Need Suggestions please for Kinder Phonics Curriculum

[sahmoffour]

We're going into our first year of homeschooling, for the second time. :)  We attempted it 3 years ago with our older two kids who were in Gr.3 & Gr.1 at the time.  I went with OPGTR, FLL, WWE, SOTW.  They did not work for us at all.  They was too much repetition and it was too "dry" for the kids, especially after what they were used to at school.  We ended up putting the kids back in school after only trying for 3 months, and have regretted it ever since!

 

So we're once again, switching to homeschooling.  We're making the switch over Christmas Break, so I'm trying to pull together everything we're going to use for the rest of the year.  My kids are in Gr.6, 4, 1 and K.  I've read Cathy Duffy's Book, and I have one child in each "type".  My oldest is a Competent Carl, my 2nd is mostly a Sociable Sue with a bit of Perfect Paula thrown in, my 3 is a Perfect Paul, and my last is a Wiggly Willy all the way through!  

 

Right now, I've chosen to go with CLE LA/Math for my older 3 kids.  My older 2 have looked at the samples and agree it's the style they would like, as they both prefer workbooks and not too much "busyness" on the page.  For my Kindergartener, I'm torn.  I really don't think he would do well with CLE, there's no way it will hold his attention.  He's not reading whatsoever yet, they've just started going over some of the alphabet at school, and he definitely doesn't know all the letters yet.  So for him, I'm looking for a really strong, complete, hand-holding (for me) curriculum with manipulatives, games, and lots of colour.  Just something that he'll want to do, rather than me forcing him to sit and listen while he doesn't retain any of it!

 

Right now I'm looking at Horizons, Happy Phonics, and SSRW.  Does anyone have any reviews on these or possibly something else that might work better?  I'm open to any and all suggestions!  I'm hoping to maybe use some of CLE's Kindergarten II books with him as well just to try and gauge if I might be able to move him into CLE's curriculum after Kindergarten.  Plus I want to start some gentle math with him and I think their Kinder II books had a bit of math in them which will cover that.

 

Thanks!

[WahM]

I really like Phonics Pathways! It is definitely not as dry as OPGTR. We tried OPGTR as well and my daughter was so bored! We then switched to PP and it was much, much better. It is a great program.

[Mandylubug]

All About Reading is very interactive and fun. I wish we had started with it first!

[ByGrace3]

Your ker sounds like my little guy. For k we used All About Reading (started with pre level and went through part of level 2) and used Right Start math. For math we did RS A and then moved onto Math Mammoth.

 

AAR and RS are perfect for wiggly kers.

[73349]

Have you looked at Logic of English Foundations?

[Hunter]

I'm currently trying out Reading Lessons Through Literature.

http://www.barefootmeandering.com/rltl.html

 

It's new so, there isn't a lot of feedback from people. I'm just offering it as something to look at, because you wouldn't have seen it when you were last looking.

 

I'm just a little too excited about trying it. I'm addicted to phonics curricula. as everyone here knows. :lol:

 

There is a current thread about the Language Lessons Through Literature books, by the same author.

[silver]

Have you looked at Logic of English Foundations?

 

:iagree:

 

It's a good, solid phonics curriculum full of fun for little ones. My son was reading beginning chapter books when he finished level C.

[alisoncooks]

CLE's Kindergarten II is a gentle intro to phonics, especially if you like that style program and might continue with it.  By the end of the program, the child is reading 3-letter words.  It's not colorful or fun but it does hold mom's hand and it's very step-by-step.  You could always add games to it.

 

Happy Phonics is neat... but I don't think it holds your hand.  It's not a step-by-step program.  When I got it, it was just a big ol' pile of *stuff*... and it doesn't give much direction on progressing through the levels.  Just a small booklet with some suggestions.  (I've bought and sold this twice without ever really giving it a go.  Sounds great, looks...overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time, if possible.)

 

IMO, Phonics Pathways is just as dry as OPGTR.  It was for us...

 

AAR is super-fun... but it takes several levels to get the child reading independently and each level is pricey.  (Again, just my thoughts.)

 

You'll find that there are as many opinions re: phonics programs as there are homeschoolers. :D

Good luck finding something you & your little one love!  Congrats on bringing your children home again!

