The Latin-Centered Curriculum

I already saw problems with this idea before I posted it, and now the more I think about it, the more I realize that would make things HARDER for her rather than easier!

Last fall, we used Spell to Write and Read, which is based on the Spaulding method. It appealed to me because it is very logically consistent compared to the phonics programs I was raised with. But it's also very complicated. It emphasizes encoding (spelling) using 70 phonograms and 29 spelling rules. It was a LOT of work for a child her age, and she just wasn't retaining anything. She'd remember long enough to do well on the spelling tests, and then all the information would be gone. It also doesn't really teach decoding/reading as such. It's more like, once they've learned to encode a certain number of words, the decoding will start to come naturally. But she was having such a hard time with the encoding that we never got to that (theoretical) point.

This program also takes up a LOT of time and is a LOT of effort on her part, and that was causing frustration and burn-out. Obviously I do NOT want her to be burned out by the ripe old age of six!!!! I think it would make an excellent spelling program for her later on. But right now, I wonder if she needs a simpler reading program, that we can lean in just a few minutes a day, so that she won't feel so overwhelmed and frustrated.

Any ideas?

We have used SWR for spelling, and I LOVE it because it does teach spelling so logically. I know a lot of people swear by that program, but I can't imagine using it to teach reading. It just seems like it would be information overload.

As I said, I'm no expert here. I'm currently in the process of teaching my second son to read. For my oldest son, he already knew the sounds of all the letters, so we just used Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

My second son did NOT know all the sounds of the letters when we started, and he had difficulty with 100EZ at first, so we started with Phonics Pathways. That helped him with the sounds and blending, so we moved back to 100EZ and he's cruising right through it now.

What I don't like about Phonics Pathways: I think some of the word choices are just weird. The beginning words are simple C-V-C words, but my son was NOT familiar with them, which made it harder. We spent more time with him asking what's a lug, gig, sap, etc. So it was with a sigh of relief that I returned to 100EZ.

What I don't like about 100EZ: There are these goofy rhyming bits. We skip them. Many people hate all the symbols and say that they make the program more complicated than it needs to be. We haven't had any problems with that, but it's something to take into consideration. I had great success teaching my oldest son with this book, and my second son is, now, coming right along in it as well.

There's also The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading by Jessie Wise. I've been hearing good things about this book, but I haven't seen it myself. If I hadn't already had 100EZ and PP on the shelf, I probably would have tried this one. I would have switched to this if my son had continued to have problems with 100EZ because Phonics Pathways really drives me nuts. :}

HTH and that others will chime in with their experiences.

You mentioned several programs that I was thinking about! I'm very grateful for your input on all of them. The marking system in 100 Easy Lessons did seem kind of weird to me, but everyone I've talked to said it was not a problem for them. Phonics Pathways appeals to me because it seems to contain some of the things that I like about SWR (logical spelling rules and such) but present them in a more kid-friendly format. I haven't looked into Ordinary Parents Guide yet, but I intend to. And I've also heard good things about Alpha-Phonics.

Thanks again! And anyone else reading this, PLEASE give me your input on early reading instruction as well! :-)

I remember OhElizabeth on the WTM boards said that her dd didn't remember any of the spelling words either, but she started over the next year (I think she started this in K and then you repeat A-? the next year too). Her dds reading just took off.

I used it to teach my older ds to read and I'm letting my younger ds develop more....he isn't ready to read either. He remembers some words that we've worked on but not all.

I haven't worried about the spelling part of it. The exposure to the letters/sounds is what will click for them.

Penny
Mom to J (9) & J (6)

I used Alpha-Phonics successfully with both of my daughters,(starting each at around age 5and 1/2 to 6) who are now 14 and 11. It is an easy program to use and I think they've got some supplements to it now that I will probablly add to the program when I use it with my son, who is going to be 5 soon. I was actually thinking of using 100e-z lessons this time, but had heard several years ago that if they already know the phonics sounds it goes easily, if not, then a bit harder. Well, I've still got my worn copy of AP in my "school closet" with the pencil marks from the days the girls used it. We also used the McGuffey's readers for practice, and did a bit of choral reading each week using the Psalms. We would either read them responsorially or antiphonally, which helped the young readers hear the correct pronunciation of words. Hope this helps-Kelly