HONEST All About Reading Level 1 Review // The Best Reading Curriculum for the Struggling Reader

[@AR-k39]

I’m thinking of switching from Good and the beautiful to all about reading 1. Good and the beautiful boosters are just so long and then there is a whole lessons, so I love that this is 20 minutes only.

[@francie.6200]

It’s my first year homeschooling and we just got our AAR package yesterday! So excited to get started!

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Awesome! You are gonna love it! I wish I had started with it.

[@tessastanaland3012]

Thank you for your review. This was very helpful. I appreciate your time and information you posted in this video. Thank you!

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Glad it was helpful!

[@KateSanchez-mp2um]

that’s awesome ! starting home schooling and omg it’s overwhelming

[@AnnaBruceCo]

It definitely can be, but you can do this! It gets easier each year

[@HeatherStecher]

We’re brand new homeschoolers and AAR was a last minute switch for us before we started (this review was the final push!) I don’t have a single complaint. My struggling reader LOVES the games, and when we were “feeding the monster” yesterday, two of my other kids stopped what they were doing to join in. Today he begged me to do it again. I’m grateful I started setting mine up the way you have it because I will absolutely be using this program for all my children. ALSO idk if everyone knows this, but when you’re buying from their website, you can ask them to put art on the shipping box in the comments. It’s super cute!

[@AnnaBruceCo]

That is so awesome! I’m so glad it’s working so well for you guys. And yes! The art on the box is so cool!

[@thepioneerhomestead]

Thank you so much for this!!! We’ve done Abeka per a recommendation and I’m finding some of the same struggles. Interesting enough, someone blessed us with AAR and I’ve been eyeing it.😉 Definitely going to put it to use now!!! Thanks for the review and encouragement!!! Many blessings to your sweet family as you homeschool this year.💗💗💗

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Thats amazing! You’ll love it!

[@Zephyrina4]

Thank you for your organization ideas! I love them, and will be doing the same. Our curriculum just arrived, and I’m in the process of preparing it for learning. Just an fyi, my background includes a masters degree in reading, and a child isn’t ever just a little bit dyslexic. They either are or aren’t. It’s a function of the brain that can be improved, but never fully goes away. It’s like saying you’re a little bit pregnant. What *can* be happening, is that a child hasn’t progressed through all of the developmental stages for some reason (there are lots of reasons) and is stuck in one. One developmental stage of directionality commonly presents as dyslexia if a child hasn’t mastered that stage, but it can be remediated. This stage is where a child learns left from right, top from bottom, b from d, p from q, and reading either from left to right or right to left in Arabic and Hebrew or top to bottom in Mandarin. Directionality can be remediated through a variety of activities, and is often identified by a child not crawling with opposing limbs…right arm with left leg…or at all. Dyslexia cannot be remediated. If you suspect that your child *is* dyslexic, I strongly recommend that he be evaluated. There’s very little harm in testing if he isn’t dyslexic. But, if he is dyslexic and isn’t tested, there will be great harm for him, because he won’t be given the support and accommodation he needs to thrive. My child is a kinesthetic learner too, and has difficulties sitting still and focusing. My child is also not at grade level by their age. This is why we homeschool. After years teaching in the classroom, I know they won’t do well there, but is doing well at home. I have an appointment for them to be tested for ADHD, which I’m certain they are, because of my classroom experience. And this brain difference requires a different approach to teaching, learning, reading, and pretty much every aspect of life. Learning about how I can best support them from people like them has made a world of difference. From the sounds of it, I would strongly recommend that your active child also be evaluated for both ADHD and Autism. Again, greater harm is possible from not testing. I’m not pushing medication. My child isn’t medicated. I’m simply saying that understanding how a brain works is vital for learning and moving through life. And, because these brains work so differently, it’s important to know and understand so that you can give your child the best support as he grows. Best wishes as you teach your children. 💜

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Thanks for the input!

[@daniellerenee828]

Thank you so much for your content Anna! This is our first year homeschooling our kindergartener and we went with an all-in-one curriculum kit but I'm really leaning towards supplementing with the All About Reading Program after watching this video! I saw they have a Pre-Reading Program as well!

