| Question: |
Thank you so much for your ministry to homeschooling families. I am trying to find the appropriate grade level materials for my 6 year old daughter. During our last homeschool year (at age 5), we began a kindergarten program with her (not CHC), just using basic K materials with Catholic education supplements. While she is extremely bright and articulate, and seems to have had no trouble grasping all the K level concepts in math and language, she is still not reading! She can identify all letters, knows the vowels and their sounds, she continues to struggle with blends and word formation. My first instinct has been to blame myself...(I'm just not teaching her correctly?). Would it be appropriate for me to use the first grade curriculum but use the kindergarten reading materials? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again and God bless you. |
| Answer: |
Dear Parent,
Thank you for your question!
I think you have a great idea. You can easily use the first grade curriculum but supplement with the kindergarten reading materials.
Do not blame yourself. Any number of factors can contribute to your child's reading level, be it child readiness, the program itself, etc. If you have faithfully followed the reading program, then don't feel badly if your child still has trouble reading.
It sounds as though your daughter has learned everything she needs to know to put the words together. Identifying the letters and knowing the vowels and their sounds is the first step. If you use the Little Stories for Little Folks program that is used in CHC's kindergarten and 1st grade lesson plans, and follow the Parent's Guide, I think that your daughter will soon be reading. Among other things, the program offers word family cards that will help your child blend the sounds into words. With constant practice and reinforcement, this should help her. Since the same reading program is used in both kindergarten and first grade, you won't even have to buy a new reading program, when she is ready for first grade reading. You can also help her by reading books aloud to her, sounding the words out as you read. This exercise is highly useful in that she can see what you are doing, and imitate.
Your child will be ready for the 1st grade speller program which is used in the 1st grade lesson plans after she finishes the first level of Little Stories for Little Folks.
God bless you and your family!
Laura Nicholson |
