Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

Tagged: all about reading, delightful reading, phonics

This topic has 19 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 11 months ago by Laurie.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)

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March 20, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Phobo
Participant
I would really love some advice on a reading curriculum. Currently we’re half way through All About Reading Level 2, which I plan to continue until the end. I am strongly considering switching to Delightful Reading, but am having some fears and doubts. In all other subjects, I am really confident in CM methods, but for reading, it just seems to really bring up my insecurities. We have very much been enjoying All About Reading, but we don’t do everything from every lesson, as it feels a bit overkill for us, and it is pretty darn expensive to not be using everything. I am also very drawn to Delightful Reading, but again, that fear…
Does anyone have any experience with both, or with switching into Delightful Reading? Should I just continue with AAR for this child, and switch when the others come up?
I’d really appreciate any advice!
Rachel
March 20, 2014 at 11:03 pm
sarah2106
Participant
I think DR is a great program but I know for my daughter it did not work well. She would ask questions like “why in rain is ai saying a?” So then I started branching into phonics and she started to “click” with reading. She asks questions about everything “why????” and having the skills to know that certain letters together make their own sound made sense to her. It has helped a lot when it comes to copy work and spelling for her as well because she sees the letters and decodes them to read and then builds them again in copy work.
I think reading is one of those things where it can depend so much child to child what works.
March 24, 2014 at 7:30 pm
AFthfulJrney
Participant
sarah2106 – what programs are you using for reading? Are you using AAR or a different phonics type program? I have the same thoughts about AAR as Phobo has said and although it has worked for my daughter this year (using level 1), I’m thinking I would rather take a different approach going forward. Her reading has improved since starting AAR in January, but she still struggles some and is not very fluent.
March 24, 2014 at 8:10 pm
Phobo
Participant
Sarah, I worry my daughter might be the same way. I’m so torn, but just got my Early Years DVD in the mail, so I really look forward to the learning to read section of it. Maybe I’ll have something encouraging to add here once I’ve gotten the chance to watch it.
I’m wondering if there’s a way to incorporate both approaches. Use Delightful Reading, but have something much less expensive but similar to AAR waiting in the wing for those times when the child might want to expound on a rule, or has further questions as to the why? I wonder what might be a good program to use here that is quite a bit less expensive than AAR?
Rachel
March 24, 2014 at 8:14 pm
AFthfulJrney
Participant
Rachel…please let me know what you find out. My situation sounds A LOT like yours! I may have to order that DVD as well! So much to learn and I want to LEARN IT ALL!! 🙂
March 26, 2014 at 6:22 am
Phobo
Participant
So I got a chance to watch the DVDs today, and was left feeling so encouraged. I think it was exactly what I needed to hear to let go of the insecurity! I’ll likely finish up the AAR level we’re on, just for the sake of get value out of it, but then I’m going to switch to Delightful Reading. I’m a little bit nervous about doing a switch mid stream, but I’m hoping once I have the material in my hands and can look through it, it will be clear where we should pick up. I do enjoy the images in the AAR readers though, I may still get those seperately as readers, not sure yet though…
Now, what SCM resources can I buy with the money I’ll be saving not purchasing AAR (not to mention selling what I do have here), lol!
Rachel
March 26, 2014 at 5:55 pm
AFthfulJrney
Participant
Phobo – what are the age(s) of the child(ren) you have been using AAR with? I’ve been using AAR 1 with my 1st grader and AAR Pre-Reading with my eager-to-learn-to-read 4 1/2 year old. They have both done really well with it, but, like you mentioned, it is pricey, and I’m not sure I want to continue with it as I too feel that it’s a bit overkill at times. Plus, my son has done really well with pre-reading, but I don’t feel like he is quite ready to move onto Level 1, so I’m also stumped on what to do now! 🙂 My daughter has improved greatly since starting AAR, but is still not fluent. I’m wondering if Delightful Reading would be appropriate to use with them both and add in readers such as pathway for extra practice? Basically just thinking out loud here! 🙂
March 26, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Phobo
Participant
Well my daughter using it is coming up to six this summer, but she had a high interest in reading pretty young. That’s a big reason why I don’t use AAR as described, because I don’t want long formal lessons. My boys coming up though are both so different, and I can see them starting years after she did. I really liked the feel and flow of Delightful Reading when I think about my boys starting to read. I think it would be good for my daughter too. I have a lot more confidence after watching the DVD.

