SWR question

[mo2]

Can someone tell me what a typical lesson looks like? What you do, exactly? Any info would be great.

 

Thanks.

[Julie in GA]

There are several phases to SWR. If you're using it from the beginning, the lessons will be different from those you'll do later on. To begin, you're introducing the alphabet, but as "phonograms" instead of letters. Each day, you'll learn a couple of letters, with the sounds they make. Your dc will practice writing them and saying the sounds as they write them. For example, "a" is not just "a." It's "ah, ay, aaah" (as in map, fate, father). After learning the alphabet (single-letter phonograms) your dc will learn the two-letter phonograms. At this point, he is ready to begin his logbook and learn actual words.

 

Sample lessons from SWR for primary beginners:

First Week:

Mon: Say, write, quiz phonograms: a,c,d. Play "Guess the Word."

Tues: Say, write quiz g,o,qu. Quiz all 6 phonograms.

Wed: Say, write, quiz f,s,e,l. Quiz all 10.

 

***

Third Week:

Mon: Reveiw "Vowel-Consonant Page". Quiz all 26 phonograms.

Tues: Say, write, quiz sh,th,oo,ee,er. Add to Reference Page.

Wed: Section A words. Quiz all 31. Read "My Bed" (p. 96)

 

While doing these lessons, you're also reading aloud to your dc every day, and making sure they are surrounded with lots of good books. My daughter actually learned to read by herself at age 4, by listening to me do SWR with my ds7, listening to read-aloud literature, and having me read picture books to her. At first I was afraid that she had taught herself without phonics; then I realized that she was listening in on the SWR lessons and that had given her the foundation she needed.

[jail warden]

The sample at the back of SWR gives examples of both. When they're littler sometimes it needs to be gentler. Let us know ages and then we can help a bit more, hopefully.:)

[mo2]

Sorry, she's 6, and really struggling to read. She can write wonderfully, though.

[Surfside Academy]

I've been using SWR with my older son but he already knew his letters and was writing before we switched. I'm now trying to implent SWR from the beginning with my soon-to-be 5 year-old. He knows the 1st 26 phonograms so I'm trying to figure out how to introduce the lists in a "gentle way." I'm not that worried about him learning "to spell" right now and I don't want to overwhelm him with writing. I guess what I'm trying to say is how to I use SWR as more of a "phonics program" now? I appreciate any help!

 

Tiffany

[rafiki]

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[KIN]

Here is what I'm doing with my 6 year old:

 

Monday & Tuesday:

Review the phonogram cards, orally

I dictate 5 new words, my son writes them into his learning log

Ds then dictates the words back to me and I write them on a white board

We mark the words together, he in his learning log, I on my white board

Ds closes his book and I give him a quiz of 4 phonograms to write down and 10 words

Read together

 

Wed - Thurs:

Review phonogram cards, orally

Quiz 4 phonograms and 10 words, written

Do any reference pages

Read together

 

Friday:

 

Test 10 words

Read together

 

This is the 2nd child I'm doing SWR with, and the results are just as good the 2nd time around! I love it! My oldest is reading and spelling above grade level and I give a lot of the credit to SWR. My K'r is just beginning to read and it is going well. SWR takes a bit of time to understand and get started, but once you understand it is very easy to use. I don't have any advanced preparation, it is open the book and go!

[Alana in Canada]

This thread may be helpful.