Drawn Into the Heart of Reading Questions

[lissiejo]

My daughter (an avid reader currently zipping through the level 2 books listed for DITHOR in 1st grade) will be in Bigger next year for second grade as a young 7-year-old. I'm debating whether to go ahead and start DITHOR next year or wait so I'm just throwing a few questions out there because I'm just not sure if she'll be ready in 2nd grade for formal literature instruction. My background is teaching junior high English and I currently teach 7th and 8th grade homeschoolers a literature/writing class once a week, but I've never considered beginning this instruction so young. I'd love some input!

1. Has anyone taught with this for a 2nd grader? What was it like for them?

2. How is vocabulary for DITHOR worked in?

3. How in depth are the literary elements presented?

4. How independent can this portion of HOD be at a 2nd grade level?

Thanks so much!
Melissa

[Heart_Mom]

My daughter (an avid reader currently zipping through the level 2 books listed for DITHOR in 1st grade) will be in Bigger next year for second grade as a young 7-year-old. I'm debating whether to go ahead and start DITHOR next year or wait so I'm just throwing a few questions out there because I'm just not sure if she'll be ready in 2nd grade for formal literature instruction. My background is teaching junior high English and I currently teach 7th and 8th grade homeschoolers a literature/writing class once a week, but I've never considered beginning this instruction so young. I'd love some input!

1. Has anyone taught with this for a 2nd grader? What was it like for them?
I'm using DITHOR this year with my 2nd grader, and she's really enjoying it!

2. How is vocabulary for DITHOR worked in?
You can choose to do some vocab work as an option on some days, but we haven't done it. Maybe someone else can give you more info on that!

3. How in depth are the literary elements presented?
I think it's nicely in depth for a 2nd grader. Not too much for her to understand, but enough to get her really thinking!

4. How independent can this portion of HOD be at a 2nd grade level?
Because my daughter is already an excellent reader, I have her do most of the reading on her own. She is able to do some of the worksheets on her own too. (She tends to be a little ahead in her skill areas.) Even so, I spend some time with her each day going over the lesson and any written work that might be required (which is not every day). She especially loves the fun projects at the end of each unit!

Thanks so much!
Melissa

Hope that helps!

[lissiejo]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions! That was helpful

[my3sons]

I would have answered the questions you asked with the same answers as Heart_Mom! We did DITHOR with 2 of our dc at age 7 and enjoyed it right from the start. I would take your time with it, and enjoy it along the way. I was going to suggest doing the Level 2 books, but if she has already read them, then the Level 3 books are next. I'd possibly begin half-speed. We did this and enjoyed it. I had my ds read half of the pages to me one day. Then, I had him read the other half of the pages the next day, and on that day, we did the DITHOR TG and Workbook plans. I wrote the answer as he dictated them at first. He then transitioned into writing half of them, and finally all of them. We used the markerboard as he dictated his answers eventually, and he copied them from there, so he could focus on giving good answers rather than on spelling. We've enjoyed DITHOR for so many years hear - how exciting dd gets to start soon!

In Christ,
Julie