What do you all use for reading?

[g007girl]

We've been using pathway readers. We like the stories, but sometimes it just seems like it's busy work. Is it really important to have an actual reading program? Or is it ok to just be reading books? I want to read books together but also have them reading for themselves. My boys are on track with reading. They don't seem to struggle with it. What do you all do?

[Bee]

That is,if the child can read on their own and is able to demonstrate that he knows what the story is about.I do like something for the middle and upper grades when the focus shifts to literary terms and the child needs to be able to demonstrate that he can understand more difficult pieces.I've found that my child would only read certain types of books if left to choose her own reading material,so I use a reading program in part to expose her to things like poetry and non-fiction.
Maybe,if we never had to do standardized testing,and I didn't have to report our plan of study to the educational authorities I wouldn't worry about that so much.As it is,I find it easier to document we are using such-and-such program rather than giving a long list of books that I am requiring my child to read.Maybe I just don't feel comfortable having someone else judge my reading choices.

[beansprouts]

The Pathway Readers were very useful for developing my dd's fluency when she first became an independant reader. We used the books themselves, not the workbooks. I dropped them when she was reading at about a 6th grade level and began just feeding her age-appropriate literature within that range.

[Tutor]

As I guide of what to choose for kids to read aloud to/ with me, I use TWTM, Veritas Press, and library guides. These help me to choose books that are at the right reading level. I usually choose books equal or slightly above where their abilities are.

For pleasure reading, I let them pick whatever they have an interest in reading. If I feel they are consistently choosing below their reading level (like my 11yo dd) or have a very narrow reading interest (like my 9yo dd who would happily read dinosaur encyclopedias and paleontology textbooks all day, every day), I will buy them a book that I think will interest them and ask them to read that before they choose another book themselves.

[OneRoomHomeSchool]

No reading 'program' here. :D

Just books!

[OhElizabeth]

Readers are nice for a controlled level selection they read aloud to you, but we haven't needed them beyond that. I do like doing lit guides though and had my dd write narrations on books she read in those early grades.

[nutmeg]

No reading 'program' here. :D Just books!
Same for us. Phonics Pathways and ETC for phonics, then just lots of reading. We'll probably do something like Lightning Lit for middle/high school.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I have my 1st grade DD read aloud to me a bit each day from a library book so that I can make sure her flunecy is continuing to build. My 3rd grade DD just reads library books in the afternoon to herself. For literature we read aloud history related books or just some good classics also from the library.