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100 Easy lessons...am I wasting my time?


TanuvasaMama
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Ok..so we're working through 100 easy lessons, but so far, I don't think I'm getting the concept and I just don't have faith in the program. It all started with e...why are we teaching that e says "e as in me"....not e as in egg? Does this program REALLY work like everyone says?

 

Is there anything out there you like more? Help me out! It's for my preschooler.

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Well, I bought it after seeing all the good reviews on Amazon, but I have heard a lot of negative things about it here (along with a few positive things). I felt the same way as you did, and after about 20 lessons I tried to switch over to Phonics Pathways which I liked a lot better. My daughter cried, and she wouldn't read a page that had Dewey the Bookworm on it. :lol: SO we went back to 100 EZ lessons. We are on lesson 53 right now and things are going fine, but I won't use the book with my next child. I have a sister in law that used it to teach her 4 children and they all read very well, so I'm just hoping it will all turn out ok and not ruin my daughter for ever. She likes the lessons. I don't follow the script though, and didn't spend much time on the whole "say it slow, say it fast" stuff. I also try to read things outside of the book with her, that doesn't have all the strange notations, etc.

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I taught two of my kids using 100 EZ lessons and they are great readers! They needed no further phonics instruction and they had no problems with the notations. (As SWB recommends - we skip the writing portion).

 

Does your child enjoy the lessons and is he able to follow them? He's young - you won't ruin him!! But if you really don't like the method - by all means pick something else.

 

(The only reason my third child didn't use this program, is that somehow he figured out how to sound out words before I even thought of starting to teach him to read! - With him, we went through all the Bob Books and started right into easy readers and chapter books - he was by far the most fluent and expressive reader of the group!!)

 

As far as the "say it fast, say it slow" instruction - I think this is important - it helps prevents the child from saying each separate, distinct sound with pauses in between. They should be blending the sounds with no pauses.

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I used the program with 2 children and it worked great for us. Mine were very young when I started (around 2) and we didn't do the writing. I tweaked it for their age and we worked with flashcards. They were both reading early chapter books when they were 3. It is a program that requires real consistency and review but it worked for us. :)

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It worked great for us. . . If you want it to work, skim it over yourself in an evening & you'll get a feeling for why it's 'e' as in me first. . . and how later they'll also learn about 'e' as in egg. . . It all is actually quite logical and it does work.

 

BUT, there are other great options.

 

Phonics Pathways seems like the WTM gold standard (or was 10 years ago when I research phonics, lol).

 

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Explode the Code. It's painless, works great, and taught my kids to spell well as well as read well. ETC is always what I recommend to moms who want to supplement their kid's schooling, remediate, or want to jump start reading w/o committing to a 'program'. I think ETC could complement *any* approach to reading instruction. I never used ETC solo, so I don't know if it would be 'complete' for every kid, but it could probably work fine solo for many kids. . .Plus, my kids just LOVED it. :)

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It worked great for us. . . If you want it to work, skim it over yourself in an evening & you'll get a feeling for why it's 'e' as in me first. . . and how later they'll also learn about 'e' as in egg. . . It all is actually quite logical and it does work.

 

BUT, there are other great options.

 

Phonics Pathways seems like the WTM gold standard (or was 10 years ago when I research phonics, lol).

 

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Explode the Code. It's painless, works great, and taught my kids to spell well as well as read well. ETC is always what I recommend to moms who want to supplement their kid's schooling, remediate, or want to jump start reading w/o committing to a 'program'. I think ETC could complement *any* approach to reading instruction. I never used ETC solo, so I don't know if it would be 'complete' for every kid, but it could probably work fine solo for many kids. . .Plus, my kids just LOVED it. :)

We're using ETC (with OPGtTR) and Luke adores it.

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It worked like a charm with my older two and they were reading at 2nd grade or above when we finished. We supplemented with old Abeka readers and ETC. They are supberb readers. My youngest hated 100EZ lessons, so we ditched it. She still struggles at the same age my other two were sailing through reading. So, it works, but every child is different. I agree with everyone else about ETC. Great program.

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Both my boys learned to read using 100EZ. Yes, it worked with both of them but I am not planning on using it with my youngest. I was pretty unsatisfied with it to be honest, and it kind of left them off knowing HOW to read, but not really mastering reading and there almost seemed to be a gap for them. (like they are supposed to be able to read at a second grade level when finished, but my boys needed more to get to a 2nd grade level). I know it's just a case of each child being different, but I"ll go with something that provides a stronger foundation with dd.

