Where do I go from here?

[LemonPie]

My DD (5 in June) reads really well. I'd planned to work on some sight words with her over the summer, but she blew through the entire list of them today and doesn't seem to need to work on them anymore.

She is *able* to write some letters and numbers, but she currently *won't*. However, she will spell things (sometimes correctly, sometimes with help, sometimes phonetically) if she's using a keyboard. She plays Animal Crossing on the Wii and is forever composing little notes and letters.

So what's next as far as language arts is concerned? Should I bother running her through a course of phonics or do something else?

What about writing? Past has experience has taught me that there's no pushing or cajoling her into something she doesn't want to do. . . am I okay to just wait and let her decide when she's ready to do it?

[MissRubyandKen]

Yeah, I agree, definitely don't push or cajole. She's really young and it's great that she's reading and taking an interest in it. Some ways I found that encourage littler kids to want to write is to not do the paper and pencil routine. Use a chalkboard or a dry erase board. Go outside and use sidewalk chalk. My kids always loved to spell words with magnets too. Fingerpaint letters. Take a big bowl of salt, drop in some food coloring, mix it up, microwave shortly, dump the colored salt on a tray and trace letters and words together with your fingers. My kids also enjoyed playing Jump and Spell. I would take and use a full sheet of paper and write the letters for spelling the words I wanted to work with. Each letter uses a full sheet of paper. Position the papers on the floor close together in random order. Then I would call out the word and the child would jump on the letters in order to spell the words. And if she likes to type, maybe show her how to use the word processor on your computer and set her free on it!

Also have you looked at the Kumon workbooks? These are very eye catching and I imagine would be super appealing to young kids. Rainbow Resource carries them. I'd probably consider starting her slowly and gently on a spelling program like All About Spelling or Sequential Spelling. I'd only do this as she wanted to and keep in mind you can do all the writing and spelling yourself with her trying it too if interested. She'll still be picking up learning. I'd pick a program that incorporates phonics or word families. Aside from that I say just keep reading to her, and encourage her reading by keeping interesting books laying around!

[mom2ponygirl]

She is so young, you will want to mostly read to her and let her pitch in as she wants. I would play with words with her - rhyming games are great. Eventually some phonics will probably be helpful. I've heard good things about Rocket Phonics. We used K12 many years ago and it was a good phonics program. I wouldn't worry about spelling until she is reading fluently.

I wouldn't worry about writing either, just lots of fun play to develop hand strength and fine motor control. When she wants to write - Handwriting without Tears was a nice program and easy to use.

Have fun!

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by LemonPie

So what's next as far as language arts is concerned? Should I bother running her through a course of phonics or do something else?

What about writing? Past has experience has taught me that there's no pushing or cajoling her into something she doesn't want to do. . . am I okay to just wait and let her decide when she's ready to do it?

She's awfully young for you to be worrying about any of this. I'd just read enjoyable books to her, provide lovely picture books for her to peruse and read as she wants, and provide fun and interesting experiences/activities that have to do with learning about other aspects of life that are more relevant to her immediate curiosity and interests. There's absolutely no hurry to get into writing, or even reading, at this point. Lillian

[pigpokey]

I'm not sure what reading level she's at but I'm guessing K or 1st if you are doing sight words? After we finished 100 EZ Lessons we continued with McGuffey's and other books (like, letting them choose to read Junie B. to me) and easy writing-type activities like 1st grade workbooks. Now they are doing formal print instruction but this is when they are reading more like early 3rd grade level. I expect to start cursive in the fall, perhaps? We'll see how it goes.

You could go straight to a learn to type program.

[Momma Aimee]

how about scrabble letters? she would manuplate and play with them, no writting required, but more "manuplative" than a keyboard. (also more portable).

no need to push, but maybe an option to offer her?

(you can make your own .. i just made letter "tiles" for Theo .. all 2 in cap and all 26 in lower case .... i lamonated them ... now we play matching games and so on with them ...)

[LemonPie]

Thanks all for your input. I was sort of at a loss as to how to proceed with this kid. Our school district focuses on writing names, early reading and counting to 100 for Kindergarten (yes, I need to de-school myself!!), and she's much doing ALL of that and much more (except that her name ends in Y and she refuses to write Ys, ).

I guess I was thinking that I then needed to proceed with first grade stuff this fall, but I'm coming to the realization that we can probably just take it easy for her kindy year. Just read a lot, maybe play some math and phonics game, and lots of tactile activities. I don't necessarily have to jump into any formal curriculum for her core subjects yet, right?

Argh, this is confusing. And I still have my second grader to figure out, ha ha!

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by LemonPie

I don't necessarily have to jump into any formal curriculum for her core subjects yet, right?

In a word, no. Lillian