Tots on a Tuesday {Phonics vs Sight Reading}

I am super excited.

Yes, SUPER excited.

It truly doesn't take much, so don't you go getting too excited.

When I switched from using ACE as our main school curriculum, I had to decide which approach I wanted to take for teaching my subsequent children to read.  I researched it, and went with the same approach I was familiar with - phonics.  Albeit, the system I went with, Jolly Phonics, taught the phonics in a different order to what we had done previously, it still used phonics.  I was already having to face lots of new things, and staying with phonics seemed "safe".  I have loved Jolly Phonics, and I highly recommend it for British educators - it's relatively inexpensive, colourful, and BRITISH.  Yes, correct spelling, and MOSTLY correct pronunciation. (Why "mostly"?  It's ENGLISH..... Not Scottish..... )

However, I have been noticing that Abi seems to be learning some words by just reading them in her reading books, without sounding them out.  At the same time, I have noticed that Elijah has already taken a self-initiated interest in learning to write and read.  He seems to have a good memory for recognising letters, with very little instruction (he learnt to write his name from tracing it ONCE in a card... first of my children to do such a thing!). I got to wondering if he could learnt to read in a similar way.

If you are going to teach reading in this way, I *KNEW* that the Ladybird Key Words reading scheme was a tried and tested method.  They use "High Frequency" words, and the child learns to read based on those.  Did you know, 12 Key Words make up a 1/4 of those we read and write? 100 make up HALF of those we red and write, and around 300 words are 3/4 of what we read!!! Yes, that few words are the "Key words" of our reading experience.

This reading scheme involves introducing words to the child, in each book, and repeating them in various ways - switching the sentence structure around  a little, and adding in new words.  In book 1a, there are 16 new words, and they are repeated an average of 10 times each. In level  a and b there is progressively more complexity and variety in how these words are used, and book c focuses on writing, with activities for the child to copy out in an exercise book.


It's quite different to what I have used previously, but I am going to try doing it with Elijah and Abi together.  It will be great practice for "tricky words" used in Jolly Phonics, and a good "trial" to see how Elijah gets on.  I plan to also use the Reading Eggs apps, on the iPad, with Elijah, so he is concurrently learning all the letter names and sounds, for the words you can sound out phonetically.
This is a tried and tested reading scheme that has been on the go for YEARS! Decades, even!  I am hoping that means it could be successful for us, or at least be a great addition to our literacy lessons.

It's funny, it's taken me all these years to get more "adventurous" in how I do things!

You have to live a little, right?

And, I'm sure Elijah won't mind me using him as a guinea pig in a reading trial.....

I love that home educating allows the flexibility to find things that suit your individual child's needs.  And, which home educator doesn't need more books?? She says, having carefully researched, and purchased, a new bookcase for her home, only today....

So, how did you teach your children to read? What methods did you find to be successful, and which ones were  a flop?  Do you use the same for all of your children, or did you switch about, from child to child?  Please link up your posts about teaching children to read, or other literacy resources you find helpful.  If you don't blog, please share in the comments below! I love to her from my readers, and your experience may be just what someone else needs to hear, to encourage them.

IF you link up, please grab my "Tots on a Tuesday" button, from the side bar, and pop it in your post. Thank  you muchly.

Home school storage - dreaming up ideas....

Right, folks...I need some help!

As many of you will know, we are moving house, to a bigger home.  We will have a "blank canvas", so to speak, for creating a space for school-related things - storage etc.

Let me fill you in on some details.  We will have a "study" - we will have the main PC in there, and will have wall space for shelving, or whatever else we think of.  There will be a 5th bedroom, that doesn't need to be a bedroom.  Now, what storage solutions have you found, that are worth sharing?  I would especially LOVE to see photo's of  what you have done, or of rooms that inspired you.  ESPECIALLY, I would love to know where you got your storage solutions from!  :-)

I have a LOT of books that were on shelving that belongs to thehouse we are in, so it won't be coming with us!  I am thinking that the shelving will have to be a fairly high priority matter!

So, roll up, and link up!  Share your suggestions and ideas!

Here are a couple that I have just found, that I like the look of...

This is from Home School Creations, a website I love to check out! (lots of lovely printables for pre-schoolers and young children!).  

I found this one, too - I REALLY would love a large white board on the wall! We will have to work at the dining room table, for written work, as we do now.

So, let the sharing begin!  Share this link-up with whoever you can, so I can get plenty of ideas, please! :-)  Get your camera out, because your ideas may help other people!

The linkie is below, or comments in the comments section. Thanks!

Chats on the farmhouse porch

Once agaiin, I am going to link up with Patrice.  So a few more questions....

