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Learning to read and reading to learn are key components to homeschooling. There are three types of reading programs: Phonics programs teach children how to read, reading programs teach children how to analyze and comprehend what they are reading, and Literature programs are those that introduce children various expressions of the written word.
In this post, I will be reviewing seven different programs that teach Phonics, Reading and Literature. I chose each option because I was already familiar with the program (either because I have used all or part of the program or I have considered it myself). There are so many different curriculum options out there that I could not comprehensively cover all of them.. For more curriculum reviews, I recommend checking out Cathy Duffy Reviews for professional reviews or The Homeschool Mom for parent reviews.
Phonics and Reading
Abeka
Abeka begins teaching phonics early on (as early as three) and continues throughout 2nd grade. They use a spiral approach and a six-step process to teach traditional phonetical rules. The phonics program uses a variety of teaching tools such as learning games, flashcards and charts, teaching visuals, and readers. Review and repetition are at the heart of the Abeka phonics program.
Abeka lesson plans are completely scripted, telling parents exactly what to say and do. There are a lot of worksheets and busywork assignments and lessons may take longer with this program than with other methods.
This is a very conservative Christian publisher. As such, the readers and work sheets will reflect a Christian worldview. There is also a lot of strong patriotic content.
For K4 and K5, the phonics program is integrated with numbers and handwriting, so you would probably want to buy a full grade parent and child kit. For 1st and 2nd grade, the phonics program is part of a comprehensive language arts program that includes phonics, reading, grammar and composition skills, spelling, poetry, and handwriting. Language arts programs are available through 12th grade.
Grammar and Spelling are taught in a very traditional manner. Students will learn grammar rules and will learn how to diagram sentences (this skill is not taught in most of the other programs that I will review). Like phonics, grammar is taught through repetition in a spiraling manner. This may get boring for more advanced students. Spelling is taught through a traditional teach, practice, test approach. Words are arranged phonetically and vocabulary is added into the program during the upper elementary grades.
The language program is geared towards independent study, especially after 2nd grade. Much of the work is done in a student workbook.
Abeka handwriting teaches a traditional cursive handwriting style using a proper slant. Parents may choose print or cursive formats for handwriting for all grade levels (even as young as K4). Penmanship continues through third grade.
Abeka also offers online options for all of their courses.
K4 Parent and Child Kit (Includes Phonics, Numbers, and Writing): $209.10-308.15
K5 Parent and Child Kit (Includes Phonics, Numbers, and Writing): $230.35-320.95
Grade 1 Language Arts Parent and Child Kits: $360.50
Grade 2 Language Arts Parent and Child Kits: $414.55
Grade 3 Language Arts Parent and Child Kits: $379.60
You may purchase Abeka product directly from Abeka.
All About Reading
All About Reading is by far my favorite reading program. We have used all of the levels. I was reluctant about my ability to teach phonics and this program held my hand the entire way.
This program uses the Orton-Gillingham method to teach phonics. According to AAR, 97% of English words can be learned through phonetic rules and only 3% should be learned as sight words (or leap words as they are called in the AAR program). This means that children will be able to phonetically decode many words even if they have never seen the word before.
There are four main levels in the program. A Pre-Reading program is available, but is not essential if your child has already learned most of the letter sounds and how to blend letters. Lessons for all five levels are multi-sensory and work for a variety of learning types and skill levels. Lessons are fully scripted, telling parents exactly what to say and do. The newest edition is in full color and prior editions are black and white.
All About Reading is very much an open-and-go program. Teachers flip to the next page in the teacher’s manual and grab the next few pages from the Student Activity Book and the next set of flashcards. Before we started each level, I spent one weekend cutting out and laminating pieces for each game in the Student Activity Book and organizing each lesson into sheet protectors in a binder. This allowed me to truly flip open and go. Laminating also ensures that the set will be in great condition for my younger children. Some parents choose to let their children cut out the game pieces each day as they go through the lessons.
The pre-reading program provides a solid foundation to phonics. In the pre-reading program, children are introduced to concepts by a zebra hand puppet (you could use any hand puppet that you already have). It teaches children the difference between capital and lower case letters. Children will learn the alphabet song, letter sounds, and learn basic print awareness (that words can be read and books are read back to front and left to right). Some phonological skills are taught such as rhyming, identifying syllables, and identifying beginning and ending sounds.
For the main curriculum levels, you will use a set of letter tiles to introduce phonics rules, play games and read fluency sheets to practice the concept, and review with flashcards to fully solidify the rules. Each level comes with two decodable readers that help children synthesize all of the rules and become confident in their reading abilities.
All five levels recommend teaching for 20 minutes per day and then stopping where you are at in the lesson. Lessons may take more than one day to complete. For older children, you may spend a little more time working through a lesson or complete two lessons in one sitting. My child finished two levels per year, but some children will move at a faster or slower rate. In addition to the time spent teaching phonics, AAR recommends spending an additional 20 minutes each day reading aloud to your child from any books that you may have available.
