Been Waiting for This Moment!

My daughter asked me to teach her to read today. Woohoo! I got out my son's old learning-to-read curriculum, and we began the first book. She already knows quite a bit after having done some Starfall and Reader Rabbit on CD-Rom. I could see her interest building, especially when I saw her following words in books with her finger(pretend reading) ; I knew it was coming soon. She'll be six years old next month. We tried a lesson or two when she was a young five, but she was still heavily invested in learning via her senses. I followed her interests for Kindergarten - field trips, media, reading, crafts, backyard science, and lots and lots of unstructured play(joy!). She is very curious and wants to try everything. There was much hands-on experiential learning in the home and community as momma's helper. We have had so much fun together. This age is so free and joyful. Too bad we can't all enjoy(embrace) life at this level forever.

We are using Christian Light Education's first grade Learning to Read curriculum(First Edition). It comes with flashcards and a sound slider(purchased separately) . There are ten little workbooks called Light Units, 90 lessons in all. In lesson 16, the student adds a primer to their lessons. The program is heavy on phonics with the introduction of one sight word per lesson. The entire program fits together neatly and moves along at a steady pace with flashcards for mastery and review, and a phonics sound slider for blending sounds. The system is simple and clear with gradual learning; there is no skipping around or loose ends. It is a blend of Kindergarten letter sounds, learning to write, and learning to read. The emphasis is on learning to read, and it's a good review(practice) for children already familiar with letter sounds and writing.

It looks like they have revamped the Learning to Read program with a second edition. The descriptions mention that the layouts were the only changes to the workbooks. The primer has been split into three separate books, and the letter flashcards are now in color(don't like as much-distracting). The teacher's copy is set up for a school classroom with highly scripted lesson plans, and would be very helpful if you need extra help or confidence teaching phonics and reading. You could be half asleep and teach this course, just read the daily lesson scripts. It's that well put together. An older child could help with these lessons using these scripts.

First grade is rounded out with a language arts program beginning in lesson 31.

Update: I decided to do Rod & Staff's first grade learning to read program along with the Christian Light Education resources. I did this with my son, and now I remember why, both are excellent in their own way. Rod & Staff begins reading right away in lesson six and seems to dovetail nicely with the Christian Light which follows up with mastery of basic skills learned in Kindergarten. Christian Light Education begins with consonants, Rod & Staff begins with vowels and jumps right into sight reading. I had both curricula in the attic, stored away for seven years. It was too difficult to choose, so we'll work through both.