OPGTR ?? When to move on/when to repeat lessons?

[ItoLina]

So here is my situation. I began OPGTR with my son when he turned 4 and he will now be 5 in a couple months. He has done really great, and being that he is so young I am thrilled with where we are. We just finished up section 4 (consinent blends). He reads cvc words easily (without sounding them out). The consinent blend words he still has to sound out each letter and then say the word. That said, once he sounds out the letters he gets the word right 99% of the time.

 

Here is my question: Since he is still sounding out each letter for the consinent blend words, is it ok to move on to section 5 (consinent diagraphs), or should I repeat the section 4 lessons untill he is reading them without sounding out?

 

I am in no hurry right now because, as I said, he is only 4, so I wouldn't mind just repeating section 4, or at least part of it.

 

At the same time, he really dislikes repeating lessons (the couple of times I have tried to do this to get him to practice a little more he got very upset and said he wanted to do the next one). I think this is because he gets frustrated that there are words in the world that he doesn't know how to read...lol. When I read books to him he will ask how to say a word on the page, and if he can't make sense of it he starts asking me "When are we going to learn to read words like this?"

 

So, what would you do?

 

Thanks...this is my first kiddo, so I am new to the whole teaching reading thing and just learning as I go.

[3peasinapod]

I would keep going at his pace. If he has any frustration at all, then I would back off and repeat the other lessons. It's just a fluency issue, which comes with a lot of practice. Consider getting some Bob books or Nora Gaydos' Now I'm Reading series to build fluency and confidence. The early books would be good if he can read CVC words. Fluency just comes with a lot of practice.

[rosesinsummer]

I'm also using OPGTR with my 7 year daughter. We are working on long vowel sounds with vowel teams, lesson 90, and working very rapidly. She could be further ahead, as she breezes through the words, but I want to make sure the phonograms are cemented in her mind. We started reading at age 5 with a different program and she stalled after the CVC words for several months. . I think some kids, like my dd, just need time to let things gel and come together.

 

One thing I "stole" from my dd's former school was a LA block called the Daily Five. It includes Read to Self, Read to Someone, Listen to Reading, Word Work and Work on Writing.

 

So you could do this:

 

1) Have him read a reader of his choice to himself

2) Have him read something to you (this could be lesson or reader)

3) Use the words you think he needs to work on and do "Word Work"-- this could be making words with magnetic letter tiles, letter blocks, play dough words, use letter stamps to make words, or wikki sticks to form words. It's fun, but he still works on those phonics skills you want cemented without going over the lesson again

4) Work on Writing-- have him do copywork of one of the sentences from OPGTR lessons if his handwriting is up for it using the words he needs to cement

5) Listen to Reading-- You read to him a reader with the words he needs to cement, while he follows along silently looking at the words as you read.

[ItoLina]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just feel so unsure of myself at times.

 

rosesinsummer: I love the Daily Five idea! I am definately going to give that a go to change things up a bit. I think it will get him to review a bit without being upset about it since it will feel new to him in a different format.

 

3peasinapod: I should definately get on the readers. I have the Bob books and some Nora Gaydos, I just need to dig them out and actually use them more consistently, so thanks for that reminder.

[rosesinsummer]

Oh, also don't forget that OPGTR wants you to follow the "2 review, 1 new" format. She just doesn't remind you to do this on every lesson. With review and Daily Five, you can continue to progress to new lessons, just at a slower pace.

 

Good luck!

[KristenR]

Also, maybe to try and change the pace a bit you can pre-write the sentences and stories on a white board and let him read it from there. Or try printing off a sheet with a story on it and then letting him illustrate it afterwards.

[ItoLina]

Also, maybe to try and change the pace a bit you can pre-write the sentences and stories on a white board and let him read it from there. Or try printing off a sheet with a story on it and then letting him illustrate it afterwards.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. At first I was a lot more on it as far as changing things up everyday....so maybe I do just need to get back to making it a little more fun and different each day so that he doesn't feel like we are just redoing to lessons when we review.

[Amie]

You may find places where he "stalls out" for a bit. My son was an early reader and we have used OPGTR as well. There were a few places where we would take a break from OPGTR lessons and just check out lots of readers from the library at that level (he read lots of Tabby and Mr. Putter back then ;)). Sometimes this would happen because he seemed to slow down in learning new phonics and sometimes it would happen just because we got busy and wanted a break. Then we would just pick lessons back up where we left off and it was a breeze! Repeating/reviewing the same lessons can get dull for some, so if you find other things to read at about that level it keeps it interesting.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Amie

[ElizabethB]

You can add in my phonics concentration game to get in some fun repetition.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html