Not sure....

[LeAnna]

Well, we have been going fairly strong with Beyond with my dgs, but come August I will have added another dc to the school mix. That makes me so nervous!
I don't like to compare my children and their abilities, but my girls were very easy to teach to read, using TRL. I have opened it with my son, and he seems very lost. We have done LHTH, but he's slower on learning his letters, doesn't know his sounds and I don't feel like he's ready to take on LHFHG, even though he will be just turned 6. I'm not sure how to tackle this and what the best route is? I know lots of you moms do more than one book, but right now, I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed. I think mostly it's because I feel like he's not getting it and I'm worried about him getting behind. I would love to hear any ideas that you have for me. Do I take LHFHG at half speed? How do I tackle TRL, if he's not getting it???
Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!
LeAnna

[pjdobro]

I haven't done the TRL, but I do want to encourage you that every dc is different in how quickly they pick-up reading. It seems to be one of those things that just "clicks" at some point and with some dc, it comes early and with others it comes later. I know it's stereotypical, but it seems that boys typically just don't get reading as quickly as girls. With my twins, my dd had an interest with reading starting around age 4 asking about sounds and letters and figuring it out pretty much on her own. My ds had no interest. When we started trying to get him to read in kindergarten, it was like pulling teeth. I didn't think he would ever get the blending of the sounds. We just kept at it slowly and eventually, he just got it. It was like a light bulb went on one day. In the meantime, while I was waiting for that to happen, we watched the Leapfrog videos, The Letter Factory and The Word Factory and continued to work on phonics little by little as he tolerated it. He still just wasn't that interested and we had to take it slowly. It took time for him to get up to grade level but somewhere around late first grade, he caught up and soon surpassed that level. Today he is reading several grades above his grade level and though he hasn't surpassed his sister in his reading level, his comprehension and depth of thinking in his reading sometimes does. I didn't know about HOD or the TRL when I was trying to teach my dc to read so I don't know how to direct you specifically on that program. I can encourage you though to hang in there, take it slow, and be patient. Boys tend to be later bloomers often times when it comes to reading, but they will catch up and even sometimes surpass their sisters later on.

[Bramble]

Try not to borrow worries from tomorrow. August is still a ways off! A lot can happen between now and then. Little Hands doesn't take very long so I wouldn't be concerned about using it w/ another program. If you allow your son to watch tv, I would get the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD. I don't know a child who didn't pick up letters and sounds after watching that one! Then, as he starts to pick that up, I would be sure to talk about letter sounds in our daily life. I'd also continue with Little Hands to Heaven with heavy emphasis on the letters and sounds. Be sure to do the hands-on activities. Best wishes!

[countrymom]

If I am reading this correctly your son is not 6 yet, so he could definitely not be ready for reading. Children vary greatly and boys are often "behind." I would go 1/2 speed with Little Hearts and if TRL is still too much for him I would just go slow in something like the Before the Code (from Explode the Code) books. I think you would find taking Little Hearts at 1/2 speed with another program very doable, even with a new little one.

[LeAnna]

Thanks! I'm leaning more on going half speed with LHFHG, but not sure yet. I may wait until 1st grade to start too, and focus more on just phonics. I guess my concern is that we have gone through LHTH, watched the Leap Frog and he's still not getting it. I'm not expecting him to read yet, but to maybe know his letters and at least some sounds. I don't know. I guess maybe I need to relax a little... He will be able to read by 21, don't you think?
I do have the Explode the Code books. Do they coralate well with TRL?

Thanks,
LeAnna

[blessedmomof4]

Just agreeing with previous posters, don't worry. One of my daughters, who is an active learner, was just not getting reading at age 5, 6, or even 7. When she turned 7 I stopped trying to teach her to read for a while and just read to her while she hung upside down from the sofa or jumped around the room Lo and behold, she became interested in reading at last, when she turned 8. She learned in 6 months. Now at age 12 and in 7th grade, she is in gifted Language Arts and reads well above grade level. Every child is different, and yes, your little guy will get it when he's ready, with a great mom and teacher like you, who loves him

[Tree House Academy]

When my ds had just turned 6, he was reading very slowly and still sounding out lots of words. Now, at 7.5, he is reading at a 6th+ grade level. Your son will take off here soon - reading will click with him one of these days and you won't be able to stop him! I would suggest just taking TRL at his pace...if he needs to go back over a lesson, then go back over a lesson. Don't rush or get overwhlemed. The reason I homeschool is so I can go at the right pace for my kids and what they need. While they have their strengths, they also have their weaknesses..all kids do!

I will be praying for you to not feel so overwhelmed and for God to help you make the decision that is right for both you and your son!

God bless!

[Rwandalove]

I agree with everyone else...my ds was just not getting it at all as far as reading and had really no interest in letters for quite sometime. My dd, was a self learner. She is doing first grade work now and reading fluently and she is only in K! It will eventually click with him I'm sure. My ds is now an avid reader and loves reading anything and everything he can. It just took him a little while to develop the appreciation and the understanding of it all. Oh and I also agree with the person who recommended Letters on the Loose. The Leapster was so helpful for both my kids! The Talking Word Factory was also a great game that they learned to read from on their Leapsters. Good luck!

