YEAHH first my brag. We did finish it, my son is reading well!!! OK well he technically will finish on Monday, but I don't get to get online during the week. LOL I feel like we should have a party. Actually that is going to happen too. shhh don't tell anybody. My ds is 5, will be 6 in Feb. I am not sure where to go now. We have been working through this book off and on for about 2 years now. I was planning on reading a ton of books, like is suggested at the end of the 100EZ, but after that then what. What books should we read, anybody have a good list of begining readers. Some of the ones from the library have words that are way hard to read for him. He has memorized the dolch site words for pre primer, and will be done with the primer words in just a few more days. So we will move on to first grade. I have ruined him. I told him that each list he memorized he would get a personal pizza all to himself. So he tries really hard to learn them. He loves to eat pizza while the rest of us are eating something like pinto's. How do I tell what "grade" level he is reading at, and see if he has any reading problems. I know that he messes up his "b" and "d" and things like that but he is still young. I also don't think he has any problems, but he is the first one I have taught to read so I want to make sure I didn't mess him up I just wanted to have some sort of plan for after the holidays. I was thinking we would work on handwriting, since we skipped that part of 100EZ. It was to much for him, he just wasn't ready for that part. Then work on vocabulary and spelling stuff. But all of that I have no idea what to do with. Any suggestions or advice?
YAY! Doin' the Happy Dance for you.....!:lol: For now, as you said, just read, read, read, and work on the handwriting some. I'd just take him to the library kids' section and let him pick out anything that appeals to him! If he picks picture books, okay, if he picks chapter books, okay, and you could probably guide a few choices too. Just look at the pages and see what looks like he could read it! See if your library has Bob Books; kids generally like these. They're phonics based, but not intrusively. They just like drawings, not even colorful, but for some reason kids like 'em. Next school year, whenever that happens at your house, you may want to invest in an actual curriculum for reading and language arts. If so, I suggest Christian Light Education, if you lean in that direction. If not, maybe Sycamore Tree? When learning to write, you can show him "first the bat, then the ball, b" (first the straight line, then the round part), and "first the doorknob, then the door" (first the round part, then the straight part). Or show him that his fists with thumbs extended and palms toward him look like the letters b and d (trace them with your finger on his fists). And "bed" looks like a bed, with the stick of the b the headboard and the stick of the d the footboard. And we always read and write from left to right, and b comes before d in the alphabet, and b comes before d on his fists and on the "bed". If this is all he's reversing, he's doing great! My ds reversed not only b/d/p/q, but also rotated or flipped m/w, M/W, n/u, f/t, E/3, P/9, 7's (but strangely, not L/7), and 2/5, and had to write an 8 by putting one circle on top of another because he couldn't make that serpentine curve! But when he was 8, it suddenly all fell into place for him, except that he continued to write b for d or d for b, even Capitals! even in Cursive!!! He eventually got over it. I think!
Good for you both. We got to Lesson 80 and then it was tossed aside. There was just no stopping the child from reading everything--I mean EVERYTHING. Books, ads, signs, etc. Any child who finishes 100EZLessons is basically reading in the 2nd grade level. If you like readers, I have two favorites. The Elson Readers: Whimsical stories, poems, and part readings with repetition. Here is a sample of Book 2: http://lcbcbooks.com/pdf/ElsonExcerpts/elson2.pdf Teacher's Guide for Book 2: http://lcbcbooks.com/pdf/ElsonExcerpts/Elson2_TG.pdf You can get them at Amazon the cheapest, I think: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?u...ooks&field-keywords=the+Elson+readers&x=0&y=0 Pathway Readers: Christian, wholesome, down to earth stories. They also have workbook available. Samples can be found on this site: http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/item/2-2--/?list=Pathway_Readers_Grade_2 I did not use the workbooks with either of these because I was using First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind and I was happy with it, but I think it would have been a bit better for my daughter to have used this approach--or maybe it would have been better for me as it is more connected. You know, like, "This word in the story is a noun. What other nouns are in the story?" We did that, but the coordinating workbooks may give better guidance. If you are looking for just fiction books for enjoyment, you might like Cynthia Ryland's books. I believe both the Mr. Putter and Tabby, and the Henry and Mudge series are 2nd to 3rd grade level. (I :love: Mr. Putter and Tabby personally!!! My daughter loves that I giggle at what she is reading and is motivated by that.) By the way, I have yet to meet anyone who did the writing part in 100EZLessons. Most everyone does their own writing program. We used Italic Handwriting and the b-d thing is common for that age.
Congratulations! We are using 100Ez lessons here and it is great to hear success stories! (we are on lesson 6)
YAY!!! SO LOVE IT! GOOD JOB!!! Have you looked into Five in a Row? Book rich curriculum that you can work in a lot of different subjects into one book. Also have a great lapbook site where a lot is based on FIAR (www.homeschoolshare.com).
Thanks I now see that I have a lot to look into..LOL I knew that you ladies would be a big help.The only thing I could think of was library books, and R&S readers, because they are cheaper. Do I need to go through a set of readers to make sure he learns all the phonic things he needs to learn, or do you think that if we just read a book he picks out from the library a week we will cover them all sooner or later? I just don't want him to have gaps anywhere. He really started reading on his own around lesson 70, but I made him finish the book because of that. I actually have the first set of bob books, and since my boy has great ability to memorize things they are not too good for his reading skills. He memorized them when I read them the first time and can recite them without me even opening the book. He doesn't even look at the words. As a funny side note, he loves to read Calvin and Hobbes comics, and that is one of the first times he read silently to himself, was when he wanted me to read one to him and I was busy. So he pouted and I told him to go read it to himself (I hate whinny kids). He came back and told me word for word what it said. I don't know who it shocked more me or him. LOL I will look into FIAR I don't know about it though. Does it take a bunch of time to prep for, because I have zero free time as is. I do my school prep on Sunday evening. My ds hates anything artsy so the lapbooks are not a fun thing for either of us, he thinks art is some sick way to torture him. One more question, do I need to work on vocab, spelling, writing etc. I kind of think that stuff will come in other lessons. Like science, bible, history (well those things I might start in the future. ). I lean more towards WTM type of schooling.
I'm so glad to hear this!! CONGRATULATIONS to you both!! My daughter and I are on lesson 9. I was about to toss it aside,but I now think we are going to keep going with it. It did help her when it came to blending. Caaaat. Now say it fast. CAT That part helped a TON!! I'm now inspired to keep going. Thanks for posting your brag for us and yes, I would most definately have a party for the little guy..
What I did is when we came across a word with a phonics rule we had not yet covered, we would look it up in Phonics Pathways, but I did not get into the phonics rules heavily with reading, as it came easily to her. However when it came to spelling...I ended up developing my own rule based system (the link in my signature).
I think there are like 5 sets of Bob Books, increasing in difficulty, like A, B, and C sets with A and B each having a 1 and a 2 set? I think?
From what I have seen of them, Set 5 of the Bob Books might be compatible but really a challenge after 100EZLessons.
