I am so torn with which program I should go with! Let me give you some background information first. My eldest was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at the age of 2 1/2. He also qualified for SP, OT, and had major developmental delays throughout his preschool years. He repeated kindergarten because he was unable to do the work at all. The summer before first grade he was diagnosed with mild to moderate autism and unspecified anxiety disorder. He was receiving services for food therapy and OT twice a week but we had to discontinue therapy due to lack of funding. He finished out his first grade year a month ago. It has been a long journey. We incorporated all of the MP Kindergarten enrichment, copybook, and recitation into our schedule along with Math-U-See Alpha, All About Reading Level 1, and Catholic Heritage Curricula's first grade spelling. We also used CHC's First Grade Phonics program, grade 1 handwriting, and grade 1 science.
Some things to note: He struggles with remembering information that he has learned previously. He also has a very difficult time focusing on his work when his siblings are around.
Reading is his most difficult subject. He struggles with remembering phonics rules so that he can blend and decode words. He loved the All About Reading program for its activities and games. He said, "I love reading the stories because they are funny." However, as soon as we started reading his stories for the day I would notice his anxiety level would skyrocket. He would begin to fidget, whimper, and breathe rapidly. When he got to a word that he didn't know or remember he threw his body backwards and began to cry. He said, "I don't know that word" or "I can't do it" even though he may have read the same word 2 pages back. He can read words that are on flashcards easily, but putting words in list form or a sentence causes anxiety and then he forgets the same words that he read on the cards. Right now, he is able to read most Level 1 books like Little Bear, Are You My Mother?, and Sammy the Seal on a GOOD day with success and fluency.
Spelling is sporadic. He struggles with remembering what he has previously learned and will spell a word correctly and incorrectly within the same sentence. Sight words are a particular struggle. He can remember his words for the week but forgets how to spell them later.
Writing has been a very difficult journey for him. He can write all his letters but has a difficult time keeping them in the lines, prefers to write in uppercase letters, and struggles with reading and writing letters/numbers backwards (mostly b and d, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9). He loves to tell silly stories (usually involving "what if" doomsday scenarios) about things that don't work, break, or explode but can't put together a reality-based story.
Math is a subject that he loves because the rules don't really change like they do in reading. That being said, he has a difficult time understanding word problems because they require a higher level of thinking. He uses touch points and his fingers to add and subtract but frequently forgets what number he is on or adds when he should subtract. He refuses to use the manipulative block set. He wants to rush through his work because he equates fast with doing well.
He absolutely loves science and history. His favorite theme is extreme weather (ties into his fixation with disasters). He prefers non-fiction and realistic fiction.
He hates manipulating things because he thinks it slows him down but when we use them we have so many little "lightbulb" moments! Another important note: Every year I have thought about holding him back again because he seems to be struggling so much with the work. However; around May each year so many things just seem to click... He technically should be going into 3rd grade next fall but since we held him back in kindergarten he would be entering 2nd grade. His sister will be in first grade this fall and things come very easily for her. He sees that she is quickly catching up to him and it doesn't help his self-esteem at all. I just don't know what to do!
I did the Simply Classical Readiness Assessments for Level 2, 3, and 4 to see where he would fit.
Here are the results:
Level 2 -
Reading: 100%
Writing and Spelling: 100%
Arithmetic: 100%
Language: 80%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 100%
Level 3:
Reading: 71%
Writing and Spelling: 67%
Arithmetic: 100%
Language: 80%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 100%
Level 4:
Reading: 37%
Writing and Spelling: 57%
Arithmetic: 87%
Language: 77%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 80%
Some things to note: He struggles with remembering information that he has learned previously. He also has a very difficult time focusing on his work when his siblings are around.
Reading is his most difficult subject. He struggles with remembering phonics rules so that he can blend and decode words. He loved the All About Reading program for its activities and games. He said, "I love reading the stories because they are funny." However, as soon as we started reading his stories for the day I would notice his anxiety level would skyrocket. He would begin to fidget, whimper, and breathe rapidly. When he got to a word that he didn't know or remember he threw his body backwards and began to cry. He said, "I don't know that word" or "I can't do it" even though he may have read the same word 2 pages back. He can read words that are on flashcards easily, but putting words in list form or a sentence causes anxiety and then he forgets the same words that he read on the cards. Right now, he is able to read most Level 1 books like Little Bear, Are You My Mother?, and Sammy the Seal on a GOOD day with success and fluency.
Spelling is sporadic. He struggles with remembering what he has previously learned and will spell a word correctly and incorrectly within the same sentence. Sight words are a particular struggle. He can remember his words for the week but forgets how to spell them later.
Writing has been a very difficult journey for him. He can write all his letters but has a difficult time keeping them in the lines, prefers to write in uppercase letters, and struggles with reading and writing letters/numbers backwards (mostly b and d, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9). He loves to tell silly stories (usually involving "what if" doomsday scenarios) about things that don't work, break, or explode but can't put together a reality-based story.
Math is a subject that he loves because the rules don't really change like they do in reading. That being said, he has a difficult time understanding word problems because they require a higher level of thinking. He uses touch points and his fingers to add and subtract but frequently forgets what number he is on or adds when he should subtract. He refuses to use the manipulative block set. He wants to rush through his work because he equates fast with doing well.
He absolutely loves science and history. His favorite theme is extreme weather (ties into his fixation with disasters). He prefers non-fiction and realistic fiction.
He hates manipulating things because he thinks it slows him down but when we use them we have so many little "lightbulb" moments! Another important note: Every year I have thought about holding him back again because he seems to be struggling so much with the work. However; around May each year so many things just seem to click... He technically should be going into 3rd grade next fall but since we held him back in kindergarten he would be entering 2nd grade. His sister will be in first grade this fall and things come very easily for her. He sees that she is quickly catching up to him and it doesn't help his self-esteem at all. I just don't know what to do!
I did the Simply Classical Readiness Assessments for Level 2, 3, and 4 to see where he would fit.
Here are the results:
Level 2 -
Reading: 100%
Writing and Spelling: 100%
Arithmetic: 100%
Language: 80%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 100%
Level 3:
Reading: 71%
Writing and Spelling: 67%
Arithmetic: 100%
Language: 80%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 100%
Level 4:
Reading: 37%
Writing and Spelling: 57%
Arithmetic: 87%
Language: 77%
Social, Emotional, Attention, Work Habits: 80%
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