Delightful Reading

Reese,

I was in your shoes last summer going into fall with my kids.  I used AAR with my now 7 year old and I liked it, but wanted to try something more CM.  I didn’t know whether to get Del R 1 for my daughter or Del 2.  I ended up getting both because I have a 3rd that will need to follow her.  She knew just about what your son knew.  I think you would not be disappointed to get Del 1.  You can always skip lessons that you feel he already knows.  But, there will be things in the first level that are important and he will need.

Regarding how it worked for my family, I am going back and forth with AAR and Del 1.  My daughter was sooooo eager to read an actual book and was practically teaching herself.  I felt she needed a little more.  She really wanted to read her ‘big’ brother’s readers, so she would just pick them up and start reading.  She always wants more, and I still keep her lessons short, but I am using both right now.

So, I am not sure what I am going to use for number 3.  I have all 3 kits and I like things about them both.  Del R is much softer and more gentle, less phonics based for sure.  I don’t know if my experience is odd, because I am basically new to homeschooling, but both my kids seem to have this natural ability to build words and read.  It’s like when they are ready, they really take off.  (Like I didn’t even use 3 and 4 levels with AAR with my son.  He didn’t seem like he needed it to me. )

I don’t know if this helps, but I definitely think you would be fine starting with Del R 1 with him, if you choose to go that route.

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

Renee

Reese,

Absolutely, I believe Del Reading all 3 levels would be enough. I don’t think you would need a different program in addition to.  Maybe I worded my response incorrectly.

I didn’t mean for it to sound like Delightful reading wasn’t enough; I think it just moves a bit slower than AAR.  She was still working on 3 letter words in Del 2 and she was really ready for blends etc…  I probably could have doubled up and/or skipped some of Del 2, but I guess I am probably more comfortable with the AAR format.  I visually see a progression and I literally just picked a spot where I thought she was and started supplementing with it.

I certainly think Del Reading is plenty. I think it was more me and what I was comfortable with than anything.  I was just familiar with AAR.  She wanted to advance and it wasn’t as obvious to me, where to advance to in Del Reading.  I didn’t want to miss anything, but clearly she was at a different level than I was teaching her.  Make sense?

If you want something softer, less phonics based, and more designed to the way children learn…I would go with Delightful Reading.  Again, I am new to homeschooling and just trying to figure my way.  If you read from some of the women here, you will find ALL types of programs are used to teach reading.  Bottom line is, it is what works for you, your kids and gets the job done.  We can still use other programs and make them more CM.  I don’t do all the AAR work, just some of it.  And I still keep her lesson short.

I hope some other’s respond, so you can get different feed back.  I didn’t mean to sound as if Del Reading wasn’t enough.  I think it is plenty!

🙂

Blessings,

Renee