McGuffey Eclectic readers with grade 2 and grade 5?

[tammyw]

I don't own these, but I'm wondering if I should. My kids both learned to read pretty easily, but I don't have them read aloud very often. I do sometimes and have to correct a bit.

 

My dd10 is a prolific reader and reads all the time (easily reads a novel a day). I'm more just wondering about making sure she has good pronunciation and knows how to figure out all words (there are some she struggles with when reading aloud).

 

My dd7 is a good reader, though not as prolific as my dd was at that age.

 

I'm open to other ideas as well!

 

(I'm in planning mode!)

[Caitilin]

I like to use them as reading aloud practice because the selections have high level language while also being individually pretty short, so they don't look daunting. ;)

Remember that the number of the reader doesn't correspond to grade level, necessarily. Your 5th grader might well start off in the 3rd or 4th reader, for instance. Also, get the ones with blue and brown covers, not the all brown ones. Much, much better books. :)

[Jay3fer]

We have used "Mug Readers" since we left BOB Books behind. :-)

Ds5 just finished Book 1, and Dd8 is in Book 3.

 

I like the moral tone of the reading selections, and the language is a bit tricky, which means they have to really pay attention. I try to have dd8 stand up straight and read as clearly as possible. (doesn't always happen)

 

The reading selections are a bit old-fashioned, but in some ways, kids led more exciting lives in those days - like being allowed to play on frozen rivers and ponds without adult supervision! So in a way, this helps hold the kids' interest. I also like the fact that there are poetry selections, which give them practice reading rhythmically.

 

These are available in the public domain, but I haven't yet found a really "useable" digital version, so I have bought them so far. They're not expensive, and you get a lot of reading practice for your money.

 

Of course, you could just have your kids practice reading aloud from anything, and some folks like to use Great Literature or the Bible, but I'm happy with these books so far.

 

p.s. we have the blue and brown ones as well. I bought them from Rainbow.

[tammyw]

I like to use them as reading aloud practice because the selections have high level language while also being individually pretty short, so they don't look daunting. ;)

Remember that the number of the reader doesn't correspond to grade level, necessarily. Your 5th grader might well start off in the 3rd or 4th reader, for instance. Also, get the ones with blue and brown covers, not the all brown ones. Much, much better books. :)

 

Thanks. If we get them, are these the ones you recommend?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471294284/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[elizabeth rose]

I like to use them as reading aloud practice because the selections have high level language while also being individually pretty short, so they don't look daunting. ;)

Remember that the number of the reader doesn't correspond to grade level, necessarily. Your 5th grader might well start off in the 3rd or 4th reader, for instance. Also, get the ones with blue and brown covers, not the all brown ones. Much, much better books. :)

 

Can I ask what is wrong with the brown ones? I've used the brown ones for years and haven't noticed anything wrong with them. What is the difference? Thanks!

[TracyP]

We also use them for read aloud practice. It takes 5 min or less per day. We go through any new words/vocab on the first day. We review new words and I read the selection aloud the next day. We review the words and dc reads on the third day. It has been a quick and easy way to practice elocution, expand vocabulary, and gain familiarity with archaic language.

[Caitilin]

 

 

Thanks. If we get them, are these the ones you recommend?

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471294284/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

Yes, those are they. :)

[HS Mom in NC]

My kids read aloud with them.

 

Cons

 

They have a distinct works based mentality underlying the morals so I have to either skip some readings or if we read one with it in it, correct that bad theology as it rears its ugly head.

 

Remembering that were written so long ago the descriptions of animals and nature almost sound silly as if written by a very young child.

 

Pros

 

The language is modern, but the phrasing is just unusual enough that children who want to read a little of the sentence and guess what the rest of the sentence might say are easy to spot because they will rarely guess correctly.

 

It trains the ear for phrases that will be used in other materials written in the early 1800s that kids may read in the future.

 

They become more complex fairly quickly so kids that progress in reading abilities aren't getting too much review at levels they've already mastered.

[UrbanSue]

The blue and gold readers (yes, the ones you linked) increase more incrementally than the brown set and there are more of them: six levels plus a primer. They go up through a sophomore in college Lexile levels or whatever you call it. So, yeah, don't necessarily use reader five in grade five, though that can work with some advanced and prolific kids.

 

Book four, I believe, starts with lessons on diction and elocution so that's kind of fun. We haven't gotten there yet.

[TracyP]

The pp reminded me. Since we do the same selection all week, I do lots of skipping. I skip all the poetry and stories that preach values that I don't share. There are a few doozies in the first books. I also skip the longer selections unless I think there is something so worthwhile in there that it is worth slogging through.

 

Here is a thread that gives the reading level for each McGuffey Reader.

