Drew is 4yo, will be 5 at the end of May. We've been working on and off on his phonics since September. Heavy there for a few weeks, backed off when I saw he wasn't getting it, and started up again at the end of January. He still wasn't completely grasping it, but - unlike before - he was being interested, so I continued to do what we're doing and just figured the light bulb would go on at some point. Last Saturday, I bought the LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD. Today, my 4yo son can tell you what EVERY letter says. Every single one of them. He's been using Starfall for about 6 weeks, but this video has solidified it for him. (Now, I'm not certain if he's able to apply the concept yet. He may just be parroting it back, but it's more than he's done before now and I'm happy!!) Also today, I plugged in the Math-U-See Primer DVD for the first time. We watched the first lesson, and then went to work on the worksheets with blocks. We did all 3 practice pages, and he insisted on watching "number 2". :roll: So we did, and then he wanted to do more "sheets and blocks" and I let him complete the 3 review pages. THEN he wanted to watch "number 3" and I let him, and man did he throw a fit when I wouldn't let him do more worksheets! (But he calmed down when I told him he could still "school" with the blocks. :lol: And I only made him stop because the pages I have are already worked up, and I need to do a little prep work on them before they're ready to be done again by his little hands. Used curriculum - ya do what ya gotta.) Anyway. I'm cracking up over here at what a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference the style of teaching makes. You can tell, tell, tell a kid anything you want to... but if they're a visual learner, you're just going to get a blank stare until you SHOW it to them. And then the light goes on. :lol: (Not that I didn't already know he was a visual learner, and I've wanted to get the LeapFrog DVD for a long time, just only recently had the cash flow to do so. I am just amused at myself, at him, and at the huge difference such a small change can make.) Watch out, teacher stores that carry visual aids - HERE I COME! :angel:
The leap frog dvds are what did it for my 7 yo too! He couldn't blend, then a few weeks later after we had purchased those DVDs he could. We aren't using MUS, because the demo they sent made it seem kind of boring. We've been doing cuisinare & other manipulatives for lessons, then Modern Curriculum Press workbook. Next year we'll be using Saxon math I think.
Big fan of LeapFrog here too! Not much on "Math Circus" but the rest are awesome! My son was the same way! I couldn't even get him to SAY the alphabet, let alone recognize letters at first. He watched that DVD 1ce a day for 2 weeks and knew every letter and sound...still sings the song occasionally now, too....lol!!! My youngest (almost 3) LOVES the DVD - it's my goto DVD when I'm making dinner. She can recognize most of the letters. She calls them Mommy and baby letters (Mommy's are capitals, and babies are lowercase! LOL ) LOVE LEAPFROG!!! Just ordered 2 of the phonics kits b/c of something on here last week!
