Reading...anybody using Scaredy Cat system for reading?

[Holly IN]

I am still struggling in teaching my dd with HFA reading. I am currently using the Pecci method called "At Last! A reading method for every child". We are at a stumbling block on this just because I do not like sight method of reading. They do a mixture of both but the section we are getting into relies way too much on sight than what I am comfortable with.

 

I would like to know if any used Scaredy cat with success.

 

Holly

[Claire]

I don't know about Scaredy Cat, but ABeCeDarian is excellent. I recommend joining their support group and asking for advice there.

 

I bought the Pecci book years ago when I was thinking about helping my dyslexic dd at home (she was in private school 2nd grade at the time) but also did not care for the sight word portions. Ended up not using it and using the book "Reading Reflex" by McGuinness instead. This is the same methodology used in ABeCeDarian, but ABCD has better parent support materials plus the email list is extraordinarily helpful if you have questions or run into difficulty. The author of ABCD, Michael Bend, posts on that list. He was the keynote speaker at the IDA conference held in Colorado Springs a couple of years ago -- very highly respected in the field of reading.

[tonygirl]

I am still struggling in teaching my dd with HFA reading. I am currently using the Pecci method called "At Last! A reading method for every child". We are at a stumbling block on this just because I do not like sight method of reading. They do a mixture of both but the section we are getting into relies way too much on sight than what I am comfortable with.

 

I would like to know if any used Scaredy cat with success.

 

Holly

I also have been asking about scaredy cat for my dd have not heard to much good or bad really. I have been directed to other programs though.

Dancing Bears, ISeeSam books. I posted in sp needs look over those posts maybe they will help you.

[samba]

Another plug for ABeCeDarian...I looked at Scaredy Cat at convention and just couldn't make a decision. I'm sure it's a good program but it had more components to it than I liked. I really believe reading and phonics should be kept as simple as possible, even with and escecially for children who struggle. My son with Down Syndrome had been on the verge of reading for so long (he's had his phonograms down cold for almost two years) and just couldn't make the leap for some reason. I bought ABeCeDarian off the sale/swap board, implemented it, and he started reading. Really! It has almost been that simple. I know it hasn't worked for everyone but it has been wonderful for us. My son can't do the writing so we skip the workbook and just do the reading book. They also have an online "game" section where the child can work on the skills he's learning. We did the free trial and my son could actually do it! Some special needs kids are great on the computer but not my ds. The only reason we didn't sign up for the paid version is that we don't like to push using the computer. We have very little screen time here.

 

I also looked at Dancing Bears and really, really liked it. I almost bought it but I was concerned about the letter font (I think it's italic or some kind of slanted script) confusing my son. Maybe he would have gotten over the differences and been fine but I wasn't sure. Writing seemed to play a larger role in this program too, not quite as easy to skip. I could be wrong about that. However, I planned to buy Dancing Bears if ABeCeDarian didn't work but since it did I stopped looking.

 

Sorry I can't offer more input on Scaredy Cat specifically.

 

Carolyn

[Becki in IN]

Hi Holly,

 

How are you?

 

Scaredy Cat was one of the many phonics programs we used when we were trying to get Brittany reading. I liked it because it taught the word groups using phonics, but then switched so the words would be sight which is really how most learn to read. Unfortunately, it didn't work for Britt. No phonics program did. We had to teach her to read by sight. Amazingly she read a book series in the spring that is listed 5th or 6th grade so she's done all right.