Momma4 Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Hi, my eldest son will be 5 years in October so im looking into language arts programmes. I have two other sons aged 3.5 years and 18 months. My eldest and middle son both know their alphabet, upper and lowercase, phonetically and phonemically. I came across the Reading lessons through literature and downloaded the sample pages, is it just me or is there a teachers manual that accompanies it? Lesson 1 seemed way above my children's level - it goes like this: 'top Top. The first phonogram is /t/. [Wait while child writes it.] The next phonogram is /Å/, /Å/, /oo/. [Wait while child writes it.] The last phonogram is /p/. [Wait while child writes it.] /t/-/Å/-/p/. Top. but But. The first phonogram is /b/. The next phonogram is /Å/, /Å«/, /ü/. The last phonogram is /t/. /b/-/Å/-/t/. But. ???? Am I supposed to use the word phonogram with my nearly 5yr old??! Later on it talks about putting a number 3 over a certain phonograph to show its sound - this all seems very confusing. Please could someone describe exactly how easy it is to teach a child to read with this programme. I really hope I'm not quite understanding just how easy it is just yet as I do seriously like the look of this curriculum, particularly the literature selections, we already have pretty much all of the titles which is a big bonus. I've also seen LOE and this looks like something my kids might really enjoy. They are VERY active kids and their eye is always drawn to colour. What would you all recommend? Also, I want them to learn cursive wrioting first, is this compatible with usinf such programmes? Thanks in advance Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 We use RLTL, and before you start the lessons you are referring to, you will teach all of the phonograms. This will help explain the different markings. So if a phonogram has 3 sounds and makes the third sound in a word, you would mark it with a little 3. But the book explains all of this (apparently the teaching instructions aren't in the sample?). There is no teacher's manual...it is all in the book. I am currently using RLTL level 2 with my 6 year old and am also teaching my 4 (almost 5) year old the phonograms. The program is very easy to slow down or speed up depending on your child. Kathy Jo, the author of RLTL, has a very active yahoo group (I think it is called Barefoot Ragamuffins) and she is wonderful about answering any questions you may have. ETA: Yes, you can do cursive first with RLTL. She has free phonogram tiles to print off and you can print them in several different fonts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Check out Memoria Press First Start Reading (FSR) program. It is a very gentle introduction to reading that starts with simple blends and has the children tracing and writing words. It's a great program. And/or you could also use All About Reading (AAR) that also systematically breaks down the steps necessary to teach reading. My son is 5 and starting the second level and it has really turned him into a great budding reader. Explode the Code (ETC) is a great supplemental phonics/reading and writing practice. I didn't know about RLTL or it wasn't out when I was looking into different programs but there were other programs that used those phonetic symbols that I eliminated, I think LOE was one, because they seemed too complicated. I have ordered the ELTL which I'm excited to get started with. FSR and AAR and ETC are all very simple easy to use choices that make sense while you are reading the instructions with no confusion or prep work. I was so stressed about teaching DS to read which is why I bought all three of the above and it's such a relief that he is reading so well and I can just open them up and go on to the next lesson every day. All together they take about 20 minutes a day. FSR is too easy for him as a reading program since its behind where he is with reading, but since AAR doesn't use any writing it's been great handwriting and spelling practice. Plus it has dictation and reading comprehension so it's a great program. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mohop Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I really like the Barefoot Raggamuffin curricula, and we use English Lessons Through Literature for our main LA curriculum for 1st grade and up, but I just can't wrap my head around teaching a very small child to read by having them memorize all the different phonograms for words. So I've never considered RLTL as a learning-to-read program for my kids. If you are finding it confusing (which I would too), then maybe look into the Ordinary Parent's Guide or 100 Easy Lessons, which are generally highly recommended. What I did for my now-7 yr old was just teach her all the letters and most letter sounds informally and then start on the ETC books and slowly making our way through the Bob books. I also used the Blend Phonics program, which you can find for free online. She didn't require a lot of formal reading instruction. With my current 4.5 year old, we are going through the ETC primer books, and I will start her with the first Bob book and ETC workbook 1 when she is finished with those to see how quickly she starts catching on. Then, I'll decide what type of structure/program might work best for her. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma4 Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Thank you all so much for your replies. I've looked at so many curriculums and there are aspects that I like about all of them. My question next is, my son already competently knows his alphabet, upper and lowercase (phonetically), would it be possible to teach him to read using another programme which doesn't use the 1/2/3 phonogram markings, but then return to the RLTL programme or does that defeat the object? I can see the reasoning behind the phonograph 1/2/3 markings but I really think my son may find it too confusing. Not all programmes use such markings, are they necessary to learn to read, is there a benefit? I really love that he wouldn't be learning to read 'Twaddle' as Charlotte Mason puts it. Also, would teaching him to read the more traditional way of phonics, would that hinder him in comparison to using the spelling to reading method? Thank you in advance. Xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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