!

[boscopup]

I'm thinking she may have mentioned it in the elementary writing lecture, but yeah, not sure. She does mention remedial phonics in the WTM book on page 715-716. She talks about starting an older student with the WTM, and if they are struggling with reading, take them back to phonics. She doesn't mention the 4th grade slump here, but I think she did mention that in her lecture at some point.

 

I will say that phonics to get over the 4th grade slump worked for my son! He had taught himself to read and was stuck at that level of words because he hadn't had enough phonics. He was mostly whole word reading. We did AAS levels 1 and 2, and his reading took off by multiple grade levels. Syllabication and some basic phonics were all he needed! :D

[Hedgehogs4]

we did not have a 4th grade slump in reading, but in spelling. Phonics a la AAS route have greatly improved that.

[Mommy22alyns]

I think it is in an audio lecture. I am wanting to say it is "A Plan for Teaching Writing: The Middle Grades." But, that might not be correct. It might be the elementary years?

 

She discusses using spelling lessons as a phonics instruction for kids who didn't get it or need more.

 

 

I also saw this subject touched on in one of the YouTube Q&A sessions - those are free.

[acurtis75]

There is a whole chapter on the topic in Ordinary Parent's guide to Teaching Reading.