Just Starting WRTR - Several Questions

[Donnae]

I just joined the online course and received my WRTR and 1st Grade Teachers Guide this week. I may be jumping the gun here, but I have several questions:
1. I am teaching my 4th grader using the 1st grade manual because she is a struggling reader, so we are "starting over." I'm wondering how many phonograms are introduced in Kindergarten? The Academic Day 1(1st Grade) Integrated LA Lesson seems to assume the student knows at least some of the phonograms, so do I introduce the phonograms (at least 1-26) before I begin using the Integrated Lessons for 1st Grade?

2. Do 1st graders write any of the rules in their spelling/vocab books, or is this for later years? When I introduce the phonograms, do I also tell my child the rule? How will they remember the rules if they don't write them down?

3. I purchased the Leveled Readers (Series 2) to use with the 1st Grade manual, but I don't see how they are incorporated into the lessons. How will I know when to use each book?

4. Are the literature books listed in WRTR (pg 206-207) interchangeable? I don't have access to some of the literature books listed in the Integrated LA Lessons.

I'm really excited about using the WRTR program for my daughter as she has been very anxious to read, but she's not understanding many key concepts yet.

Thanks,
Donna

[Betty]

Hello Donna,
1) Kindergartners are introduced to 1 phonogram a day. First graders are introduced to about 4 per day. The first day in the 1st-grade lesson plans in the Teacher's Guide, Spelling objective 11, introduces the first 4 phonograms, a, c, d, f. By the end of the first week, your child will have been introduced to the first 20 phonograms. This does not mean that she has to master all of them before introducing more. You will continue to review them with her as stated in the lesson objectives.

2) The first spelling rule (rule 4) to be taught is on Day 5 in the Writing lesson (objectives 4-5) in first grade. Rules are taught before they are needed for spelling dictation, not when teaching the phonogram sounds. Spelling rules are taught as needed and are not memorized just to be memorizing them. The first spelling rule in the spelling list is the word me. In the word me, the e usually says e (its name) at the end of a syllable. She will write it in her spelling/voacabulary notebook as it appears on page 229 in The Writing Road to Reading. If a word has a rule, it should be written about one inch from the word. The abbreviation for rule (r. 4) is taught and practiced on Day 5 and 6, Writing objective 6. The next spelling rule to be learned is rule 17 which is taught on Day 9 in the Writing lesson objectives. This is preparing for spelling dictation that begins on Week 2 on lined paper and written in the spelling/vocabulary notebook in Week 3.

3) If you did not receive a handout with the leveled readers, please email us or call us at 623-434-1204 and we will email you a handout that lists the books with the week each book is to be read. If you follow the lesson plans, your child will have learned the first 30 phonograms by the end of Week 2 to be able to read the first leveled reader, Sam and Puff.

4) The decodable books listed on pages 206-207 in WRTR are listed in a recommended order according to the phonograms in the books. Some can be interchanged. The asterisk beside the books in the Reading objectives mean use alernative decodables/beginning readers if books listed are not available.

I'm happy to hear that your daughter is eager to learn.

Thanks,

Betty
Spalding Executive Trainer

[Donnae]

Thanks, Betty! I will email you to get the handout for the Series 2 Leveled Readers. I'm very much enjoying the online course!
Donna

[Betty]

I am glad you are enjoying the on-line class. We will 'see' you next week for session 3.
Betty