We never really did much formal curriculum for Kindergarten. But DS 5 is already asking for book work for K next year. He's excited about it. I know that may not last, but I don't want to ignore him, either. I was thinking of picking up a language curriculum and thought of Explode the Code. Thoughts? Also, he's a lefty, so he needs something that has HW practice that is left-hand friendly. (I hated 100 easy lessons, so that's not happening for my own sanity, but I welcome other suggestions).
I love ETC. I don't really know what would be left-friendly and what wouldn't, but I can tell you that each lesson has a variety of types of exercises. You can do them all, or you can pick and choose (which is what we did). Some are writing, some are circling the answer, some are putting an X on the picture, etc. You can really do what you want with it.
Left-friendly just means how they instruct a child to physically write. Lefties move their pencils differently. That's why a lot of cursive books have two sets of copy work: one for righties and one for lefties. I honestly don't know how much it matters for printing, though I've been told it does.
ETC is a phonics instruction book. It has a lot of writing in it, if you choose to do those exercises, but it doesn't teach you how to write.
I am using ETC with my 6 and 7 year olds. I am the only lefty in the family so I cannot help there. I never read how to teach children to write. I just tell/show them using my right hand. I personally wish there were writting notebooks and planners for lefties. The pre ETC books were fun for my son because he knew what to do and it reinforced what he knew his letters/sounds. Kept him busy a bit while I worked with his sister.
Thank you all for your feedback. I guess I'll pray about it/talk to DH, but we'll probably end up trying it.
Amie, it's all "lefty-friendly" if you just teach them to tilt their paper correctly and hold their pencil correctly, and place their hand below the writing, with their wrist straight and elbow in a straight line with their hand. I'm a lefty! The correct position is just like for a righty, but mirror image.
My wife uses Explode the Code and is happy with it. We also purchased Click and kids and are happy with that too. http://www.clicknkids.com/Phonics.php
As a lefty myself....and a preschool teacher.....who currently has a few lefties.....I don't see an issue on needing something special. IMO this is a right handers world. Lefties need to adapt to it. Not make it more special which in turn makes it more difficult. Just teach to print just like you would a right handed child and they will adapt their own ways that make it comfortable to them. Cursive was difficult for me to learn as I needed to have the right angle in school. But now, as an adult, I just do my own thing. Do I write like a right handed person...no. You adapt. Printing takes less instruction for a leftie than cursive as it is basicly up and down where cursive has an angle. So I wouldn't stress over finding something for a leftie this early on. We are using Total Reading mixed in with some Reading Eggs for fun and she is doing well. I haven't used ETC myself so I cannot say.
My favorite phonics program is still www.starfall.com . Can't beat free. All 3 of my kids learned to read using it. Love it!
I used Starfall with the oldest two. But he really wants a 'real book' to do 'real school'. I obviously don't care if he lacks commitment once he starts, but I don't want to ignore his request, either.
