Would CLE Learn to Read work in Kindergarten?

[ktgrok]

I'd planned on CLE Kindergarten II for kindy next year. But we are working through the first books now, and she finds them simple to do. Right now we just do a page or two here or there. She's also started reading. She can sound out basic short vowel c-v-c words, and has read the first 6 Bob books so far. (we are going slowly). She can do some basic addition and subtraction. Knows halves/thirds/fourths from cooking. Will Kindergarten II build up fairly quickly? Or should we use their first grade stuff ? I'm worried that may be too advanced, I hear it is for a lot of kids. She can write her name, and do copy work of about a sentence. (asks for it...say when writing to Santa, or a friend, etc). Needs to work on proper letter formation, and we are dealing with some pencil grip issues, but that's improving. 

 

 

So...if we finish up KII this summer, will first grade CLE work, or should we stop/slow down and just use KII for next year? She will be 5 next month,if that makes a difference. 

[Tenaj]

It should be fine to go ahead and start her.  You may want to do only half lessons for a while or if she gets stuck.  There is a lot of writing in CLE Learn to Read so when we used it, I just used my judgement as to whether we did the whole lesson in a day or split it up.  Sometimes we made it through a whole lessons, other times we didn't.

[ktgrok]

Thanks. Now, by start her, do you mean in the Fall, or now? I'm thinking in the fall, since it is supposedly so much writing. And work through KII between now and then as best we can. Sound good?

[MeAndTheBoys]

I've used it in K twice.  I bought a set of letter tiles, and sometimes I let my sons place the letter tiles for answers instead of writing it out (SOMETIMES--mostly on pages where they want you to write the first sound of a word.  thirty times or so, lol.  They still did SOME writing, just not all of it.)

 

We have used the 1st edition--I hear that the new 2nd edition has less writing, thank goodness--that was the thing I had to adapt most.

 

B

[strange_girl]

I think you should be able to start it with her in the fall. My 5.5-year-old K'er is enjoying it. It's intensive phonics, though. There's a lot of work in each lesson. If you get into it and want to spread each lesson over two days, that's fine to do. We did that in the beginning.

 

There is a lot of handwriting practice built in, which I like. Really, you can make it as much or as little as you want, or need. There are a lot of exercises and activities in the TM that we don't need, like blending practice (DS5 blends really well). We don't do all the flash cards every day (DS just doesn't need that much practice). But it's working and DS is learning to read well, and is proud of his accomplishments.

 

I wouldn't jump into it with a 4-year-old, though, even if she can do K-II easily. Ask me how I know ;)  We started LTR last year and DS was quickly overwhelmed. He's doing much better now, and is even enjoying it.

[SnMomof7]

Finish KII, it does gear up, and is such good preparation for CLE grade 1 materials. When she's done, you can definitely start LTR, just go at a relaxed pace. There's lots to cover, even a 1/2 lesson daily is great.

[ktgrok]

Finish KII, it does gear up, and is such good preparation for CLE grade 1 materials. When she's done, you can definitely start LTR, just go at a relaxed pace. There's lots to cover, even a 1/2 lesson daily is great.

 

Awesome, that sounds perfect. Thanks.