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Reluctance with Phonics
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Hi there, I’m new here and with homeschooling Charlotte Mason way. I’ve been homeschooling both for 2 years and just started the 3rd year. My eldest is now 8 and is doing Grade 2. In general he enjoys, except when he has to do the phonics part (it’s been like that since the beginning with a specific type of book). As soon as he sees that book he has a blockage, complains, “dances” and doesn’t even try. What would you suggest? In my opinion the book is so good and alive. But he has always resisted as soon as he has to write more than 3 words in a row or read long words! Thank you for ideas…
Is is only this one phonics book that he doesn’t like? Perhaps you might try something else. Has he learned any sight words? Is he reading and ready to move on to readers and not spend so much time in the phonics book? As for writing is he copying the words or having to write without having something to copy from, such as a work sheet? My son was much the same way last year. He still is at times with history and we have switched from copy work to trascription which took some adjustment for him. When he was showing frustration with the phonics book, I started him on Frog and Toad and Little Bear books. When he had trouble I would help him and remind him of the phonics. He has gotten much better and I have slowly increased how much he reads and what types of books. For writing we just did copy work, starting with short 3-4 word sentances and slowly increasing by one word or so to a few sentances. I will just slowly keep adding longer sentances and more as he improves and gets better at writing. I have found it really helpfull to go slow. I know it is hard at times, I have a few nay-sayers in my family, but it is better for the children to go at their pace, while still maintaining high expectations of their work. I hope that helped a bit, it is a bit rambling and I am distracted at the moment, so I hope that made sence.
Welcome! We are not CM purists here and we used Explode the Code books. We started with Sonlight and that’s what they suggested using with their readers. ETC worked well for us. They also have a website and you could go through homeschool buyer’s co-op, if you want something with no writing.
We also used free http://www.starfall.com and have recently added more.starfall.com for $35 for the year and it has some math too.
Sonlight readers include their I Can Read It! Set, Frog and Toad, Little Bear and other interesting stories for beginners. I also used copywork from their readers which had the same type of words as in the phonics book so they all worked together on the same word family.
What book is he using?
Thank you for the quick replies. He has been reading by sight quite well (we’ve been using Peter and Jane from Ladybird since last year). It’s mainly when we get to the phonics book and he has to read words he doesn’t know or, worse, write full sentences. For Phonics we’ve been using Basic Phonics (last year level B and this year level C). Maybe the issue is not really with the phonics but with reading and writing itself (when we do something else, for example Grammar, i do some of the reading and most of the writing if i see he is reluctant to do it because i know in those cases it is more important for him to grasp the concepts; if i don’t do that he will also resist). I think Ruth is right, he needs to go on a slower pace and maybe i must just do that, slow down and go on his rythm. Maybe i pushed and am pushing too much for something that he is not quite ready?
Now this reluctance seems to be a boy thing? Because with my 5 year-old i’m almost experiencing the same thing with the same book (Level B) now. He will also complain after he has done one or 2 lines of 6. But with him i’be been more careful and stopping earlier. The thing is they can’t wait for the reading parts of our school day (history, literature, geography, etc.), but written work and to a certain level reading freezes them!? I’m still waiting for the day when they say “yuppie, we’re going to school!!!”……..
I used similar resources when any of our older kids struggled. We use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. I also use McGuffey’s for practice (similar to the SCM suggestions for using Pathway readers.) I haven’t used SCM’s Delightful Reading program, but have a friend who uses it with her daughter. It’s a LOVE situation.
For sight word practice, we’ve used flash cards in the past, but have found help with http://www.sightworder.com/old/.
Another resource for readers http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=treadwell&book=primer&story=_contents.
Frog and Toad, Little Bear, most books by Arnold Lobel have been hits at this stage, too.
I think it is a boy thing. Not every boy, but I believe most boys are delayed in their fine motor skills compared to girls. I have read several books about education and boys in particular. The Minds of Boys was very helpful about how boys learn and are different to educate than girls. Better Late Than Early was refreshing to read and learn that if they are a bit behind it won’t affect their overall education.
My son loves his phonics…he is 7 and 2nd grade level and he was a slow start in reading compared to his sister and I was a bit worried, then bang it all just clicked. The phonics helped us. I use a free site called progressive phonics.
I started with the beginner books and worked our way through to the advanced. Easy enough and he found the books hilarious and we just read them on screen.
I noticed a huge increase in him sounding out words while reading after we started All About Spelling and he knew what sound each letter could make. HTH
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