Has Anyone tried LOE Foundations, and then switched to something else?

[Guest]

Has anyone tried LOE Foundations, and then switched to something else that you like more?

[ktgrok]

Yes. We went from LOE Foundations to All About Reading and are MUCH happier. I like having handwriting separate, and AAR is much more open and go, easy to implement, etc. It also seemed easier to know when to move forward, and to go at the right pace for my daughter. 

[abidnginhim]

I switched from LoE Foundations to Reading Lessons through Literature and it's working much better for us. 

[73349]

I used LOE Foundations B and C (minus the handwriting, which I replaced with HWOT), then went back to Phonics Pathways and then on to LOE Essentials. The activities in B and C were great for DS, but we did not need level A (basically just the alphabet) or D.

[abidnginhim]

I'm considering this switch. Where were you in foundations when you switched?

We were in LoE Foundations Level B. 

[lexi]

We used LOE A and part of B. We switched to AAR and it's working so much better!

I found LOE to be more challenging to implement than AAR. AAR is more open and go and has more review. The pacing is just better for my kids. I found some sections of LOE to move too quickly. My kids prefer the readers in AAR even though the stories can be long. I like having the flash cards for extra review. And my kids enjoy the little paper games in AAR. LOE had more active ideas - jump on the correct phonogram or something like that. But that proved to be distracting for my son. He would jump and then get pretty wild and unfocused. And I do like having handwriting separate but I do like how LOE teaches handwriting - especially the cursive. LOE is colorful but my kids would choose the paper games in AAR over the colorful workbook of LOE.

 

ETA: and the fluency pages, while not popular at my house, did wonders for my struggling reader! They have been hugely helpful.

I have two kids in AAR 2 and one in Pre-Level.

[BusyMom5]

We did LOE B and C, and switched to AAR3.  My kids preferred LOE much more over AAR, and find the games boring.  THe games in LOE felt more like real games, while AAR games feel like 'flip a card and read it'- not an actual game.  They do not like them at all, or the flashcards.  THe readers may be better, and I think the fluency sheets are genius, but my kids detest them!  I think it may depend on your kids' preferences and how quickly they learn stuff.  If I were choosing, I think a combo of both programs would work best- faster pacing like LOE, but I like the fluency pages and readers in AAR.  I'm switching to use more LOE game cards and game ideas where I can. 

[MerryAtHope]

We did LOE B and C, and switched to AAR3.  My kids preferred LOE much more over AAR, and find the games boring.  THe games in LOE felt more like real games, while AAR games feel like 'flip a card and read it'- not an actual game.  They do not like them at all, or the flashcards.  THe readers may be better, and I think the fluency sheets are genius, but my kids detest them!  I think it may depend on your kids' preferences and how quickly they learn stuff.  If I were choosing, I think a combo of both programs would work best- faster pacing like LOE, but I like the fluency pages and readers in AAR.  I'm switching to use more LOE game cards and game ideas where I can. 

 

The fluency pages can be long for some kids. You might see if they like the ideas in the 5 tips article (and there's some great ideas in the comment section too). Here are review ideas for the word cards too. Sometimes you do have to mix things up, depending on the child! 

[SparrowsNest]

Yes. We went from LOE Foundations to All About Reading and are MUCH happier. I like having handwriting separate, and AAR is much more open and go, easy to implement, etc. It also seemed easier to know when to move forward, and to go at the right pace for my daughter.

This is us, too.

[greyseal]

We switched away from LOE after B & C, because D wasn't clicking for us. I found, though, that DD really disliked the stuff we tried (AAR and my own home-brew), and I just ended up skipping D and going to LOE Essentials. She got some review in Essentials and it ramped up very quickly. She's humming along now, and should finish in the next few months. 

[silver]

I switched my daughter from LOE C to RLTL. She loved LOE when she was learning to read. But partway through B, something clicked and she became fluent. LOE became trudgery for her, so we gave up only a few lessons into C.

[Guest]

Thank you all. I had bought and just received LOE A in the mail yesterday. Now I am considering returning it to buy All About Reading.