You will need to purchase the reading interactive kit one time. It is then used throughout all four levels and can be used with All About Spelling as well. The only consumable components are the Student Activity Books and the star stickers; however, since you don't write on any materials you can laminate all of the game pieces in the student activity book and place all of the fluency sheets in sheet protectors to use with other children within your home (meaning no items have to be repurchased)!
Pre-Reading Basic Package: $79.95
Each Level (Levels 1-4): $134.95
Reading Interactive Kit: $21.85
You may purchase from All About Learning Press. They have a great guarantee if you purchase directly through them.
McGuffey Ecelctic Readers
McGuffey readers are the textbooks used from the mid-19th to the mid 20th century in American schools. Over 120 million copies were sold by 1960. In fact, while visiting a historical one-room schoolhouse, my son pointed out one of his school books on display.
Because these books are past their original copyright date and they have undergone many revisions since their printing in 1836, there are many different versions available today. The McGuffey readers typically come in a set of seven books, a Primer and six graded texts. Different editions contain any where from four to eight books.
The McGuffey Readers can be used to cover spelling, vocabulary, copywork, dictation, narration and other Language Arts elements. The child should progress through the books at his or her own pace. The books focus on memorization, moral growth, and a wide vocabulary.
The parent will need to devise a plan of her own or will need to purchase a guide with instructions on how to use the books. There is a new printing of the McGuffey readers with instructions on how to use them with Charlotte Mason teaching methods.
McGuffey 8 Volume Set:$87.95
McGuffey New Eclectic 6 Volume Set: $70.25
McGuffey Sets can be purchased at various online retailers. I like Rainbow Resources.
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
This is a complete phonics curriculum in a single low-cost book. For less than lunch at Chick-fil-A, you can successfully start your child on a path to reading fluently. Teach Your Child to Read uses the DISTAR method to teach reading up to a second grade reading level.
The book features 100 lessons that take twenty minutes each. Each lesson is carefully scripted, telling the parent exactly what to do and say. Everything is presented in a simple, black and white format. The book is self-contained, meaning there are no flashcards, games, or other activities.
Before you start the program, it is helpful for your child to know his or her alphabet and the sounds of most of the letters.
The program has a distinct typography. Each letter sound has it’s own distinct shape (i.e. an a that makes the /a/ sound has a different shape than an a that makes the /ah/ sound). There are forty-four different letter formations presented. This can be confusing for some children when they begin reading materials outside of the program.
Purchase on Amazon for $13.97.
Literature
BJU Press Reading and Literature
BJUs reading and literature programs are very similar to the Literature books that are use used in public and private schools. They introduce children to a wide variety of Literature through poems, short stories, and excerpts from longer works and teach them how to analyze these works. Phonics lessons are included in Reading 1-3, although they also offer a separate subject called Phonics and English that you might consider adding on if you are using this as your phonics curriculum.
In reading 1, you will use stories to introduce new words and phonetical rules, then you will discuss the new rule, and the student will work through a worktext. Both readers and worktexts include high quality, color printing.
Reading levels 2-6 have an emphasis on both reading silently and orally. Students will read a passage, discuss the passage with the parent, and then work through a worktext. Stories focus on building character and a Christian worldview as well as introducing children to classic literature.
Literature levels 7-12 expose children to a broad range of literary styles. The focus of BJU literature is learning how to read and analyze literature in light of Biblical truths.
Everything needed to teach Reading and Literature is included within the subject kit. The only consumable material is the student worktext, which would need to be repurchased for younger siblings.
BJU offers an online courses for reading and literature as well.
Reading 1 Subject Kit: $130.20
Reading 2 Subject Kit: $181.65
Reading 3 Subject Kit: $182.05
Reading 4 and 5 Subject Kits (Each): $192.55
Literature (Each Level 7-12): $127.95
You can purchase BJU Reading and Literature programs from BJU Press.
Memoria Press Literature Guides
Memoria Press is a Classical education publisher. They publish a set of literature guides for grades 1 through 10. These guides are very straightforward and printed in black and white. All levels focus on building vocabulary and spelling skills through word study and comprehension and composition skills through discussion questions. Guides also provide ideas for enrichment activities.
For first grade, there are two literature guides, each covering a selection of classic picture books. The first guide covers four books and the second guide covers seven books.The child will spend up to three weeks working through each picture book in the guide
Second grade offers five literature guides and third through tenth grade each have four literature guide offerings. Each of these guides covers one classic book. Guides are independent of one another. You do not necessarily have to stick with the books recommended for the grade your child is in although content differs according to level.
For each book you will need a teacher guide and student workbook. The student workbook is consumable.
Most sets of 4 student and teacher guides:$95
Literature guides are available on the Memoria Press website.
Teaching the Classics: A Socratic Method for Literary Education
Teaching the Classics is not a curriculum. It is an eight hour seminar for parents to take to instruct them on how to teach literature using any book without a curriculum.
The seminar includes a book and DVD set that teach the parent how to understand and analyze literary works and how to use a Socratic questioning and discussion method to teach children how to analyze literature.
The publishers have also produced a book entitled Reading Roadmaps that helps parents select literature to study. The Reading Roadmaps book gives book suggestions by grade level and identifies plot conflict, theme and any literary devices used within the work.
Both can be purchased at the Center for Lit website.
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