alisoncooks Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 My oldest has struggled with reading & is currently using Dancing Bears/Apples & Pears. I'm very pleased with her progress -- she sounded out "mudskipper" in a nature encyclopedia this week which is amazing since just a couple of weeks ago she would've balked at sounding out just "mud"! Since I'll likely use A&P spelling with my youngest once she's reading a bit (I love the format)... I was contemplating using one of their reading programs to get her reading. It seems that Bear Necessities is labeled their typical K program, but it looks a bit overwhelming to me. DD just turned 5, knows most consonant/vowel sounds, can sound out some /a/ CVC words -- but is very wiggly, likes workbooks but doesn't have a lot of stamina. At this point, I don't suspect her of having the same reading difficulties as older DD. Looking at the samples, I think Bearing Away would be better suited for K, but maybe I'm underestimating her? (They label that as being for students with complex learning difficulties -- which is not the case.) Anyone else use Bearing Away with a K'er who seems ready to read, with no apparent learning difficulties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 It seems like overkill to me in that situation, given that it is mostly learning sounds. The kicker for me would be the cost. I might do something different for K and then go to Bear Necessities in first if I didn't think my kindergartener was ready for it yet. But sounding out CVC words before beginning kindergarten sounds to me like she is doing very well indeed. ETA: It doesn't appear that the Bear Necessities is so expensive until you look at the cost of the starter package. It's not that I would be unwilling to pay that, but for a child who is developing well, I would balk, given what it is expected that they will learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Yes, I would probably only purchase the workbook (which is around $30) but it's still pricey considering we could use something like ETC for under $10. Bearing Away finishes with the child reading CVC words + words with sh, ee, & ar. I could probably do that without a program, and then pick up A&P at that point... Thanks for the perspective -- I think I might have just talked myself out of it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanikit Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I think you should get Bear Necessities - as I see you have been doing OPGTR and the other sounds like overkill. Wiggliness and lack of stamina are not reasons to stop a child from doing something more complex - usually though you need to adapt things to your child. My 5 year old is kinaesthetic and terribly wiggly - she needs a lot of breaks and needs to know that no matter how long she takes she will have to complete what I think is reasonable for her to complete - so if she needs to charge off on her motorbike between every sentence then she does that. I hold her place in books she is reading still, but she can read at a 4th grade level - she is just too wiggly to keep her own place though this is rapidly improving. Seat work is kept exceptionally short and if seat work would be too long for her then we split whatever we are doing into two shorter sessions. Can I ask why you do not plan on continuing with OPGTR - since it sounds like it has worked to some extent? Is there a reason for the change - why not just start Apples and Pears for spelling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Can I ask why you do not plan on continuing with OPGTR - since it sounds like it has worked to some extent? Is there a reason for the change - why not just start Apples and Pears for spelling? Actually, most of DD's progress was with AAR1 (we used it for about a month). I stopped b/c I thought the scope & sequence was too drawn-out (across the levels). Plus I had Level 2 on hand when oldest DD was ready to move into it -- and I did not care for it at all. We have only been using OPGTR a couple of weeks... but I'm getting tired of making it "fun" for DD. I want open-and-go ... but a little less dry. I think we'll probably plug along with OPGTR (DD doesn't mind it as much as I do :p) and then pick up A&P for spelling when we hit first grade. I don't care to start spelling before then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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