Logic of English Foundations

[Christine B]

What can anyone tell me about Logic of English Foundations?  I've looked over the sample pages, and I like the looks of those, but if possible I'd like to get some pros/cons from people who have used it.  We are currently using AAR, and while it works and she is learning a few things (I definitely should have bought a level up, though), neither of us are very excited by it.  I have no problem sticking with AAR and just moving up if we can't find a better fit for us, but I'm really curious about LOE and would love to hear some experiences with it!  Thanks in advance! 

Edited September 17, 2016 by cebrick

[73349]

We used levels B and C over a period of 14 months. I'd buy it again.

 

Pros: Kiddo liked it, and it worked. (We had been stalled in Phonics Pathways because he was getting intimidated and frustrated.) It's physically active (jump to a card read the word on it, etc.). The little reading books were on topics DS found engaging.

 

Cons: It's a bit expensive compared to some other options. I don't like the look of (and did not use) the handwriting element. The backs of the cards you have to print, if you get the PDF, all use up a lot of the same color ink, and I found myself having to be very careful about which pages to print in b&w vs. color as well as which ones to do on cardstock vs. paper and single-vs. double-sided. There were just a very few typos.

 

Bottom line: It did what I needed it to do, and now my child can read and enjoys it, though the program isn't perfect.

[Guest]

I'm on my third kid with it. We really like it and it works great, and is highly adaptable to different needs. It is inexpensive to use with multiple kids, you essentially just need more workbooks. So as an investment it wasn't bad for us. For just one child it is expensive though.

 

In some ways I like LoE essentials more, but it's aimed at older children and I didn't find it adapted well to the 7-8 year old crowd. But Foundations is great for kinder on up, and you can use Doodling Dragons to begin even earlier if you're willing to work without the handwriting part of Foundations A. Handwriting skills were the only bottleneck.

 

We used the cursive version of the workbooks and my kids have fantastic cursive now. I wouldn't buy the print ones after seeing how well the strokes worked for my family and the lack of reversals and case size issues.

 

Um.... we don't play a lot of extra games. It hasn't been necessary for us. But it's nice to have the option :)

[RootAnn]

I have the game book and two sets of cards. We use a different program and the younger two love the games. My older ones like to play them with the younger kids.

 

So, even if you don't get LOE, it might be worth the $$ to buy the game book and cards. IMO.

[blondeviolin]

Some of mine thrived and lived off the games/activities in LOE. We are not using it this year because my current kindy kid reads above Foundations level and is a workbook-y child. It was a wonderful choice for my active and creative kids, though. And it works.

 

I think the big pro for LOE vs AAR is LOE has no fluency sheets.

[Guest]

It's very good. Very thorough. Very systematic. Very well laid out.

 

Very expensive. Very time consuming for me.

 

I sold it.

[rwilk]

We did levels A-C, and are currently working through D.

 

Pros: Hands on, adaptable and appropriate for younger kids wanting to learn to read.  Lots of helpful hints to the parent in the teacher's manual.  Biggest pro: DD asks to do it ALL THE TIME.  She absolutely loves it.  We could take out the writing portion, and she could still progress with reading. My child was easily able to read/comprehend easy chapter books by the end of C.

 

Con: Cost, though I think it's comprable to AAR. We did have to supplement with additional readers starting in level B because there wasn't quite enough practice for us.

 

Overall---we love the program.  DD loves it so much (she calls it "dragon reading") that she's gotten me dragon themed gifts for the past several mothers/birthday/holiday days because they remind her of how much fun she has reading with me, and she wants me to remember and smile too. 

[Christine B]

Thanks for all the input! I think switching may be the right move for us....I wish I would have found it first!