1. Have you ever colored your hair? If so, what colors have you tried
   
    - once,as a teen, I got all brave and did a wash-in wash-out one.  Well, I doubt anyone noticed the difference, because I was so chicken about the whole thing, that I chose a colour not far removed from my own, so that the difference was negligible! I like the colour God gave me, and have no desire to change it! :-)
   
   
2. What's your favorite kind of music?
   
   I love classical music.  I particularly love Chopin's piano music, Rachmaninov's Piano concerto's, Elgar's cello concerto.  I also love Phil Coulter's Winter Crossing. I remember hearing "home away from home" for the first time, and falling in love with it.
   
   Listen to it here - sorry I can't get it to embed.
   
   
3. What are the last three movies you watched?
   
   I hardly ever watch movies.  I kind of watched Mary Poppins with the children the other day, on and off.  Other than explaining to the children that we are not women's libber's, and that Mum's should look after their own children, it's a fun movie, with lots of singing!
   
   I also watched "KJB" with the children.  It's a docu-drama about the translation of the King James Bible.  It was very good, and Daniel can't wait to watch it again (he's 5!).
   
   Oh yes, I watched Avatar.  It was a bit strange, but I liked the whole self-sacrificing, redemption theme.  I also LOVED the concept of little plants that are fluorescent at night-time.  Not so keen on very large, strange looking blue people!
   
   
4. Do you remember your first pet?
   
   How can I forget.....we had a little Jack Russell....Robbie.  He adored my Mum, but saw the children as a threat.  I was 3.  I had been warned NOT to go under the table and touch Robbie, especially NOT during grace, before the meal.....enter Caroline emerging from under the table, screaming, with blood pouring from the bite on the end of her nose....and exit for Robbie....via the road  from which dogs will never return....I kind of feel bad about it...a little....sometimes....but mostly I just can't go near Jack Russell's, without feeling VERY nervous.  I still have the scar to show for the whole experience. 
   
   If we are talking about MY first pet, we all got goldfish, at one point in my childhood.  They didn't last that long, as is the character of goldfish.  Other than that, I have never personally owned a pet, nor having a burning desire to do so.  I have 6 children...I have no time for a pet!
   
   
5. What was the best or most interesting "back to school" thing from your childhood?
   
   I always liked getting my new shoes.  Our local shoe shop had enormous, automated macaws, that moved on their perch.  I was always rather fascinated by them!  I also particularly remember my burgandy coloured tights, in primary school.  They were so thick and warm, in our Scottish autumn and winter (and spring, and summer....no, actually we were forced to wear summer, gingham dresses, which I also loved wearing, but we didn't exactly live in the Maldives......).  I don't think my Mum was best pleased when I fell over in the playground, bot a whole in the knee, and then decided to sit and cut it a bit more with my scissors, in class.  I can remember my Mum asking me "what on EARTH made yo cut it bigger with scissors?!?"  I have since had cause to ask my children the very same question, at which point I feel (as I often do), just like my own mother! 

So, there you have it.  A little bit more about me today! 

Why don't you link up with Patrice, over at 

Chats on the farmhouse porch

I found this blog link-up, via Anne Morrison's blog, "Homeschool on the Croft".  It's just a fun sharing about each other, by answering a few questions about yourself.

1. What color was your first car? 

Well, it was a kind of turquoisey blue, Peugeot 206 (?) Diesel.  It was really Robert's, first, but when we got married, it became mine, too!  I drove it more than he did - a 40 minute drive each way, to Dungannon Hospital.  We had it until 14th February 2001, when I crashed it (coming down a steep, bendy hill....on black ice...into the only tree in the hedgerow....).  I still maintain it was the shock of Robert remembering to give me a Valentine card!   I also thought  I was pregnant, but they did a test at the hospital ( that's a whole other story....) and it was negative.  Joshua is positively my son, however....born that October....so, false negative!  Bit of a deviation form the colour of the car, but I can't think about that car without thinking about crashing, and without remembering the pregnancy part of the story! 

By the by, I still get nervous driving in icy conditions!

2.  Do you dance or sing when you're by yourself?

Sing - YES!  Especially on my own in the car!  I whack up the volume and sing away!   I sing a lot around the house, too.   But, then, that's very seldom by myself!  My latest singing "issue", is that I put my ipod on, with the headphones in, after the children go to bed, to listen to music whilst I do jobs  (on the nights that Robert is out).  However, I don't realise how loud I am singing, with the headphones in, and I frequently get children appearing, asking me to tone it down! (my boys room is downstairs, near the kitchen, so it's usually them!)  LOVE singing - we sing a lot as a family, too.

3. What were your favourite and least favorite subjects in school? (I'm thinking high school or younger, but if you want to tell us about your PhD, go right ahead.)

LOVED music.  LOVED English.  I loved being able to express myself in both those areas.  I need to spend more time playing the piano than I do.  I also need to pick up teaching the oldest two to play.  And, it's a dream of mine to write children's tory books about the Covenanter's.  However, reading one about that just now, I may not be able to achieve such high standards myself, and it will probably never come to fruition.  