[Soror]

I agree w/ the Logic of English Foundations rec. It is certainly not boring, there are tons of games to be played and it caters to all the different types of learning, which makes for better learning for all plus it is very easy for the teacher to use- it is open and go. 

[ElizabethB]

The 10th edition of Phonics Pathways has a companion game book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Phonics-Pathways-Boosters-Teaching-Jump-Start/dp/1118022440/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387140155&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=Phonics+patheays

 

Also, my phonics game is a good free addition to whatever you choose:

 

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

 

Phonics Pathways goes up to a 4th grade reading level and also includes spelling rules and ideas for how to use it for spelling as well as phonics.

[SFM]

I really like Phonics Pathways! It is definitely not as dry as OPGTR. We tried OPGTR as well and my daughter was so bored! We then switched to PP and it was much, much better. It is a great program.

 

Completely agree!!! :-) We love Phonics Pathways over here and I thought we wouldn't.

[Ellie]

I would be falling down on my job as self-appointed Spalding Geek if I did not recommend Spalding. :D

 

It would be everything your 5yo needs for literacy: reading, spelling, penmanship, basic capitalization and punctuation, simple writing. In fact, your 6yo could also do it--two birds with one stone, as it were. :-) You buy one manual--the Writing Road to Reading--and one set of flash cards and you're good to go. Spalding is infinitely flexible and adjustable, so that it can work with any personality type (kudos for being able to figure out all four of your--my two never fit into any single category, lol).

 

It would be fun if you could figure out something for history and science that you could all do together, like Prairie Primer, or KONOS.

[sahmoffour]

Thanks you guys, now I have even more options!  :ohmy:  I'll definitely look into those!

 

I think I'm going to do Around the world in 180 days for history/geography.  The kids were loving the idea of the program and getting to do as much or as little on each continent and being able to chase after rabbit trails.  For Science, my daughter is begging for Zoology and my son is wanting Astronomy and neither wants to learn about the others' choice.  :glare:   So for this first year since I'm trying to make it fun and stress the fact that we'll have more freedom in choosing what we want to learn about, I'll let them each have their choice and we'll do Science separately I guess.  My younger ones can just listen along with us as they choose to, it shouldn't be too hard to make both subjects work for their age levels as well.

[Guest]

Primary Phonics by EPS Books. The wkbks require lots of writing, though. 

 

http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/products/details.cfm?series=357m

 

McRuffy K is also a good choice. 

 

http://www.mcruffy.com/Kindergarten-Phonics.htm

 

Memoria Press Kinder is also great. I used it for Sons 3 and 4.

 

http://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/classical-core-curriculum/kindergarten-curriculum

 

 

 

[Hunter]

Thanks you guys, now I have even more options! :ohmy: I'll definitely look into those!

 

I think I'm going to do Around the world in 180 days for history/geography. The kids were loving the idea of the program and getting to do as much or as little on each continent and being able to chase after rabbit trails. For Science, my daughter is begging for Zoology and my son is wanting Astronomy and neither wants to learn about the others' choice. :glare: So for this first year since I'm trying to make it fun and stress the fact that we'll have more freedom in choosing what we want to learn about, I'll let them each have their choice and we'll do Science separately I guess. My younger ones can just listen along with us as they choose to, it shouldn't be too hard to make both subjects work for their age levels as well.

Teach the science YOU want to teach, and get your daughter some zoology books and your son some astronomy books from the library. I learned the hard way not to plan lesson plans around around the children's preferences especially if they were different. I kept prepared lessons as short as possible, and then let them unschool for a large part of the day, about whatever was interesting them at the time.

[SnMomof7]

We're doing CLE KII this year. It IS gentle and easy to get done. Another valid option? Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD! Classic, kids want to do it, very memorable too. Follow with Bob Books or other CVC readers once blending kicks in (which may not happen in K - not for any of mine anyway!)

[FromA2Z]

I'm so thoroughly happy w/ LOE foundations. It has lots of activities/suggestions for "wiggly" types, lots of hand-holding, and uses a variety of methods (which you will quickly learn which are a best for your dc).