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How to keep an early reader progressing without formal curriculum


Cranberry
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My son is 5.5. We finished Seton's phonics K and he's well into MCP A plaid phonics and does everything very easily. He has gone through the Bob books, sets 1-4. What I did was he'd read about 2-3 a day, when he had each one perfected (in that he could read all the words without any help from me) we'd retire it and go on to the next. Usually he just had to read them twice before he got it.

 

Now I have access to a bunch of other random readers I've picked up along the way. I don't have the $ to buy any more books at the moment, but is there some way I should be progressing like I did with the Bob's? Should I just keep having him read to me each day and hope that I'm challenging him enough and moving forward? Or are there things I can get out of the library with some sort of progression to them.

 

I hope this question makes some sense. I just need some direction of how to keep moving his reading abilities along, or to be reassured that it doesn't matter, as long as I have him read stuff each day.

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I'd use leveled readers.....ie regular library books that have been assigned a 'level'. You can start where he is and move up incrementally as skill level dictates.

 

the following link allows you to search by the level (ie A, B, C.....Z), author or title. It's the most extensive of the leveled databases I've seen. I prefer this leveling system as opposed to Lexile or DRP b/c it seems to more heavily weight phonics into the equation.

 

http://registration.beavton.k12.or.us/lbdb/FMPro

 

:)

katherine

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It sounds as though you are doing a great job already. There are so many different approaches, but if you don't want to worry about leveled readers. I would just get him easy books and, as you are doing, have him read them more than once. A group of books that I think are great for very young readers are the small Dr Seuss books -- like Hop on Pop or One Fish, Two Fish. You can go from Bob books to easy Seuss (there are some harder Seuss book, usually in a larger format). Another great series is the I Can Read books, level 1. These are a bit harder than the Seuss books, and I would not go to these directly from Bob books. Both the Seuss and the I Can Read books are so well known that they are in almost every public library. Your ds might also like some easy, easy readers, like the Biscuit series -- series are nice because the repetition makes comprehension easy. (But Biscuit et al do not have the good literary qualities of the I Can Read series.) Most libraries should also have these. Libraries are also a good source of non-fiction easy readers -- so you might want to look for something on a subject your ds particularly likes.

 

I would also keep doing read alouds for formal comprehension -- check out Jim Trelease's book for excellent ideas.

HTH

Edited by Alessandra
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You can go from Bob books to easy Seuss (there are some harder Seuss book, usually in a larger format).

 

We have been doing this, but he's not a big fan as he knows most of the Early Suess ones by memory just from me reading to him and his brother, so it's not a real good measure of his reading capabilities, KWIM?

 

Another great series is the I Can Read books, level 1. These are a bit harder than the Seuss books, and I would not go to these directly from Bob books.

Do you know of a list of these somewhere I can take to the Lib and search?

 

 

(But Biscuit et al do not have the good literary qualities of the I Can Read series.)

You can say that again! :tongue_smilie: IMHO, these are really cheesy and he just makes fun of them. They are also below his level now

 

Libraries are also a good source of non-fiction easy readers -- so you might want to look for something on a subject your ds particularly likes.

 

Yes, non-fiction is almost what I would prefer. DS has an early reader about firefighters that he loves. He seems to like the non-fiction ones better. I just can't seem to get a grasp on how to find these easily at the library. Maybe I just need to get there without the 3 monkeys sometime and get the librarian to help me. :willy_nilly:

 

What's the title of that book you recommend?

 

Katherine, thanks for the link, I'll def. check that out to search for titles.

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http://registration.beavton.k12.or.us/lbdb/

 

correct link for leveled readers. fwiw, these are all normal, regular old books that any library will have (or can get if you use the online search/request feature). no special series to buy.

 

"He seems to like the non-fiction ones better. I just can't seem to get a grasp on how to find these easily at the library."

 

the above link will (thankfully) take care of that for you. search the database in one window, in another open window, have your library's website open......copy from the database, paste into library search. sometimes I have to mess around a bit with terms - ie title, key words, authors name....but in the end, since they're all common common titles, I am able to find them. I stop at the library a couple times per week to pick up to books being held for me at the circulation desk. It's *so* wonderfully easy.

 

:)

Katherine

Edited by cillakat
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My son is 5.5. We finished Seton's phonics K and he's well into MCP A plaid phonics and does everything very easily. He has gone through the Bob books, sets 1-4. What I did was he'd read about 2-3 a day, when he had each one perfected (in that he could read all the words without any help from me) we'd retire it and go on to the next. Usually he just had to read them twice before he got it.

 

Now I have access to a bunch of other random readers I've picked up along the way. I don't have the $ to buy any more books at the moment, but is there some way I should be progressing like I did with the Bob's? Should I just keep having him read to me each day and hope that I'm challenging him enough and moving forward? Or are there things I can get out of the library with some sort of progression to them.

 

I hope this question makes some sense. I just need some direction of how to keep moving his reading abilities along, or to be reassured that it doesn't matter, as long as I have him read stuff each day.

 

I'm exactly in the same place with my ds (5). He's very interested in reading, and ends up sounding out words and reading every day whether I require it from him or not. Formally, we read a book four days a week and he does phonics (Tanglewood's Really Reading alternating with Spectrum Phonics).

 

There are a bunch of readers at our local library, I'm sure you'll be able to find some readers at your library. You can ask the librarian. I would keep the habit of reading, have him read aloud at least five minutes every day and keep reading aloud to him yourself, progressing to chapter books if he's ready. I like the Step into Reading series too. Next week we're going to start with The Big Egg -- woohoo! Right now he's reading a toddler book on Halloween called A Merry Scary Halloween. It's dh's favorite holiday and we celebrate in style here. Remember he can probably read those baby and toddler books you used to read to him (and probably already own) too!

Edited by sagira
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I usually check my library for these series - lots of good leveled books

 

Early Step into Reading

Real Kids Readers series

My First I Can Read book

I Can Read Books

I can read it all by myself series (Dr. Seuss books and some other authors)

Bright & Early Books (more Dr. Seuss and some other authors)

Step into Reading

Hello Reader

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We're not a weekly library goer. We go to the library every two weeks or so. So it's been impractical for me to depend on library's book for my son's reading.

 

What I do is to get FREE old reader from google books and print those. I would suggest you to start with Mc Guffey primer. Start at the level where your dc is comfortable with. Then move to readers with better stories:

- Margaret Free and Harriet Treadwell Reader from http://www.mainlesson.com'>http://www.mainlesson.com'>http://www.mainlesson.com'>http://www.mainlesson.com

- Elson Runkel Primer.

 

Then, move to first grade reader. Now, it's a bit hard to find first reader with nice stories. Most are doing cat, bat, etc. But here is the reader which we use concuretnly (all from google books except the treadwell reader which is from http://www.mainlesson.com).

- Treadwell first reader.

- Elson First Reader.

- Summer Reader ( a first reader by Summer Maud).

NOTE: use this set of readers with easy Seuss book, I can Read series, etc.

 

Then move to these following readers:

- A Primary Reader by Louis Smythe.

- Horace Mann Introductory Second Reader by Melvin and Hix

- Appletons Introductory Second Reader by Fassett.

NOTE: by the time your dc moves to this set of readers, s/he should be ready for Frog and Toad kind of stories.

 

After that, get any second reader (pm me if you want to get the list).

 

I also get my son to read Dolch words to me for fluency practice.

 

HTH

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