[Kathleen in LV]

To select the appropriate levels for your children, check them out free on google books. (You should be able to find them with a quick google search.) When my son finished OPGTR, we started with the Third Eclectic Reader. I found it had just enough challenge for his particular reading level. If you check out the First Reader, you'll see it's quite basic, and probably not appropriate for your 7 yo, who you mentioned is a good reader.

[Snowstorm84]

Personally I like the all brown ones. Sometimes they seem a little old fashioned I suppose but that makes them entertaining! I don't like the blue ones nearly as much!

[Sahamamama]

We have and use McGuffey's, the entire boxed set. I like the readers, because for us it's a systematic way for me to hear each of my children read aloud on a regular basis. I call it "Guided Reading," and I do sometimes have to gently correct them and/or ask them to re-read a selection with more fluency. My 2nd grader is nearly through the 3rd reader this year, and my K'ers are in the 1st reader. It's easy enough to spread out the readings over the course of a school year.

 

McGuffey's readers are extremely moralistic. This is okay if you can read some lessons with a grain of salt, but I do skip some of the more depressing stories -- the "Dead Mother" or "Dead Bird" stories, LOL. I just go through the reader at the beginnining of the year, skim for content, and put a little post-it note which says "SKIP" on some of the lessons. I'm glad we have and use McGuffey's. That said, I think we will be skipping the 4th reader for my rising 3rd grader next year. It's too full of "shoulds, musts, and oughts" for this particular child, and there are plenty of other things we can read.

 

We also read through this lovely set of readers -- Classics for Young Readers (by K--12). These readers are the children's favorites. Mine, too. ;) For point of reference, my 2nd grader has read through Volumes 2 and 3A this year, and my K'ers have read through Volumes 1 & 2. They could have easily done more, but we're not in any hurry. We have and plan to use the entire set. Well worth the investment, IMO.

 

HTH.

[ElizabethB]

The brown ones are older, but are whole word based. There was a period between 1828 and 1878 when whole word teaching was in vogue. They are from 1828, I think.

 

The blue and orange ones are phonics based. The tough words are diacritically marked and defined, making it a good way to build up vocabulary and reading skills. They are from 1879. They build very incrementally and are well designed.

[Flowergirl159]

We just started with McGuffey Readers about 12mths ago, for the sole purpose of my daughters reading aloud to me - that way I can keep track of how their reading ability is progressing. In saying that though, the girls really enjoy reading these books because Mary and Laura may have read them too :) My DD8 is just finishing up her Third reader. She usually reads one or two stories a day, on the days that we "do school". My DD6 began with the primer, 12mths ago, and has learnt to read primarily using these books. Each day, for the new words for the story, we would pull out sight word cards and add them to our word wall. Then we'd go over all the words on the wall, before reading her new story. She moved onto the First Reader in April, and is now just finishing up! She has really improved with her reading and I am amazed at how fast she has read through this book. I am just about to order the Second and Forfth readers for my girls. I purchase mine through bookdepository.com.

[ElizabethB]

 

Thanks. If we get them, are these the ones you recommend?

 

http://www.amazon.co...d=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

This is the set that I use and like. It is the 1879 version.

[SFM]

 

Thanks. If we get them, are these the ones you recommend?

 

http://www.amazon.co...d=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

 

These are what we use and love as well. I purchased the whole set after starting on the 2nd reader. As others have said, they are not designed by grade level. I like to be able to teach intonation, inflection, grammar, etc. We do about a lesson a week and sometimes use them for copywork as well. They are a hit here, my rising K'er is thrilled that she will have her own McGuffey reader soon.

:)

[tammyw]

i wonder what book I'd start with for each kid?

 

DS7 (just turned 7) has read through the entire Stink series. That's his reading level

 

DD10 reads long novels. At age 7, she was devouring Harry Potter, and I'd say she still reads that type of book, because she likes that kind of story. She recently read the entire Percy Jackson series, likes books like Wonder, etc.

[ElizabethB]

You can view them online at Gutenberg Press and see which ones would be a good start. The PDFs show the pictures, the text files are good enough to see reading level but don't show the diacritical markings.

[SFM]

My DS8, read Harry Potter and a pretty advance biography on Benedict Arnold and he is on the 3rd reader, we are about a 1/3 of the way through and I can see it ramping up. It might last us all of 4th.

[Sahamamama]

The brown ones are older, but are whole word based. There was a period between 1828 and 1878 when whole word teaching was in vogue. They are from 1828, I think.

 

The blue and orange ones are phonics based. The tough words are diacritically marked and defined, making it a good way to build up vocabulary and reading skills. They are from 1879. They build very incrementally and are well designed.

 

Now that you mention it, the set we have (orange & blue) is not the one I linked (which is brown). Our set is diacritically marked, with some words defined, as you said. We do enjoy our set. Thanks for pointing out the variations!