Author’s Note: Sagebooks HK is sponsoring The Sagebooks Challenge as we chronicle Glow Worm (4) and I going through their series for the first time. I am also guest posting on their Sagebooks HK Blog where I will be providing a time tested tip and a fun activity to help support you and your child as you go through the sets.
We hit our first major milestone in our 13th week learning Sagebooks HK Basic Chinese 500 series! Glow Worm (4) finished the entire first set.
WHAT IS SAGEBOOKS?
Sagebooks HK Basic Chinese 500 is a series of 5 sets of 5 books that teach your children how to read the top 500 high frequency characters in children’s books. You can find out more here.
QUICK BACKGROUND
I am an ABC/T and speak Mandarin 85% of the time to my four children (8, 6, 4, 1). My husband, Hapa Papa, only speaks English. We homeschool bilingually in Chinese and English and my older two children have already gone through the Sagebooks HK Basic Chinese 500. Glow Worm, (4) currently knows about 50 characters and this is the first time we are going through Sagebooks. He currently splits time between two Chinese preschools for 3 hours a day, 4 days a week.
GOAL FOR WEEK 13: BOOK 1.5:20*
We were so close to finishing the first set last week that I could TASTE it!! I was determined to finish (I mean, have Glow Worm finish) the first set this week.
HOW DID WE DO?
YES!!!!! We did it! Glow Worm was a trooper and got really excited about finishing the 5th book of the set. He was super proud of himself. He was even happier to go through the reader, 下雨天/xia4 yu3 tian/Rainy Day/, from Treasure Box Set 1 all by himself.
HOW DID WE DO IT?
By now, you know that we go through Sagebooks when waiting for my older children to finish their kungfu class. This week was no different. (We missed Monday and then skipped Friday because we played hooky from kungfu – but we made up for it over the weekend.)
SAMPLE PICS AND VIDEOS
Here is Glow Worm reading his very first Treasure Box book! I think I was more excited than he was, but he really did enjoy being able to read an entire book by himself. He is finally like his big brother and sister.
Here’s a video of Glow Worm reading Set 1 Book 5 Lesson 18.
Here’s a video of Glow Worm reading 下雨天/xia4 yu3 tian/Rainy Day/.
Difficulties
Glow Worm is still having trouble 就/jiu4/with regard to/; he keeps wanting to call it “ji4” which is weird, but at least it starts with the first two sounds! He’s also still forgetting a lot of the same words he was in the previous weeks, and even though it’s taking a long time, I’m confident it will eventually resolve.
Some Observations
Glow Worm knows that we do Sagebooks when we’re waiting for his siblings at kungfu. He reminds me when I forget. And on days we don’t have kungfu, he also reminds me to read with him. It has become our special thing to do together.
Sagebooks Challenge Application
We’re starting our 4th month of this challenge and I can’t believe it! Time seems to have flown by and we’re 20% of the way done with the entire set.
If you’re just starting, know that it’s very doable and before you know it, you’ll be done with your first book, then your first set, and then, the whole series.
Are you following along with the weekly activities on the Sagebooks HK Blog? Have you checked out our accountability posts on the Sagebooks HK Parent Support Facebook Group? If not, what are you waiting for?
See you all next week.
* I refer to the Sagebooks in this formula: Set#.Book#:Chapter#. So, if I am referring to the first set, book 3, and characters 14-16, it looks like: Book 1.3:14-16.
