2nd grade spelling/phonics - fluent reader

[dauphin]

I think we need a finish line more than a curriculum. DD is a fairly fluent reader and reasonably natural speller.

 

I was hoping to use CLE LA and Reading because of how it integrates do many LA bits and pieces but will it be awkward with no phonetics/phonics background (this will be first year homeschooling, coming from a Montessori school). I hear CLE LA is not so phonics-heavy round 4th grade, but what in the meantime? And it WILL bug me to use CLE and keep crossing out one subject every week...

 

Also curious about phonics zoo.

[kateingr]

I've only used the LA, so I can only comment on that. In each four-page (or so) lesson, there's usually a half-page of phonics. Generally, kids match words to their phonetic equivalent (using dictionary-style phonetic markings.) My son had no experience with phonetic markings, but there's a guide in the inside front cover, so he's sort of enjoyed puzzling them out. I do cross them out a lot of the time, though, since he's a fluent reader and doesn't really need any practice with those. 

 

My son is also a natural speller, so the spelling in CLE is more than sufficient for him. I loved AAS, but it was too much teaching time for too little return. The quick five minutes that he spends on the spelling page in each CLE lesson is perfect.

 

The CLE LA really is wonderfully thorough. If the Reading is too phonics intensive for you (and hopefully someone else will chime in on that), perhaps you could just use the LA and do something else for reading? I just have my son read the Ambleside free reads with narration, but there are plenty of other options, too. 

[mohini]

Agree with pp - the phonics in the LA is not such a big deal (it is very technical but not insurmountable.) It does not take up more than a small portion of each lesson. The reading in gr. 2 is very phonics intensive though. If your dd is a strong reader you might just skip ahead to the 300's (which are not phonics laden) and take them slowly or, the BJU reading program is excellent - similar in scope but not phonics heavy at all. 

[dauphin]

Definitely thinking about moving to 300 series CLE, then. Might do a sample with her, perhaps.

 

I find a hesitation to just "skip" all phonics, the box-checker in me would like to just run through them briefly before dismissing them, as I thinks she (and even even older DD) could benefit from exposure to it. So I stumbled across TATRAS and wondering if others have any experience.

 

Then for spelling, I am thinking of moving to Phonetic Zoo. Box checker heaven haha. Haven't finished the placement test with younger DD but I suspect she could make B but barely so A might be better. 

[SFM]

My DD7 will be entering 2nd grade and has finished the Phonics Pathways book and Phonograms from WRTR and reads fluently and has even finished some series. I just started her in R&S's Spelling by Sound and Structure, it's great. She's a natural speller anyways and has a thorough phonics background so we just go over any new spelling rules and talk about the sounds. It's quite simple.

 

Just something else you maybe hadn't thought of yet.

[dauphin]

Since I just don't know much about her phonics background, I am sorely tempted by the prospect of just backing up and covering the basics in a review-type fashion, perhaps with TATRAS or with CLE 1 (condensed) over the summer. 

 

It doesn't help that I was just re-listening to SWB's lecture (Great Books I think) in which she states that strong/early readers sometimes struggle when the reading level amps up (around 4th grade and again around high school) if they were the ones that just intuitively picked up reading (and parents often discontinue systematic phonics once they do). I also was following some conversations on a FB group about the rigor of CLE Reading (the content of the reading is not that challenging, but some of the thought that is required in the workbooks is, apparently). 

 

I tend to err on the side of overkill so if I'm crazy, please say so. But I figure, what can it hurt to knock it out over the summer. DD is so excited to be starting homeschooling that I think she's going to get a kick out of it.  We can challenge her more in the fall, I'm thinking?

[EliseMcKenna]

Oh, goodness, dauphin you just described us to a T. I have thought about this issue, but I don't know what to do about it. I do think my daughter tends to just skip over words she doesn't know, and that concerns me. But all the phonics programs I've glanced at seem way too basic for her now.

 

Any suggestions? I am pretty content with our LA plans, but I don't have any phonics work specially included.

[Ellie]

Oh, goodness, dauphin you just described us to a T. I have thought about this issue, but I don't know what to do about it. I do think my daughter tends to just skip over words she doesn't know, and that concerns me. But all the phonics programs I've glanced at seem way too basic for her now.

 

Any suggestions? I am pretty content with our LA plans, but I don't have any phonics work specially included.

 

Spalding.

 

That your dd skips words she doesn't know *should* concern you.

 

Spalding would cover reading, spelling, penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing in one fell swoop. It *can* be more comprehensive grammar and composition and reading (as in not learning how to read, but learning about different genres and whatnot), but most people use other materials for those just to have something different. :-)

[eternallytired]

I've noticed my DD skipping over words she didn't know, so I went hunting for one of those old-style readers that has gotten saved as PDF online.  (I don't remember which one I ended up with--something about Remedial Reading Drills.)  It has word lists separated by phonogram, so kids practice reading certain phonograms over and over.  (For oa, there would be boat, toast, road, etc.)  DD actually LIKES reading a drill or two each day, and it's forcing her to slow down and pay attention to the phonograms, since that's the whole point of the exercise.  I've noticed it transferring to her read-aloud time, too.  Before she would moan and groan if I stopped her to go back and sound something out; now she gets to a word she doesn't immediately know, pauses to grin at me, and carefully sounds it out.  If you want more of a quick overview, this could be an option for you.  (DD was an early reader with no formal phonics instruction; I've done AAS 1 & 2, but since she's now reading at a 4th grade level, I needed to cover phonograms faster than AAS was going.)

[dauphin]

I've started watching to the Tatras videos and I think this might be the ticket-easy to compact/move at our own pace, nothing but phonics/reading. I really wasn't wanting a comprehensive program like LOE as much as it appeals to me in theory, because I really was hoping to go with CLE!

[MotherGoose]

My dd was also a fluent reader very young. I went through OPG but she was so young by the time we finished she didn't remember the rules for spelling although she could apply them in reading very naturally. In 3rd grade we went through Modern Curriculum Press's phonics, which helped. Not recommending that for you. She's in CLE 300 and SHE wouldn't have been able to do it in 2nd grade--the amount of writing would have been too much for her. She is a writing-phobic child, though. Going in to CLE in 3rd grade, I haven't gone back and taught all those little markings, however. The phonics review in CLE 200 might be good for your child, closing in the gaps that will come up in spelling/phonics. Knowing long vowel/short vowel and the way different vowel pairs make long/short vowel sounds is important. Good thing about CLE is that it's very cheap and you could give the placement test, perhaps buy a couple of light units from each level, and see.