Rachel
March 26, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Alicia Hart
Participant
Rachel,
This is just my experience:
I did an 8 level INTENSIVE phonics program with my dd who is now almost 12. She developed a skimming habit and as usually goes along with that, a poor speller. I started to do this same program with my next child(who is now almost 10) but stopped at level three. She is a great reader and a good natural speller. Neither of my two oldest kids can tell you anything but the basic phonics rules – so how did they learn how to read? I spent hours with my oldest child on going over the 60 phonemes, but she cannot tell you today all the various sounds that phonemes like “ei” or “ea” make or that “c” says its second sound when followed by an “e”, an “i”, or a “y”.
I am now using Delighful Reading and Pathway Readers with my 7 yo and my 4.5 yo. Now, IMHO, reading instruction for us is so much more of a joy than a drudgery. I can already tell that both of them pay much more attention to the detail in the words they are reading. The lessons are much shorter yet accomplishing the same thing as the intensive phonics program. I was skeptical at first about DR but if it is used correctly, it really is very effective! Another thing I appreciate about DR is that it is laying a strong foundation for visualizing things “in your mind’s eye”.
I hope that this makes sense – I honestly do not know a lot about AAR but if it were me I would opt for shorter lessons. Longer ones just do not seem necessary.
March 27, 2014 at 1:41 am
AFthfulJrney
Participant
Lishie – you just answered so many of the questions I’ve had swirling around in my mind. I’ve been using AAR with both my 4.5 yr old and my 7 yr. old and although they are both doing well, something has been missing! I’ve been highly considering using pathwY readers and after reading Rachel’s post here, have been considering DR as well. Your words are exactly what I’ve needed to hear!!
March 27, 2014 at 11:38 am
Angelina
Participant
To the comment above:
“Another thing I appreciate about DR is that it is laying a strong foundation for visualizing things “in your mind’s eye”
I’m not using DR at the moment (using Reading Lessons through Literature as I needed something quick and liked that I could dowload it) but I really appreciate Lishie making this comment about DR helping with mind’s eye later on. VERY good to know, as my eldest two struggle with putting this idea into practise at age 10 and 11 and getting into Spelling Wisdom.
March 27, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Alicia Hart
Participant
AFthful.Jrney- so glad to know that!

Angelina- I love it that SCM has provided products that make it easy to lay down this foundation!
January 22, 2015 at 7:56 pm
Sherrie
Participant
Hi, I know this was posted awhile ago. My daughter is 8 and about halfway through AAR Level 2, but is still not reading by herself and many of the ‘strategies’ she should know, she struggles. I am wondering if she is too advanced for delightful reading or if this would help. Any additional thoughts? I can realte to so many of these posts. Thanks!
February 17, 2015 at 5:31 pm
Laurie
Participant
One thing I wonder about is the different levels in AAR (4) compared to DR (1). Anyone know if more is covered in the later levels of AAR that are not in DR? I like the looks of DR and we still have lots of time before making a decision. Just wondering.
February 18, 2015 at 1:14 am
Veveme
Participant
I’m very curious about this too. I am in a similar situation with my 7 year old. She is in AAR 2 but struggles quite a bit. She can make it through the lessons but her retention is poor. Reading is not delightful for her.
I’d like to “re-boot” and am tossing around the idea of dropping the instruction entirely and simply reading books to her until she learns to love the idea of reading. Right now it is a drudgery (!) and she drags her feet. It isn’t a source of joy for her at all.
I’m curious to know how these two, AAR and DR compare for a child who struggles.