chasingbutterflies Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Has anyone used the Logic Of English reading program? http://www.logicofenglish.com/ I ordered the book off Amazon today and then realized that there was also a reading program by the author. I have been looking for a reading program that was rules oriented. I have never heard of this program but it looks great! I am curious where I would place my two kids. They are struggling readers - about to start 4th and 5th grade - but reading at a mid/late 2nd and 3rd grade level. What is the difference between Foundations and Essentials??? It looks like one is just more mature than the other. However, I heard someone mention spelling?! So is one spelling and one Reading? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMom Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 The author has put together some free teaching videos if you have not seen them yet, http://www.logicofenglish.com/resources/videos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 There are a fair number of Logic of English users here, though I would say more have used Essentials as a program for spelling (though it certainly teaches the skills that improve reading as well). I used it primarily for spelling for my 3rd grade DD this past school year. There's also the newer Foundtions program for younger students to teach reading and spelling skills. I used the Beta test version of that with my Kindergarenter this past year and it was a very good fit to help him improve his reading skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 I used essentials to teach reading to my oldest with great success. I am repeating it with him with a spelling focus instead of a reading focus. I am also using the foundations level (meant to teach reading) with my younger son, also with great success. Let me know if you have any specific questions :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasingbutterflies Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 I am confused. What is the difference between "foundations" and "essentials"? There are a fair number of Logic of English users here, though I would say more have used Essentials as a program for spelling (though it certainly teaches the skills that improve reading as well). I used it primarily for spelling for my 3rd grade DD this past school year. There's also the newer Foundtions program for younger students to teach reading and spelling skills. I used the Beta test version of that with my Kindergarenter this past year and it was a very good fit to help him improve his reading skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasingbutterflies Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 Thank You - I am still exploring this curriculum and the site. The author has put together some free teaching videos if you have not seen them yet, http://www.logicofen...esources/videos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Foundations is the new learn to read program. Essentials is the spelling program that is recommended for third grade and older. When I was teaching my oldest to read, Foundations wasn't created yet, so I used essentials, at a slower pace to teach reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasingbutterflies Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 So Essentials is spelling and Foundations is reading??? If so, can I do them together? Foundations is the new learn to read program. Essentials is the spelling program that is recommended for third grade and older. When I was teaching my oldest to read, Foundations wasn't created yet, so I used essentials, at a slower pace to teach reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Not really, no. They are the same rules based spelling program that also happens to teach and reenforce reading. They will both teach the same skills (spelling, reading, spelling rules, phonics rules). Foundations is meant to go before Essentials. You don't NEED foundations before if the child is already reading. Basically, it's two different levels of the same program. The focus is just slightly different. Foundations teaches reading through spelling rules and phonics Essentials teaches spelling (which re-enforces reading) through spelling rules and phonics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Foundations is really also targeted at much younger kids than the age of your kids, ChasingButterflies. It's all cutesy and cartoony. Essentials is meant to target older kids, and there are suggestions in the book for using it at a fast pace for students needing remediation. It definitely CAN teach reading (through the lens of spelling), I was just saying that most of us who have used it here have used it with kids who can read but are struggling spellers. My DD was a pretty awful speller when we started at the end of 2nd grade, and the improvement was really amazing. It might be helpful for you to know also that Essentials was written first, then the author went back and wrote Foundations to really target a lot of the same information to a totally different age group. Essentials does't actually directly follow Foundations, though it could be used that way. Only the first 1/4 of all that has been written for Foundtions has been released for public sale (level A -- a K or preK level of material). Those of us that have the beta version also have what will become levels B through D (to be released in the coming months), and then more Foundations levels will come in future years. I think Essentials will always stand separatly as a program for older students who don't want stuff that looks like it was written for a Kindergarenter or 1st grader (even if students at both levels need to learn the phonograms to improve at spelling). What also isn't written is a follow up to essentials. They have an "advanced" word list that could be used for a second year of the program or the author also recommends word root study after completing essentials. I am hoping they make an "essentials 2" so to speak at some point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2pandc Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 For those ages I'd use essentials. I've used it with a 9 year old and a 6 year old (slower pace) and have great success with both improved reading and spelling. My 6 year old has improved her reading abilities drastically! We love this program and highly recommend it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 For what age child have most people here used Essentials? (I'm also looking into Essentials). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Does anybody know if she plans to publish higher levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pansen Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 We are using Essentials and are halfway through it. I used it after reading the book, Uncovering the Logic of English, and saw they have a curriculum. I ordered it because my 9 year old has Dyslexia, and he really needed the rules. We tried All About Spelling, but it was way too slow and not his style of learning at all. With Logic of English, he has made dramatic improvement. SO much so that the Reading Specialist we are seeing couldn't stop remarking on it. The program really "speaks" to his way of learning, without all of the distracting bells and whistles other programs try to pile on to keep kids interested. I also use it with my 7 year old and he is doing well, and he doesn't have Dyslexia, but he needs more time to complete the exercises, while my older son is absorbing the information at a very fast pace. I am quite impressed. So impressed, that I am ordering the Foundations series for my youngest son for 1st grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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