SSRW or PP

[shadah]

My Ker is finishing 100EZ and doing well. I want to cover phonics more thoroughly. I have SSRW and PP(and lots of others but I've limited it to these).

 

PP:

Pros-

He would like the "just read the page and be done"

It looks very thorough.

No writing required.

Con-

It looks boring for me.

 

SSRW:

Pros-

Not so boring for me.

We like games and singing.

Comes with readers.

Con-

Too much writing.

 

Is it possbile just to read through the word lists in SSRW, sing the songs, play the games, and read the readers? Would the word lists be enough without writing?

 

Or could I use PP and incorporate the "fun stuff" from SSRW. It wouldn't really fit together as well, but does it matter? WWYD?

[fourisenough]

PP

[Kathryn]

We did everything the first time through SSRW. With my second child, I didn't make him do the writing. He reads just as well as his brother did upon completing it.

[SilverMoon]

I'm doing SSRW with my youngest after doing PP with most of the older kids. PP is a great course! DS/prek is the baby of the family and I saw no reason why he shouldn't do the more fun course. He loves the train and car themes and has done great.

 

Fwiw, he didn't seem ready for the writing volume when we started, but I took it as slow as he needed and used SSRW to build up his endurance. Now he's fine with it.

Edited February 14, 2016 by SilverMoon

[sangtarah]

I'm using both programs with my first grader this year. She hit a snag at the Letter Cluster pages (step 16) and slowly got so overwhelmed that we took a break by step 22. There were too many sounds to remember and too much writing - the spelling lists are very long at that point. I took out PP and she's happily reading a two-page spread and getting her confidence back. She is reading well past where we are in PP, but I'm taking her through it at a slow pace so she will practice sounds in isolation. 

 

I think both programs are really good. It's worked well to have both for us. SSRW got her excited about reading and she loves the games and songs. PP is helping her gain fluency and confidence when SSRW went too fast for her. 

 

If your goal is to practice fluency, either would work. If the goal is to teach phonics rules, PP would be my choice, because the phonics rules are clearer. 

[SilverMoon]

I should add that he also practices with BOB Books and has memorized the WRTR phonogram cards. Benefits of having five older siblings: the school closet is already loaded.

[SeaConquest]

PP worked great for us.