Tawlas Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I have a "struggling" reader about to go into grade four. I use quotes because even though she tested just about on grade level as far as decoding (one word at a time) goes, her over-all fluency while reading a whole sentence or paragraph is so low that she tested way down in comprehension (grade 2.2) . She gets very bogged down by multi-syllable words but hates going back to reread or figure things out. I know we'll have to work on that! She also knows how to break down words into syllables (she's completed ETC 4 as well as most of AAS 2) and figure them out that way but now I'm wondering if it would help for her to get some experience recognizing prefixes, suffixes, etc to help her quickly chunk words and identify them. So what am I looking for? Vocabulary? Word study? Advanced Phonics? What's the term? Work book or other recommendations? Other fluency improvement ideas? I know that in OPGTR (which she has almost completed, but we haven't done the affix section yet) has them, but I think we'd need a bit more in depth, but I don't seem to have found the right search term for this board or for google. Just as an afterthought, I don't think AAR is right for her - although I can't quite put my finger on why. I'm using it with my younger children and it's overkill for her, I think. Which seems odd because I do think she's the one struggling the most of my kids and AAR has been wonderful for my reluctant reader as well as my natural reader . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 What about Reading Pathways by the maker of Phonics Pathways? It will build upon fluency. Also, have her eyes been checked by a developmental optometrist? One of mine has what is called Accomodative Disorder. While her vision is perfect, her vision will blur while reading and she has difficulty reading longer passages. A normal eye check failed to find this issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Thanks Mandy, I'll look into this :). She does have an appointment with a COVD optometrist on the 19th - can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Dancing Bears may help. They teach reading by morpheme/phoneme, and I remember level C building multi-syllable words by adding prefixes and suffixes. For example: "dictionary" would be taught as "dict," "diction," "dictionary." They also do what they call word sums to show how words are built with common pieces. (Wonder + ful = wonderful.) I think level B does it too. Also, Dancing Bears requires using a "cursor" to keep the child from skipping ahead without actually sounding out the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 I looked at dancing bears but it is absolutely certain that we should do levels A and B before C. Even using the fast track book, I'm not sure I want to spend that much time before getting to what I want. Any one else skip a & b? Did the world end? Did the DB Police come to your door? Or was it just really hard to follow the flow without reading the first two books? Of course, if it comes to dancing bears, we'll spend the time needed, just still looking around ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SporkUK Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Advanced Code Workbook from OnTrack Reading specifically works on multisyllable words. Also the higher level/advanced reading instruction I See Sam readers are excellent ways to help reinforce advanced phonics code. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Just as an afterthought, I don't think AAR is right for her - although I can't quite put my finger on why. I'm using it with my younger children and it's overkill for her, I think. Which seems odd because I do think she's the one struggling the most of my kids and AAR has been wonderful for my reluctant reader as well as my natural reader . . . I was going to ask if AAR would work. You can start higher--you don't have to start with the lower levels, you can use the placement tests and sample stories to see where she should start--the stories can help with seeing where fluency lags and isn't keeping up with her decoding ability. Levels 3 and 4 also cover things like literary analysis for comprehension (for example, making predictions and inferences, comparing and contrasting main characters and stories, discussing the main conflict and character transformation), as well as literary terms (hyperbole, simile, point of view, and more), reading reference materials, reading with expression, English words with Greek, French, Spanish, and Italian influences, morphology, and much more. They take kids up to high school level word-attack skills. Once they know all of the phonograms, it really can build quickly. It's possible that she would improve as you continue with AAS too--her spelling level probably isn't where her reading level is (most kids find reading easier than spelling, so there's naturally a gap there in skills), but it might be awhile before she works with more multi-syllable words in AAS. They have AAR separate so that kids get to longer words for reading more quickly. Anyway, you may want to check out the online samples--it may be that 3 or 4 of AAR would fill in the gaps for her and help her work on fluency at her current level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 It is very expensive, but I think you are looking for Rewards Intermediate. I'm using it with my 2nd kid and it was so successful that after moving away and trying other less expensive options, I bit the bullet and bought the extensions and next levels too. It has increased both boys' reading fluency that much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 I've heard of Rewards before but haven't looked into it. Off to google, thanks :) AAR 4 might be appropriate. . . she's away until Saturday but I'll print out the placement tests as a starting point. There are definitely some aspects that appeal, I'm just not sure I need to do the whole show with her. Of course, my son would probably use it the following year, so that helps justify the cost a bit more too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I have a "struggling" reader about to go into grade four. I use quotes because even though she tested just about on grade level as far as decoding (one word at a time) goes, her over-all fluency while reading a whole sentence or paragraph is so low that she tested way down in comprehension (grade 2.2) . She gets very bogged down by multi-syllable words but hates going back to reread or figure things out. I know we'll have to work on that! She also knows how to break down words into syllables (she's completed ETC 4 as well as most of AAS 2) and figure them out that way but now I'm wondering if it would help for her to get some experience recognizing prefixes, suffixes, etc to help her quickly chunk words and identify them. So what am I looking for? Vocabulary? Word study? Advanced Phonics? What's the term? Work book or other recommendations? Other fluency improvement ideas? I know that in OPGTR (which she has almost completed, but we haven't done the affix section yet) has them, but I think we'd need a bit more in depth, but I don't seem to have found the right search term for this board or for google. Just as an afterthought, I don't think AAR is right for her - although I can't quite put my finger on why. I'm using it with my younger children and it's overkill for her, I think. Which seems odd because I do think she's the one struggling the most of my kids and AAR has been wonderful for my reluctant reader as well as my natural reader . . . Spalding. