You all know me, I’m always looking for a better program, a better curriculum. I’m never fully satisfied because there is always something missing or something I can’t stand in just about every course we use.
Not so about our most recent jackpot find that is All About Reading! I love it. I absolutely LOVE it. And I love it for a gazillion reasons. The most important being that it is the ONLY phonics program to date that Rowdy both enjoys while simultaneously improving his reading ability and comprehension!
I’m here to tell you that All About Reading is absolutely worth its price in gold. You absolutely get what you pay for. Although, I think most of us homeschooling moms would mortgage our houses for a program that teaches reluctant readers to enjoy reading. Am I right? I mean there is nothing worse than watching your son or daughter want to learn, but struggle so much it brings them to tears. And so when we went days, then weeks with All About Reading and Zero tears of frustration, Zero battles over starting school, I took notice!
But, even if it seems a bit too pricey for you, know that only the Student Activity Book is consumable and the program can be used again and again. I will teach at least five children to read with this program, LOL, but even if I had only one child left to teach, I would still invest in this program because it works. How many reading programs can you truly say that about?? In fact, I’m so happy with All About Reading that we’ll be adding the All About Spelling program next year.
So what’s so great about it? What makes it so different from all the other reading programs out there? Well, for one, All About Reading is multisensory. Which means your student is actively involved in every lesson in many different ways.
The lessons engage the child using sight, sound and touch, which is super incredible for my hands-on learning boy!! He’s totally involved. He enjoys moving the tiles to make new words, he enjoys cutting pages out from the workbook and he enjoys playing the games and reading the stories from the reader. Its not a beat-the-child-over-the-head program. It’s subtle and I totally credit it with changing Rowdy’s feelings toward reading and learning phonics!!
One of my favorite aspects of All About Reading is that it has continual review. At the beginning of each lesson, there is a review session. I let Rowdy choose 10 cards from his previously lessons and read them. If he struggles with a word or sound, we put the card back in review, if he nails it with no hesitation, it goes in “mastered”. For a while there, all the cards were in review. Now, there are none other than what was from yesterdays lesson! This process ensures that while your child learns new material, there is still continual review of previously-taught sounds. And, as I’m a huge fan of spiral learning, this is a Score!!
And, finally, as a busy mom, I absolutely love that the lessons are ready-to-go and easy to implement. The varying activities, the multi-sensory approach, and the “Teacher’s Manual” that walks you through each lesson, keeping all the guesswork at bay, has changed all that. At the end of each lesson, Rowdy is happy as he feels he’s accomplished something! A few months ago I never would have believed that possible, and for that I am greatly appreciative. All About Reading delivers, it truly delivers and I’m so totally psyched to have found a program I know I’ll use with great confidence over and over!
And just one last thing … if you are hesitant to try new programs because you are never happy and are tired of sinking money into educational disappointment after disappointment, know that the All About Reading program comes with lifetime support and a 100% money-back guarantee. Check out their website: http://www.allaboutlearningpress.com/All-About-Reading for more information!!
And, as always, if you have any must-have homeschool curriculums or ideas or programs or anything at all that you think we need to know about, please don’t hesitate. It’s so hard to find good quality educational courses, let’s all spread the word about the diamonds in the rough!! 🙂
A few years ago, I used All About Spelling to teach both reading and spelling to my late-blooming, borderline dyslexic son (All About Reading wasn’t out yet). It seemed to work well, but I don’t know how much of it was the curriculum, or that he was finally ready. Just one suggestion for the spelling curriculum–if you do everything in the lesson, it’s going to take a long time, especially if spelling is difficult for your child. I used to split the lessons up between two or more days, and usually wouldn’t do all the review. I’m sure you’re a pro at adapting curriculum, but I just thought I’d throw that out FYI.
Thank you!!!