[my3sons]

Hi LeAnna! I agree with the wise advice given here already. I'd say this is pretty normal for many boys especially, and I wouldn't sweat it about doing 2 guides. I'd go half-speed with LHFHG, and do daily phonics. With TRL, I'd just set the timer for 15 minutes, and get as far as you get, repeating lessons as needed, and being very encouraging of any progress made. Do you have TRL computer CD? I have heard that really helps too. Doing ETC along with TRL slowly for awhile would be just fine. You may want to repeat just the Letter Activity boxes from LHTH, just doing 1 a day, and also show the flashcards from LHTH, having him trace the letters with his "writing finger" and then say the sound and do the action that accompanies each letter. How does he do with cheering on? My youngest 2 dc are very motivated by literally being "cheered on". If we have something difficult, we'll practice it and I'll tell them we are going 'to do it for our brothers'. I then prep the brothers to get ready to shout "HOORAY!" and clap and cheer for his efforts when he gets it right - even if it's just a few letters and sounds. This always works wonders for those 2 dc of mine! Could you tell ds he was going to practice his letters and sounds and do them for his sisters? Or maybe for daddy? And then get everyone ready to cheer him on? Just an idea. Continuing to watch the Leap Frog DVD's would be good too. I really do think it will come with time, just keep plugging away and being encouraging, and he should come along! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[LeAnna]

Julie,

Would you do the left side one day and the right side the next, or would you do certain things every day? How slow should I take TRL? Have you used ETC books with TRL? He really likes workbooks, so I'm wondering if those wouldn't help him some. But, not sure how they coralate with TRL. I think going half speed with LHFHG sounds like a good plan for him... along with reviewing just the letter sound portion of LHTH.

Thank you!
LeAnna

[mamanlait]

Le Anna,

We use ETC alongside TRL for extra practice (I did this because that was what we used pre-HOD for my oldest and I liked the series). I don't "assign" it but slowly move through ETC. We've done TRL the same way (slowly moving through, repeating often, etc.). I typically don't spend any more than 15 min. on phonics (combined) so ETC gets done 1-2x a week at best. I use TRL as my skeleton and might write the words in flour (in a cake pan) or on the white board. I try to keep things interesting for my young learners (my 9 year old remembers those days...and wishes I still worked so hard to get her motivated . We do LHfHG half-pace with my Ker and we typically do one side of the page one day, and the next page on the following day. My goal is to do as much as I feel like I can accomplish with her each day while keeping her interest. Lately, she's been good to complete the entire day (but we are in December now). I'm a very relaxed homeschooler at this young age...so take my advice accordingly.

I just want to encourage you that if you are consistent with "reading" each day in whatever form that takes on in your homeschool, your child will learn to read

Amy

[jenntracy]

I would perhaps take it half-speed with your son. If he will just be turning 6 the maturity might not be there. You could alternate the sides of guide if that is better for you and then if he starts to need more as you go along you could go full-speed. It is amazing how much changes in 6 months sometimes.

My daughter was 5.5 when we started LHFHG and she did fine.
My son had turned 5 in october when we started LHFHG for him. We did half-speed. He technically would not have been in "K" til the following but he has that late b-day and was reading for math and reading so we did the right side of guide and added science and bible on our own.
We basically did a 2yr "k" and just moved on with higher math, reading, (own story-time) wkbks the 2nd year we did it.
It worked out great! He just wasn't mature enough for the history and that long of a day the first year.

I know my son was really 6 most of the 2n d year, which is what your son will be. my son was doing all of it. but kids have different paces. it might be good for you and he if you have a new one in the mix, for you both to gradually work up to full-speed. Reading level does make a big difference in the guides i believe, especially when they are very young.

Just some ideas.

Jenn D.

[jenntracy]

Try not to borrow worries from tomorrow. August is still a ways off! A lot can happen between now and then. Little Hands doesn't take very long so I wouldn't be concerned about using it w/ another program. If you allow your son to watch tv, I would get the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD. I don't know a child who didn't pick up letters and sounds after watching that one! Then, as he starts to pick that up, I would be sure to talk about letter sounds in our daily life. I'd also continue with Little Hands to Heaven with heavy emphasis on the letters and sounds. Be sure to do the hands-on activities. Best wishes!

My almost 3 yr old loves this DVD and i really think it helped my current 5.5yr old daughter. Whe we do reading lessons and she is sounding them out she remembers things from the video that help her to make the correct sounds. Very cute DVD.

[my3sons]

Julie,

Would you do the left side one day and the right side the next, or would you do certain things every day? How slow should I take TRL? Have you used ETC books with TRL? He really likes workbooks, so I'm wondering if those wouldn't help him some. But, not sure how they coralate with TRL. I think going half speed with LHFHG sounds like a good plan for him... along with reviewing just the letter sound portion of LHTH.

Thank you!
LeAnna

We just alternated the right and left side to do half-speed LHFHG, but we did daily phonics. I let my ds choose to do 1-4 pages of ETC each day. We did books 1-3 of ETC, and then after that we stopped as we found 4 to be a bit much with the HOD we were doing at that time then, and he didn't need it anymore. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[LeAnna]

Thank you for all the ideas! Julie, since Abraham will be 6, what is your recommendation for him and math, then? Going half speed for the first year and speed up the 2nd? Or just keep it at half speed? I do think going half speed with him for LHFHG would be good, taking 2 years to get through. I think for him, starting Beyond at 2nd, will be a good fit. My girls started it earlier, but they were girls too.

LeAnna