Name: Great Homeschool Conventions (Columbus)
Start: 2025-04-24T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-04-26T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Columbus, OH

Tagged: ELTL, English Lessons Through Literature, Reading Lessons Through Literature, RLTL

This topic has 2 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 11 months ago by Karen Brown.

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

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August 15, 2016 at 7:29 pm
AFthfulJrney
Participant
I have several questions that I am hoping to get some help/clarification with.I apologize in advance if this post becomes too long. This is our first year using ELTL. I am using Level 1 with my 7 year old son who is still learning to read and Level 4 with my 9 year old daughter who is a fluent reader, but terrible speller. I am also using RLTL Level 1 with both…for my son to learn to read and my daughter to help with her spelling. We are only on our second week using it and I’m just wondering if I am using the program correctly. With my so, I sit with him and read the assigned literature (for ELTL) reading, then talk him through each example. We then read the poem and fable, if there is one, and then he does the copywork. My question is, he does not enjoy most of the fables and always asks me why we are reading a poem everyday. Am I supposed to have him doing something with the poems and fables? Or just reading them to him daily, then having him narrate on the lessons that it says to do so? Does anyone skip reading the fables/poems, and if so, what do you do instead?
Now, for my daughter, she does most of her ELTL lesson herself. She reads her literature assignment, does the exercises and writes in her commonplace book. My question for her is, when it comes to dictation and the condensed narrative, since she is a pretty poor speller, how would you go about doing both? So far, I’ve just been skipping the dictation and today, for the condensed narrative lesson, I had her just narrate to me instead of writing it all down. Is this ok to do until her spelling becomes stronger, or should I be doing something else?
With RLTL, we are still just learning the phonograms. I’ve been going over 4 new ones a day with them both, having them review the ones we’e already learned each day, and writing them in their notebooks. And that’s been it so far. It just feels like I’m missing something. Has anyone used RLTL with a struggling speller successfully, or should I supplement with a spelling program? If so, which program would you suggest?
Again, I apologize for the length of the post, but appreciate any help you can offer. Also, I may post this to the yahoo group, so I’m sorry if you see it twice! 🙂
July 16, 2017 at 5:36 am
Catherine
Participant
I am interested in starting ELTL with 2 of my sons, ages 9 & 7 years. I am curious if you have an update on how your progress is going. My 9year old is also a poor speller, should he be using an additional program like RLTL or another spelling program? thanks!
December 7, 2017 at 2:22 pm
Karen Brown
Participant

For Catherine, I would check out a program like Phonetic Spelling Zoo. If your sons are already reading I don’t think you need a program whose goal is to teach that skill. Copy work and dictation are also going to improve their spelling, though RLTL could help by providing a spelling list. Don’t worry too much about correcting spelling in their writing, when you are teaching writing focus on thought organization and crediting sources.
I too an curious though how its gone for AFthfulJrney.
I’ve purchased RLTL level 1 for my 6yo and really like it for teaching reading. She has some reading difficulties and the OG method of instruction is recommended for children who struggle with dyslexia. After Reading the reviews what I understand is RLTL is a simplified version of the original Writing Road to Reading, Spell to Write and Read- SWR is the program between the two. That said one thing most reading specialists all agree on is that you need to find a program that interests your child. If your son is not into poetry and fables you may want to find a program that will interest him. Phonetic Zoo Spelling Program is another that might serve. We have also used Phonics Museum for reading, they now have an app as well–most of the readers are written with masculine characters and they don’t feel little kiddish.
From what I understand, you can do more than 4 phonograms a day with older children in RLTL–especially those who already know how to read. I believe it was even suggested you stat on a higher level, as level 1 is focussed on teaching kids how to read. So it also may be that you are moving too slowly for them. Especially where your daughter is already a fluent reader. I would speed it up for her especially. And get to the dictation. I taught high school English and found that teaching the students Latin and Greek roots helped significantly with spelling and vocabulary. So adding a Latin program or Greek might help also.

Just some thoughts.