I wrote a Paraphrase of Nehemiah 9, and wrote a tune to go with it.  I guess that fulfils my burning ambitions of music and English?!?

I liked Maths up until Higher level. Then I couldn't stand it!  Also, Physics got a bit beyond me.  No, it got WAY beyond me. Not a maths mind, me.  I know how to spend money...does that count? (ha, no pun intended!)

4.  What was the last dinner you made?

Ah, now, that's an interesting question.  I just made a LOT of dinners.  I just bulk cooked several things.  Overnight, in the slow cooker, I made a massive batch of savoury mince.    I also browned  about 4kg of minced beef yesterday - some of it went in the savoury mince, some went in the massive batch of bolognaise that I made this morning, and the last bit went in the chilli I also made this morning, for tonight's dinner.  I also cooked 2 chickens, froze the meat from it for using in pasta bake, curry or on pizza, and am making my first proper batch of chicken stock, from the carcasses.  PHEW! busy 24 hours!

5. Please finish this: "I feel naked without ---------------------." (Now, you know there's someone out there who will answer "clothes". See. I caught you! :)

Nope, not my answer! I feel naked without 2 "things" - firstly, my rings - wedding band, engagement ring, and my pre-engagement engagement ring, that Robert gave me. (it was for my 18th Birthday - we started "going out" when I was 17 - we knew right away we would get married, but knew my parents would freak out if I mentioned it.  We knew they wouldn't want me getting engaged at 18, so we bought a ring, that WE considered as our engagement ring! lol)  If I don't wear those ring, I am forever fiddling with my fingers, because they are not there.  I take everything other than the wedding band off, at the end of pregnancy's, as my fingers swell every time. I wear them on a necklace sometimes, then.

The other thing?.....a necklace that co-ordinates with whatever I am wearing!  I get them from charity shops, or reduced in the shops.  In fact, recently, I got a new top with green in it, and I realised I had no necklace to match.  I popped into a charity shop on the way to where we were going, and got one that matched perfectly!  I felt much happier afterwards! lol  Mad!  I know!  On the other hand, I never wear make-up, or face cream.  I don't always wear perfume.  Those things that women regularly seem to not be able to miss out doing.  Not me. 

If you go to Patrice's website, Everyday Rurality, you can link up with the questions yourself!

Daily Bible reading

When I was deciding how to restructure my quiet times, I decided that it would be profitable to have a sytematic plan for my Bible readings.  I had previously used a One Year Bible, like this.

The principle of it is good.  It is laid out so that you have a portion from the Old testament, New Testament, Psalms and a few verses from Proverbs, for each day.  So, you systematically read through the Bible.  However, it is set specifically to dates - so, it starts with Genesis 1 on January the 1st, and so forth.  I found that if I missed a day, it could be hard to catch up.  I also found it hard going going through some books of the Bible.  As much as there was always some New Testament to read as well, you could spend quite a long time in one book (think Chronicles here!...)  Also, if you start using it, say, in July, you don't start at the beginning, in Genesis.


My copy of it was also quite a large and bulky paperback.  It wasn't the most practical thing to use.  You can, however, now get a compact hard-back copy, which is much better.


My other frustration was, if I read something and wanted to cross-reference with another scripture, it's NOT easy to find it in there! Simply because everything is all jumbled up, and books spread out through it.  I found myself having to get another Bible out to find what I wanted, or else I would spend ages looking for things.  When time is already precious in the mornings, before the children waken, speed is of the essence!


I'm sure it works for many people (I KNOW it does!), but i was looking for something different.


Then I found it!


Again, it's a "read-the-Bible-in-a-year" format.  However, I work with a printed guide for a start. Then, you can use whichever Bible you have on hand.   I have it in my Prayer Journal, although I plan to put another copy in my small Bible that goes everywhere with me.  It was put together by someone who had struggled to complete other Annual Bible reading plans.  Each day of the week, you read between one to six chapters out of a different part of the Bible. Each week I cover one or more chapters out of each major area of the Bible - Epistles, The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy and Gospels.  It provides some variety by changing the area you read from every day.  There is an element of consistency insofar as you still read through each book systematically, albeit on a weekly basis, rather than a daily basis. I am certainly enjoying it, and enjoy the variety.  


You can find it here.



On that page you can also find a PDF version which you can print off.  Alternatively, the passage to be read each day can also be emailed to you!


Here's my printed version, in my Journal.

  I think that it is important to have the Bible as the backbone to our Quiet Time each day.  Devotional books are great as an extra, but I don't think they should be a substitute for getting into God's Word.


I think that any other studies should be in ADDITION to the reading of God's Word.


Some other day I will share HOW I study through - what I try and draw our from my readings, to apply to my life.


So, how do YOU study through the scriptures?  I would love to hear!


Link up, if you have a Blog, and comment below, if you haven't!