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 It is very expensive, but I think you are looking for Rewards Intermediate. I'm using it with my 2nd kid and it was so successful that after moving away and trying other less expensive options, I bit the bullet and bought the extensions and next levels too. It has increased both boys' reading fluency that much. Yes! My rising 4th grader is using this now, as our Summer Reading. It is ALL ABOUT prefixes/suffixes/identifying chunks inside a longer word based on the vowels, and it has a ton of practice for concepts. My daughter is doing well with it. It was pricey, but I think it's worth it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Everson Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Advanced Code Workbook from OnTrack Reading specifically works on multisyllable words. Also the higher level/advanced reading instruction I See Sam readers are excellent ways to help reinforce advanced phonics code. Thanks for the mention of my workbook, SporkUK. Here's a link directly to the page describing the workbook, by the way: OnTrack Reading Advanced Code Workbook I have two comments for the the original poster, Tawlas. First, I wholeheartedly agree with your decision to have your daughter's vision assessed by a developmental optometrist. Over several years of working with struggling readers, "struggling" very much like your own daughter by the way, I developed a huge appreciation for what vision therapy can accomplish when it's indicated. I even have a page on my website that you might want to read that addresses some of the issues parents encounter when looking for a developmental optometrist: Find a Vision Therapy Provider Second, if you really think the main problem is with your daughter's reading of multisyllable words, especially if the developmental OD finds no problems, take a look at the free Multisyllable Method on my website. It's right out of the workbook and is free on the site. The workbook is needed for the complete program where a child has to learn about digraphs, vowel sounds, the advanced code spellings of both vowel and consonant sounds, and practice reading with stories based on the last lesson, etc., but the multisyllable method in the workbook is exactly the same as the one available free on my website. From long experience, it works exceptionally well to stop habitual guessers from guessing and get them decoding chunk by chunk, provided they already are reasonably comfortable with the advanced code spellings like ea, ie, ou, ough, etc. The multisyllable method actually reinforces the advanced code , because the focus is on stopping each chunk after the vowel sound, so they're always looking for vowel spellings. I hope this helps. Personally, I suspect that vision therapy is likely to be your answer, given the phonics you've already taught her. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I'd take a look at REWARDS Intermediate. It is a powerful program that explicitly teaches a flexible strategy for decoding multisyllabic words. After completing REWARDS, I'd follow up with a long term fluency building plan where I'd have her read aloud every single day from 20-30 minutes from increasingly difficult text (starting at a level where it is very easy for her). REWARDS should take about two months and fluency practice should go on for at least a year (and possibly two or more). You want to get her to a point where she can read grade level text effortlessly (and if her native intelligence is above average, you shouldn't stop fluency practice until her reading is also above average). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Does anyone know where to find a Rewards Intermediate sample that doesn't require filling out a form and waiting for a representative to contact you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Does anyone know where to find a Rewards Intermediate sample that doesn't require filling out a form and waiting for a representative to contact you? No one contacts you. You fill out the form and have immediate access to the sample, just like with Calvert. You can even enter a fake phone number if you want to be sure you are not called. ;) I've never had to wait for contact to get samples. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberryjam Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 You said she's going into Grade 4 and she's completed ETC 4? I believe ETC 4 is usually completed in Grade 1 or 2. By Grade 4 she'd either be done ETC entirely, or in book 7 or 8. I'd keep going with ETC and perhaps double up on lessons and do the half level books as well for extra reinforcement. It covers a lot of the stuff you mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 You said she's going into Grade 4 and she's completed ETC 4? I believe ETC 4 is usually completed in Grade 1 or 2. By Grade 4 she'd either be done ETC entirely, or in book 7 or 8. I'd keep going with ETC and perhaps double up on lessons and do the half level books as well for extra reinforcement. It covers a lot of the stuff you mention.I use ETC as review. I'm homeschooling 3 just-about-readers at this time so ETC is an indpendent thing while I'm working with someone else. We talk about the purpose of the lesson and she fills out 1-3 pages that day depending on the page. We did ETC 4 together, though, mostly orally and applying the principles to words from OPGTR. We've done OPGTR from start to (nearly) finish. I'm happy to hear they cover a lot of this stuff, I haven't gone beyond book 5 with my younger ds. I'm hoping to get her through the next 3-4 books this year. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawlas Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Thanks everyone for the recs! Now I just need to narrow them down lol! I feel encouraged :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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