La Condessa Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I've been thinking about getting ETC for my daughter who is almost three, and noticed that the Get Ready, Get Set, and Go for the Code books are on the four-for-three promotion at Amazon right now. I'm trying to decide whether to start with those books for her or to just start with ETC 1. She has known all her letter sounds for some time and she can, when she feels like it, sound out CVC words and occasionally a four-letter word. We have OPG and did that for a bit, but she quickly lost any desire to do any more, and at this age I want to keep academics purely optional. She loves Beginning Mathematical Reasoning, so I am hoping that a more workbooky format might appeal to her in phonics. I keep thinking that maybe I should start with Get Ready, just for an easy, fun introduction and a chance for her to get used to that format; but then again, I really don't want to waste my money on it if ETC 1 would be a better fit for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I think she'd be beyond those books (though note that I haven't used them... we started with ETC1). That said, it sounds like she'll probably teach herself to read if you just step back and let her. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mombygrace Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 :iagree: she may be beyond that now. We used the before books because we had them and DS did them for fun while doing the ETC books. You can go slow with the ETC books or back off if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I bought the Before the Code book A and we didn't finish it because dd already knew her letters and sounds. We ended up starting with ETC Book 1 and it was fine. That being said, if they are cheap and your child likes workbooks and coloring they might still like doing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thanks, everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I'll offer a differing opinion with my reasoning (and I have a newly 3 year old who also knows her letters and their sounds and is most likely gifted like two of her other siblings): Are you doing any other type of pencil control or visual discrimination work (and do you want to be doing it)? I really like the pages in the workbooks that are the beginning mazes (fine motor control) and the which-one-is-different (visual discrimination). I also really like the auditory instruction pages. My boys so far have also needed the auditory discrimination training that comes with the workbook....for example, hearing the difference between /b/ and /p/. There's more to the workbooks than just learning letter sounds and handwriting. (And we haven't ever really utilized the handwriting stuff with our 3 year olds who have done the book.) If you have the money to spend, I would start with the earlier books. If money is tight, then I would go on to 1,2, & 3 *if* you are not needing those other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I'll offer a differing opinion with my reasoning... Are you doing any other type of pencil control or visual discrimination work (and do you want to be doing it)? I really like the pages in the workbooks that are the beginning mazes (fine motor control) and the which-one-is-different (visual discrimination). I also really like the auditory instruction pages. My boys so far have also needed the auditory discrimination training that comes with the workbook....for example, hearing the difference between /b/ and /p/. There's more to the workbooks than just learning letter sounds and handwriting. (And we haven't ever really utilized the handwriting stuff with our 3 year olds who have done the book.) She may very well be able to jump into 4,5, & 6 even...but I just wanted to throw out what I know about A,B,&C in case you haven't worked with the books in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Are you doing any other type of pencil control or visual discrimination work (and do you want to be doing it)? I really like the pages in the workbooks that are the beginning mazes (fine motor control) and the which-one-is-different (visual discrimination). I also really like the auditory instruction pages. My boys so far have also needed the auditory discrimination training that comes with the workbook....for example, hearing the difference between /b/ and /p/. We don't plan any pencil work, but she colors every day and occasionally pulls out the handwriting pad and asks to practice writing. She has just always had unusually good fine motor skills for her age (pincer grasp at a couple months, correct pencil grasp at about ten or eleven months) so I'm not worried about that area. The visual discrimination might be helpful. Some of the shape exercises in her math book probably overlap with that, though. Auditory discrimination would probably be really helpful to her in one area. She cannot yet pronounce her back plosives (/g/ and /k/) and substitutes the front plosives for them (/d/ and /t/), and she sometimes gets really frustrated when she says something like "T says /t/, /t/, like in tup!" (cup) I explain and sound it out for her, but she cannot distinguish between those sounds yet. But it is only with these two sounds. Do you think these exercises would help with this? I have a $10 per month budget for preschool, so it's pretty tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I'd pass on it then, and join paperback swap and look for K12 K phonics teacher book....and do their phenomic awareness exercises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I just started ETC 1 with my very reluctant (read: stubborn) reader. DD doesn't seem to want to read though she can sound out words. She can sound out C-V-C words and has known all her letters for a good long while. She is a workbook-y kid though so yeah they are fun for her. So far very easy at ETC 1 but it is a nice mid-school break to do something easy for her mind before we move onto something more challenging. I would not go with the "get ready" series though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Alright, thank you everyone. I think I will look around for ETC 1. (Does anyone know, do the 4-for-3 promotion items on Amazon cycle back around? These books were recently part of that promotion, but now only the Get Set, etc. ones are.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I don't know when it happens again but the Rainbow Resource price for the ETC books are much cheaper than the Amazon price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 I don't know when it happens again but the Rainbow Resource price for the ETC books are much cheaper than the Amazon price I saw that, but with the shipping included it costs more. (I have amazon prime so I don't pay shipping for amazon.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I saw that, but with the shipping included it costs more. (I have amazon prime so I don't pay shipping for amazon.) ah, yeah when i order with RR I definitely make the shipping worthwhile by ordering enough lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 ah, yeah when i order with RR I definitely make the shipping worthwhile by ordering enough lol. Ordering from RR always results in a $150 order. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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