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Yes! Do it! I hear the pre reading is awesome! I will most likely do that with my kindergartner next year

[@daniellerenee828]

@@AnnaBruceCo yay! So glad to hear that, thanks so much Anna! ☺🙏

[@tokibunny]

Thank you for the video! Would you share how old your son was when you started this program? I also have a very active kid

[@AnnaBruceCo]

He was 7

[@krdesigncoteesandmore7766]

We have been using AAR since Ansley was little! Ive saved all my materials for my 2 little ones! We love it also! -Krystle

[@AnnaBruceCo]

I’m so glad to hear that! Love you girl!

[@lizrodriguez466]

Hey Anna thank you for the video! I had a question I have a third grader that struggles in reading which level do you think I should start him in? Can you do a video lesson with your son on how it works? Thanks 😊

[@AnnaBruceCo]

AAR recommends level 1 for any grade level. But I believe they also have a placement test on their website you could check out.

[@lizrodriguez466]

Thank you 😊

[@bindibelesky384]

Abby from Rooted In Rest here on KZbin has several live lessons doing AAR with her kids!

[@AllysiaMiller-f3f]

This is so helpful! My son will start 1 grade next school year and I’m looking for language arts. What else do you use to complete language arts?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

I'm so glad!

[@ashleymurphy4813]

Can I ask what program you used last year that was such a struggle?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

The good and the beautiful

[@LeahChartier]

Does AAR have them practice their printing etc Or do you have another English/ phonics curriculum for that?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

No we use handwriting without tears for handwriting

[@meganmcqueen8610]

Did you do the All About Spelling too?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

We have done it before. Depends on the child and their needs. I don’t feel it is necessary for every child

[@KayleMorris-ck6ip]

Did you use the first or second edition? I was gifted the first edition but was wondering if I should purchase the second edition?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

We started with level 1

[@momsjourneyy1801]

Thank you did your review. If starting out from zero, do you have to get pre reading level? Or just start with level 1. Does level 1 introduce phonics?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

That would depend on your child. We did the assessment on the website and fell in level one

[@bricehagens7956]

My son just turned 5 in May and completed TG&TB preschool program last year, which he did fine with. However, after looking at TG&TB kindergarten, it looks way too advanced for him. I looked at their kindergarten prep, but I still think switching curriculums might be the way to go. That being said, I don't know if he should start with AAR pre-reading level or level 1. We did the placement test, and he got 16 out of 17 so they are recommending pre-reading level, however, I'm concerned it may be redundant being that he already knows all of his letters and sounds. He can also generally tell you what letter a word starts with or ends with. In your experience, where would you start a child who already knows all of his letters and sounds?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

I would definitely go with what the placement test recommends, but you know him best so go with your gut.

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Also we are using TGTB kindergarten with my 5 yr old who knows all her letter sounds and it’s going great. You can take it as slow or fast as you want

[@rachelwilliams5727]

i’d definitely read the sections about placement but to me it sounds like he or she is ready for Level 1. my son turned 5 in April and we’re going to review letters and sounds to start our year off then gradually ease into Level 1, i haven’t decided if i’ll buy AAR pre reading or not yet for him but am for my 1st grader to start this year even though she’s reading already but not strongly my 5 year old will be with us while we go through it so then I can evaluate if he is ready to join us or wait.

[@yeseniaacuna8888]

What are you’re thoughts on logic of English?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

I haven’t ever used it

[@AnnaBruceCo]

I haven’t ever used it

[@mamamarigold9040]

We’ve done both. LOE and AAR are very similar, but it seems AAR does it better.

[@ashleyhume7402]

Thank you for the awesome video Anna! So, I have a few questions.. I have a 1st grader and 3rd grader. My first grader I am using the good and the beautiful for LA and math and handwriting but I am thinking I want to try AAR just for his reading… what do you do? Do you use just this program for his LA? Thanks for your time!! ❤

[@AnnaBruceCo]

Great question! We use Christian light for language arts but I skip over some stuff (mainly just skip the spelling and reading parts). I love it because it’s much faster and simpler than the good and the beautiful which is what he needs right now with LA. We do LOVE the good and the beautiful though and will most likely use it again one day with him

[@yeseniaacuna8888]

Does this program make you memorize site words or does it do phonics?

[@AnnaBruceCo]

It has sight words for you to read and does do phonics