julikins Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I've been trying to figure out what to use for my son's 2nd grade phonics. I believe he still needs to continue with phonics for awhile. He's used Abeka for learning to read/phonics for K and 1st grade. He can read really well (about 3rd grade level), but he doesn't know all the rules or understand spelling rules (like suffixes and prefixes, etc, syllabication, etc.). Abeka works, I just hate teaching it and I've not had very good experiences with the company. But I have no idea what to use. For LA next year, I don't have anything nailed down. I'm thinking I'll use Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl, but I've also considered the FLL and WWE combination (I have no idea on placement). But that's more grammar and usage (beginning comp. from what I understand). For spelling, I thought about AAS (he'd start at the beginning, but I'm afraid the transition from Abeka's system to AAS will totally confuse him) or Spelling by Sound and Structure. And he has horrible handwriting. He starts most of his letters at the bottom or backwards. He's about half-and-half whether he makes the letter the right direction or not. He's been doing A Reason for Handwriting, but I've been thinking about changing him to the New American Cursive program (cursive because it seems to diminish reversals) or an Italics type program (to simplify things for him). With all this switching stuff around, am I just going to confuse him? Are there any other phonics programs that I could add in that would do the job of Abeka Phonics 2? Maybe something as simple as ETC at the right level, or is there something else comparable? What combinations would you do if you were in this situation. Any help is super appreciated!:bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Spalding. It will address your ds's spelling, reading, and penmanship needs all in one fell swoop. And since it also includes capitalization and punctuation and simple composition, it might be everything you'd need for all language-related skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Spalding. It will address your ds's spelling, reading, and penmanship needs all in one fell swoop. And since it also includes capitalization and punctuation and simple composition, it might be everything you'd need for all language-related skills. :iagree: We are starting this for 2nd grade and continuing with Spelling Plus. Workout.g plus is super easy to use amd if you get the dictation book, you just open and go. All lists are arranged by rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I like ETC. It was easy for dd but we just went through the books quickly. It also is very expensive and doesn't take a lot of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julikins Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 :lurk5: Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I used AAS last year for phonics/spelling with a good reader that needed more phonics. I don't think your son would be confused because you're switching to spelling anyway. AAS does syllabication in level 2, which you'd probably be in fairly quickly. I'm not using it now because it was a bit slow for DS. We tried Spalding, but I wanted more dictation. We're using HTTS now that I've had the teacher training of AAS levels 1-3. R&S doesn't move quickly enough through the phonics for us, and level 2 seemed to have no rhyme or reason for the lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We use MCP Phonics C to shore up the phonics rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julikins Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I did Spalding (Writing Road to Reading), just learned all the phonograms and worked through the concepts with my older dd last year. But I was borrowing the book and we live overseas, so I don't have that with me now. I had a hard time figuring out how to incorporate it, so that's why I bought AAS (which seemed to have similar methods but more spelled out). I needed the teacher training, but I'm so bored with it now. I'm doing it but limiting it to 15 minutes a day. Neither DD or I really like it a lot, but it's been painless since I put a time limit on it and I do think it's helped her quite abit. It's just a personal preference thing. I would do AAS for my son, if that would help. I read on here awhile back, though, that Abeka's system of special sounds and AAS (and all those programs related to it) are totally different from each other. I don't want to create confusion, but do believe that the phonograms are the way to go. I was given Abeka to learn to read with my son, and saw the high success rate. Just didn't think of the ramifications of using their special sound system which is totally different from everything else I owned. Don't want to confuse the guy and make him regress or something. Will AAS provide the phonics coverage that he needs? I guess I'm not sure what other phonics stuff he needs once he finishes Abeka's 1st grade language. Maybe AAS will be enough, since it has syllabication as well. Hmmmm.... I am considering buying HTTS for my older DD since she'll be done with AAS4 by the end of the year. I don't feel like I need the hand-holding from AAS anymore. So maybe I can pull from both resources for ds. So much to ponder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julikins Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 We use MCP Phonics C to shore up the phonics rules. What do you like about this program? Did you use previous MCP Phonics books to teach out of before and this is a continuation of that, or does it stand alone as a review? Thanks for this suggestion, I'll look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We finished up Abeka phonics 1 a few months ago. I also felt like dd needed more phonics but could not stomach doing another year of Abeka phonics :tongue_smilie: We were already doing level one of AAS, and now we are on level 2 and will start level 3 sometime this school year. We are also using the ETC books just as more review and phonics "practice." I was VERY nervous at first just using these 2 things, but so far I am happy. We are using the Sonlight readers 2 to build endurance and fluency but honestly after abeka 1, she is ready for SL readers 3 so I will be getting those soon. The AAS/ETC combo is doing it for us. I don't even think we necessarily need ETC, it just makes me feel better to have it. ;) Oh, and we started on ETC 3 and just started 4. I have also considered HTTS after AAS 3 . . . but for now AAS is working well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like Rod and Staff phonics. It is very thorough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herkey6 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I am using AAS with my 8yr old. We started last year because she was really struggling. If you start with level 1, which they recommend for anyone, I really don't see that there would be any confusion...It took time, and patience for my DD to 'relearn' the phonics, but it has been well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer2911mom Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Have you considered CLE LA? It is heavy on phonics instruction and would cover the other subjects as well. We just started it this year for 1st grade. It seems to be covering the same rules as AAS but with much more review and variety. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julikins Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm heavily considering using AAS 1-4 accelerated until it's not so easy, then go at his pace, and then switch to HTTS like I'm planning on doing with dd. That should cover the phonics, right? I like the idea one poster said of using ETC alongside. He loves worksheets, so that may help reinforce the AAS learning, give him extra practice. So that covers phonics and spelling? For handwriting, I was reading another post, and was encouraged to take time to review his letter formation and practice it in several kinesthetic and tactic ways of feeling the movement of the letter. Plus be right there while he's forming the letters to catch any errors before they develop even worse habits. Reading--I'll have to look into the list of Sonlight readers. We have quite a few of them, but I'll need to round out the list for him. Am I missing anything for him? Thanks for your help, all of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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