Homeschool resources to teach reading

These homeschooler reading programmes and readers come highly recommended. I have used some or all of these for my 5 children (except for All About Reading). I like how these programmes have been written to the unique needs of one-to-one teaching, or are easily adapted from classroom-style learning into home learning. In addition, most of these reading lessons are scripted so that homeschool parents deliver good direct instruction to the children.

Reader books are great for extra practice and the recommended ones on this list have a controlled word list to keep young readers confident and motivated.

1. Logic of English Foundations (A – C)

Created in USA, Logic of English (LoE) Foundations is a programme for 4-7 year olds
Scripted programme with flashcards, lots of age-appropriate fun hands-on games and a teacher’s manual + consumable student workbook. Reader booklets are included
Starts from the beginning in LoE A learning letters and sounds, progressing on to blends and words, and learning to spell in LoE B. Fluent in advanced blends by the end of C.

Book D involves reading comprehension and a bit of writing but once the child is reading fluently, I usually move on to different programmes.

This is the reading programme that worked for most of my children.

2. Fitzroy Phonics Readers

Created in Australia, the Fitzroy Phonics Readers were written by schoolteachers, because there was a lack of Australian readers at the time with a controlled phonics-based vocabulary (to allow students to confidently sound out all the words using decoding skills they have learnt) plus a few special words introduced beforehand in each reader, to boost reading confidence.

The focus of the reader booklets progresses from CVC words to more complicated blends, with the levels divided into 10 readers per stage/set.
You can purchase companion comprehension workbooks to go with each of the readers, however getting the child to progress through these readers for extra practice is great if you have them on hand.

i used these readers as a supplement to my main programme. These was a time when I used it with the workdbooks as my English programme, but I found better complete programmes like #1 (above) and #3 (below)

3. The Good and The Beautiful Pre-K and LA K-2

Created in USA, the Good and the Beautiful (TGTB) publishes beautifully illustrated material from the littlest learner through to high school level. For reading, I found the pace of teaching quite gentle for the really little ones, then it quickly speeds up (in the old version of K). I usually transfer my little learner to LoE (#1 above) for extra practice before coming back to TGTB again!

Pre-K (old) – Programme for 3-5 year olds. All in one programme teaching first literacy and numeracy for the very young through hands–on activities and practising through games. Focusses on the beginner reader.

LA K (old) – Language Arts (LA) programme for 5-7 year olds. Big jump from old Pre-K to the old K, not enough reading practice – this is when I swapped to Logic of English for more practice. Includes mini readers (no controlled vocabulary).

Note: I hear the new versions of both pre-K and K have ben adjusted to have a more gradual progression, with updated Booster Cards and Readers for the little ones to practice.

LA 1-2 – The programme continues to gently and consistently teach children how to read, write and spell through the next few levels, scaffolding the learner as they build new skills especially in writing.

4. SPELD-SA readers + Dandelion Launchers with SSP (Speech Sound Pics Approach)

Created in Australia and UK, loosely following UK introduction of letter sounds (like the Jolly Phonics progression).

SPELD-SA has their own range of progressive readers sold in sets of 10.

Dandelion Launchers are tiny reader booklets catering to the very young.

SSP is a Programme for beginner readers and remedial learners to learn reading and spelling by listening for speech sounds and remembering the way those sounds look like i.e. there are many ways to spell a particular phonic.

5. The Sound Way – Junior

Created in Australia, The Sound Way is a video-based programme created by an Australian with accompanying workbook, and an audio CD of the letter sounds. The course can be done multiple times as the consumable workbook can be used twice.

The Junior version of the programme is adapted to suit young learners up to 10 years old.

This programme suited one of my auditory learners very well.

6. Fun Tales by Sonlight

Created in USA, Fun Tales by Sonlight are Mini readers that follow the order of introducing the letters in the Sonlight learn to read programme.

7. All About Reading

Created in USA, All About Reading uses Scripted teacher manuals to teach OG phonic-based reading and spelling by manipulating magnetic letter tiles and by playing fun hands on games. I had only used All About Spelling to teach reading and spelling before the publishers created All About Reading.

Other Readers I have considered:

Dandelion Readers, Sunrise Readers (based in South Africa – originally written in Zimbabwe and used for over three decades!)

Also, I highly rate these two reading apps:

Teach your Monster to Read, and Pocketphonics (Mac iOS).