Ken Jones’s Updates

Update 4: All About Reading

I recently had a good friend tell me that his daughter has been having issues with basic reading comprehension. His daughter is in third grade, and he was told by her teacher that her reading level is probably that of a kindergartner. The teacher suggested to him a website that she found to be most helpful in basic reading comprehension and literacy. The site is www.allaboutlearningpress.com. The all about reading program was designed to engage the readers by using researched strategies to promote fluency. 

The program starts off by offering a pre-reading program specifically designed for pre-schoolers and kindergartners. This level of the program is designed to build the foundations for reading, and it was intended to act as if the child is playing, but in essence, the child is learning essential reading skills. 

LEVEL 1: 

Covers letter sounds for A–Z, plus consonant teams TH, SH, CH, CK, NG, and NK
Dozens of activities and games reinforce the lessons
Includes 52 fully decodable stories that are sure to delight your child

Level 2: 

Teaches 12 new phonograms, including EE, ER, AR, OR, OY, AW, and OW
Hands-on activities make review time fun
Includes 27 decodable short stories, along with comprehension activities

Level 3: 

Students learn 16 new phonograms, including OA, IR, IGH, EW, KN, and TI
Packed with activities and games to keep kids motivated
25 exciting decodable stories help increase comprehension

Level 4: 

This final level teaches 15 new phonograms, including EY, UI, PH, OUGH, SI, and RH
Dozens of exciting activities teach comprehension skills and fluency
Includes 29 fully decodable stories that provide practice and build confidence

What I found to be significant about this program is that before the student begins a new level, he or she must take a reading assessment to determine where they're at and how effective they will be at the next level. 

This program is an open-and-go program specifically designed for teachers, parents, and tutors, who care about teaching reading in a highly productive manner. 

This program doesn’t require long periods of study, you don’t have to develop your lesson plans, and you don’t have to stress over what to teach next—because everything is laid out for you, step by step. You’ll get a solid grounding in how to prepare reading without being overwhelmed.

What I found very interesting about this program is that it's built by using multisensory; so the student will also be learning by sight, sound, and touch, which will be invaluable to all students especially those who have a learning disability. Everything taught in context, so your child will apply what he has learned right away. Your student will be engaged in thinking, processing, comparing, and determining.

My friend told me that since his daughter has started using the program, she is now excited about reading daily. They are learning how to think, explore, and grow in their abilities. They feel successful as they see continual progress.

The all about reading program consists of five primary components, and here they are listed below: 

Phonological Awareness
Phonics and Decoding
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension