The Arrowood Zoo: TOS Review - ABeCeDarian Company

Zachary and I have been reviewing ABeCeDarian Reading Program with great success. I would have never thought I would have loved it so deeply BUT I DO! I finally have found something that works with teaching Zac reading and he's doing awesome at it. I am beyond pleased with everything that I received and the result that I have gotten in a such a small time.

Teaching reading is such an important task as a mother. I know after teaching two children to read it can be easy for some and for others tiring! Both my boys have proved to be difficult learners where reading is involved. This is one of the simplest and easiest techniques that I have ever came in contact with.

Zachary is 8 and in 2nd grade but has struggled for a very long time with reading despite our constant reviewing and practice. Last year he actually made a New Year resolution to learn to read, isn't that sweet and determined? He has tried without much success and that has given him an attitude thinking he can't.

ABeCeDarian Reading Program is divided into 4 levels. Level A is for nonreaders and very beginning readers. Level B is for students reading at mid-1st through 2nd grade level. Level C is for students reading near a 3rd and 4th grade level and Level D is for 5th and 6th grade levels.

Zachary and I started with Level A. A1 is the title which is the first book in the set; we decided to start here since he struggles so very much. I thought it would be best to review what concepts he would know and just move fast through it instead of skipping to A2 or Level B.

Required materials for level A include Teacher’s Manual A1, Student Workbook A1, Teacher’s Manual A2, Student Workbook A2, and Storybooks for Level A. Each of the teacher’s manuals costs $28.50, and each of the student workbooks costs $12.25. The storybook collection is a set of 10 softcover readers and costs $21.50.

Level A teaches blending, sound segmenting, letter/sound correspondences, reading, and spelling. We have really enjoyed these books. The books are very simple and they have not overwhelmed him at all, which is a common issue that he has. There is no color and only very few pictures prompting the words and for that I am extremely thankful! Normally Zachary has distraction issues and will also try to guess at the pictures instead of trying to sound the word or sound out. This has been a huge help in our reading - who would of thought such a simply distinction would have made such a huge impact.

One thing I can't brag on enough is that this program is multisensory. I printed off tiles from their free supplemental materials to use to build the spelling chains and just to use for building words he is learning and reviewing. Getting him involved in having to think about what letter to use instead of him worrying if he is going to write it properly has been a huge hit with me and him. He normally has issues with writing and the tiles have really taken that pressure off of him. The workbook has writing practice as well but he doesn't have any issues with this part at all to my surprise but I think it has to do with no color and pictures to distract him.

I love the silly faces when I asked to show off his work, normally he wouldn't want to share his reading or writing so this is warming to my heart!

Zachary loves the Error Game best. He laughs at me when we do this activity. This is just one more activity to help him learn the sounds because the point of the game is for me to mess up and him have to correct me! What kid doesn't like to correct momma?

We are currently on Lesson 17 which is the last lesson in Unit 3. A1 is divided into 5 units so we are over half way! It took me about a week to prepare everything needed and read the checklist on preparing this for us to use. The program is wonderfully clear and you have a script to follow so don't worry about messing up anything using this program! Personally I haven't had to read a lot of the script during lessons simply because a lot of the lesson is repeated throughout the book and units but I really enjoyed reading the information in the front of the manual. There are lots of hints on how to succeed and help your children. It gives you a lot of information on children that are having difficulty learning and reading and helps you understand every technique that is used in the program.

I have never loved a review item more. I am pleased on so many levels with this one! I am so blessed to have Zachary ask to do his reading and to see the progress he is making! YES HE REALLY ASKS WHEN CAN WE READ MOM? I am just over joyed so much so that I have researched more into getting Level C and D for my other kids.

Although I haven't used Level B I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it, simply from the progress that I have seen in Zachary. ABeCeDarian sent us an Aesops reader for Level B however we have been reading some of it already!