HWOT Pre-k vs Kindergarten

[J2]

I think my son can start with the kindergarten level of HWOT. But I just want to make sure. He is 4. He writes all of his letters without copying them (he doesn't have to be looking at any letters to write them...he does it from memory). He loves to write. If he is not copying though, then his spacing is really off. He'll write his letters pretty large and run out of space and then write the rest of the word below or above what he already wrote. But if copying then his spacing is much better.

In the pre-K program, I see they have color and shapes and stuff. He is well beyond that. But I don't want to skip ahead too much if he wouldn't be ready. Is there something super important to the pre-K that he'd be missing if he didn't start there?

Thanks for the insight!

[rootzdawta]

I think it's absolutely fine to start at the K level for your son. I use HWoT at work and if I were teaching your son, I would push for the K level. I'd want to see if he's holding the pencil correctly most importantly and if he is not sweating too hard, I would start him on the K level. Main difference I see is that with the Pre-K level the focus is really on holding the writing device and gaining accuracy--it uses crayons. At the K level, the kids start using a golf pencil.

[Reebekah]

i had the same question for my 4 yr old son.....i went ahead and started with the pre-k, and he did the whole book in just a few days with no problem at all. i think i sort of wanted to preview it so i'll know in the future where to start with his younger brothers. anyway, i def. could have started him with the K program. he's doing the K now with no problem (he already knew how to write his letters before we started, this this is giving him good practice at staying within a specific area, etc.) i say dont waste your money, start with K, unless he needs practice tracing shapes and things like that.

[Savoir Faire]

My son is 4. We started on the preK in January (I think)....he just skipped over coloring and such. Sometimes he went back to do that, but only if he wanted to.

The letters in the PreK were a bit bigger...and less to do. He finished that book and went on to the K and is doing well.

I don't think I would have started him on the K-- there is more work to do (and this is a child who has very good fine motor skills and has been in preschool for several years).... I found the PreK a good jumping off point.