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I used Alpha Phonics with my first two kids. My 3rd one was slightly dyslexic (which I did not know until later). We did AP. We did other phonics programs. We tread water. We got books from Wal-Mart. We tried everything all over again...nothing.

 

By 3rd grade I was desperate. I called a friend I had known when I had lived in the "big city". She was the head of special ed in the public school system. I told her my woes. She invited me to a teacher's in-service on the SRA materials that their teachers used in the special ed classes. I sat through a whole day...and when I got home, I found out that 100 Easy Lessons was the "short form" of the SRA materials.

 

After having learned the reason why they did what they did and how it helped the child to learn to read, I was able to sit down with 100 EL and do the book--reading the script (I'm NOT a script type of person) and letting my boy learn according to their method.

 

It worked. Two years later he had read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

 

That said, it is not going to be for everyone. If it works, fine. If not, imo, go looking.

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It's supposed to be good for very young dc who don't yet have the hand-to-eye coordinatin or fine-motor skills yet but who really want to learn to read.

 

I would probably not do it with a child oler than 5.

 

There's no rule that say children must learn short vowel sounds first.:)

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I used it with my younger dd. It sure is weird, but she loved it :D When we finished, she was reading at a late 1st/early 2nd grade level, she was 5 at the time. She has been reading great ever since. She had no other phonogram teachings until AAS last year in 3rd grade and hasn't had any trouble picking up spelling.

 

I always tell parents who ask this question, see if your child likes it. If your child is liking it, keep it up. I had picked the book up 6 months before we actually used it and put it away because "I" couldn't figure the thing out :lol: The second time I picked it up, I gave it a try with dd. If your child hates it, look for something else, but if it's just your own misgivings, don't worry. It will probably work out ok.

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My sister-in-law recommended this book to me in the spring shortly after my daughter turned 5. I had tried to interest her in Alpha-Phonics (because we already had it) and she didn't want to have much to do with it. She was already reading Bob Books (set 2). So I gave in and ordered 100 EZ.

 

We started at lesson 20 or so in 100 EZ and she really enjoyed it. The saving grace was the story and picture at the end of each lesson. It was a reward for the hard work of drilling.

 

After finishing 100 EZ she, of course, had plenty to learn so we completed Alpha Phonics in 4 weeks(!) and now we're working through Phonics Pathways (beginning at page 57 and 145, simultaneously reading a page or two a day from each part). We could skip the drills and stick to stories, but I like to know I'm filling all holes and enjoy the regular drilling. She still misses the stories from 100 EZ.

 

That's our story. It worked well for us primarily because of the silly stories.

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None of my four kids have been willing to do 100 EZ. That may have more to do with their learning styles/strengths vs. weaknesses.

 

A couple of them have enjoyed Explode the Code.

 

Personally, I'm coveting various things in the Dancing Bears series, though I haven't bought any yet. http://www.prometheantrust.org/usshop.htm

 

FWIW, I never felt comfortable with 100 EZ. So, it collects dust on the shelf.

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I always tell parents who ask this question, see if your child likes it. If your child is liking it, keep it up. I had picked the book up 6 months before we actually used it and put it away because "I" couldn't figure the thing out :lol: The second time I picked it up, I gave it a try with dd. If your child hates it, look for something else, but if it's just your own misgivings, don't worry. It will probably work out ok.

 

:iagree: I am currently using this program with my just turned five year old. I am not crazy about it, but she loves it and asks to do her "reading lesson". We are also using Bob books to supplement. We are on lesson 34 or so. As long as she is happy with it, I will continue to use it. I do skip the writing part.

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I have taught two children to read with 100 Easy lessons. They both are way ahead as far as reading level and comprehension. It was BORING but it worked. Honestly, with one child we only got about half way through but it still worked.

 

I no longer homeschool and my kids are in public school. I have a k-er and it's driving me crazy the way they are teaching him to read. I guess after doing the 100 Easy Lessons - it just makes more sense to me that way.

 

That being said, if you guys are struggling with it and absolutely hate, there are plenty of other programs out there that work just as well. Nothing wrong with switching to something you both enjoy.

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