Tree House Academy Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 1st grade....Anyone use both and have a preference? Mind to share why you prefer one to the other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have NOT used both...but since you haven't gotten any replies maybe this will bump up your thread. :001_smile: I am using abeka (after starting w/ Hooked on Phonics and then Pathway Phonics.) I really like this for my first grader. I do not have the teacher's guide. We just read the readers at his own pace and read over the page(s) in the Handbook for Reading that go along w/ it. What I love is that they do a great job of reviewing past material, while constantly learning new concepts (and new words that go with those concepts. Not just repeating the same list of words over and over). Last year reading was such a struggle, and this year he has advanced leaps and bounds in his reading. This is one thing that I'm definitely sticking with from now on! Good luck w/ your choices, and I hope someone comments on the WP one. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 Thanks! With Abeka, if I were to only use the phonics, what would i need to buy for 1st grade? Could I get away with just getting the student books "Phonics and Sounds 1" and "Language 1" (since I have a reading program and a writing program and we do handwriting and spelling on our own)? Or do I need the TG and the tests and keys and such? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 If you are looking at WP LA1, you should not be looking mostly for phonics. LA1 is aimed toward strong fluent readers. Adv K LA is aimed toward students who know their alphabet and are ready to blend sounds, so it is stronger on phonics. We did LA1, after my ds already had a strong background in phonics and was reading well. We LOVED it. It includes Explode the Code 6 and Right Into Reading Book 2, both of which include phonics practice. The strength of WP's LA1 is its awesome readers. It also furnishes weekly creative "narration" or writing practice related to the Amer Story1 or Children Around the World themes. If you want a traditional workbook style LA, with integrated "real book" readers and writing exercises, WP is the program for you. I can't say anything at all about Abeka phonics because I have never used or even seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Not to throw you into confusion, but if you just want a workbook approach, you could use Explode the Code. You don't need any Teacher's guides, just the student Workbooks. They're self explanitory and my kids thing they're fun. You could use A Beka's program, but you might not understand what they want you to teach without the Curriculum guide (explains the object of the lesson) and Teacher's Edition (has all the answers). For example, A Beka teaches digraphs, blends and dipthongs as "special sounds" and has the kids do exercises marking them. I do this in K5 because it helps my daughter who is learning to read, but I don't feel the need to do this in 1st grade. Here's the links to samples of the books you're talking about so you can see what I mean: https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ViewSample.aspx?sbn=95125 https://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ViewSample.aspx?sbn=95184 I like A Beka for Math because I need hand holding there. For phonics (once they're emerging readers), I prefer a clear, cut and dry method that gets the job done with little expense. The other thing about using ETC is, you aren't doing two workbooks at a time. You work through one and continue on to the next. They do phonics and language at the same time. Here's their samples: ETC FWIW, I use A Beka's K5 program, and then I use ETC for phonics in 1st. I also use A Beka's "A Handbook for Reading" to reinforce oral phonics if I need it. I don't know anything about WP's program, but I thought I'd give my 2cents on A Beka. Hope that helps instead of confuses :D Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 If you're still interested in A Beka, you should go to one of their hotel meetings. You can hold the books and look through them for no fee:D. You'll get a better understanding of how they run their program. Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 We currently use ETC. My ds is mid-way through book 3 and I do love them! I am just not sure where to go once we finish LLATL with Language Arts. I want Phonics and Language arts to marry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I did some of Abeka's program with DD in PreK. Then, we taught her to read using a method similar to WPs. If you have a bright child who picks up on it quickly, I would recommend the method that WP uses. And if you want to marry all LA, then WP would fit nicely down the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela&4boys Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 WP Adv K (I used as 1st grade as Jennifer C pointed out.) is what helped one of my ds's to read. I had used A Beka in the past, but was turned off by the conventional aspect of it and it moved to quickly for my guys. I like that WP is originally designed by and for the homeschooler. I also prefer the variety in WP. The TM is wonderful along with the all the components. It includes an easy to use schedule along with all the copywork in the back. The flashcards are sweet and useful as well and we loved their choices of ETC workbooks, the readers, and the word family book. I know some children are unaffected by lots of color and illustrations, but it is distracting to my boys. WP's components are black and white with a few illustrations. We both have fond memories of WP and I hope to use it with our youngest ds when he is ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 We currently use ETC. My ds is mid-way through book 3 and I do love them! I am just not sure where to go once we finish LLATL with Language Arts. I want Phonics and Language arts to marry... I guess I've never thought about it that way. I don't "marry" them:D anymore because when we're done with phonics, we're done! I used Rod and Staff with my oldest, and they do an excellent job of making everything mesh, but I really began to feel the phonics instruction was overkill. That's when I switched to ETC for my youngest. I guess I'm confused as to why you're switching? Doesn't LLATL work for what you're looking for? I thought they combined everything. Are you needing more phonics instruction for help in reading? Or are your children reading fine, but you want to "finish" phonics? Now that you have looked at HOD, are you still looking at WP v/s A Beka? Blessings! Dorinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.