Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. This post contains affiliate links.
With so many reading programs on the market it’s hard to know what to choose. I’ve had the privilege of using the PRIDE Reading Program with my five year old son over the past several weeks and it has exceeded my expectations. We used the PRIDE Yellow Book Program Kit–Level 1.
If you need an affordable program that’s easy to use, no-prep required, multi-sensory, and based on researched methods that work for all learners, especially those with learning difficulties, this program fits the bill. Read on to find out what makes this reading program so remarkable.
What is the PRIDE Reading Program?
The PRIDE Reading Program is a structured, multisensory approach to teaching reading to children of all ages. It’s a complete reading program that incorporates spelling, writing, and reading comprehension skills.
An Orton-Gillingham Approach
The PRIDE Reading Program uses the Orton-Gillingham approach to teach reading. This approach was designed to help kids who struggle with dyslexia, language processing disorders, auditory processing, or other learning difficulties to successfully learn to read. But it works for any child learning to read.
Here are the five key principles in this evidence-based method of teaching reading:
- Structured: Organized activities and format create a predictable routine
- Sequential: Skills are taught logically step-by-step in order from basic skills to more difficult skills
- Cumulative: Lessons build on each other and concepts are reviewed frequently
- Explicit: Teacher led lessons give the child exactly what she needs every step of the way
- Multisensory: Auditory, visual, and tactile are used to help cement the learning
- Systematic Phonics: Follows reading development by beginning with alphabet and moving onto more challenging concepts as the reader grows.
What’s Included in the PRIDE Reading Program
What’s Included in a Kit
When you purchase a kit you get everything you need to teach the program, which was a pleasant surprise. Even a ball point pen is included!
- student workbook
- sound cards
- letter tiles
- sound chart
- reading tracker
- extra box for sound cards
- whiteboard
- red and black whiteboard markers
- whiteboard eraser
- ballpoint pen
- a die
- small drawstring pouch
- small zippered pouch
- tote bag
I appreciate the high quality of the materials. The letter tiles are printed on thick cardboard with smooth edges that little hands enjoy manipulating. The additional storage pouches add a nice touch.
The only thing lacking in the kit was playing pieces for the games, but you can easily use whatever you have on hand. I added two different colored glass gems to the small drawstring bag to use as playing pieces. They’re great, because you can see through the gems to read the words.
What’s Included On-line
Teacher Guide
The teacher guide for the PRIDE Reading Program is online. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this, but it was fine. I’m old-fashioned and prefer a hard copy, so I can check off the steps as I go and make notes if needed.
For example, when my son was struggling to cooperate, I skipped some words. I wish I could have circled the words I did for my own record.
At the same time I liked having the screen to look at during the lessons. It was less distracting for my son, and it kept me looking up instead of looking down over a book and turning pages. I could easily scroll down without my son noticing, so it kept transitions smooth.
Teacher Training
The teacher training program is also available online. Before you start using the reading program with your child you’ll need to spend a few evenings working through the training. It takes about three hours and walks you through each unit step with a written explanation and video demonstration.
What’s Included in a WorkBook
The Yellow Book is broken up into 17 modules. Each module has three units– Introduction, Practice, and Reinforcement. Each of these units contain 9-10 steps.
- Sound Cards: Review sounds and letter names
- Phonological Awareness: Listen for the sounds in words with eyes closed
- Sound Squares: Identify how many sounds are in a word and move blank sound tiles to represent each sound.
- Red Words: Spell high frequency words by tapping and saying the letters along your arm
- Reading: Progress from reading words, to sentences, to passages.
- Sound Dictation: Write the letter names for sounds on palm and workbook
- Word Dictation: Write words on palm and workbook
- Sentence Dictation: Fill in words for each dash on whiteboard and write sentences in workbook
- Fluency Practice: Read words in isolation at a quick pace
- Word Game: Play word game to reinforce learning
- Grammar Lesson: Like sort words by parts of speech
- Progress check: Give at the end of each module. If your child gets 80% correct, move onto the next module.
According to the author, you’ll want to follow a pace that suits your child. Each level will typically take 40 to 60 hours of instruction. Younger kids may handle 20 minutes, older kids up to 45-60 minutes. According to my math, if you complete two units per week in the Yellow Book, (averaging about 25 minutes a day) you’ll finish the book in about 26 weeks.
How to Find Your Book Level
There are six levels in the PRIDE Reading Program. It includes Levels 1-5 and a Pre-Reading program. To find out what level is right for your child, take the online placement test. It guides you through tasks to ask of your child, making note of accuracy. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen for the assessment.
What We Enjoyed About the PRIDE Reading Program
Multisensory Techniques Added Variety and Fun
Many of the multi-sensory techniques were a hit with my son. He loved closing his eyes to listen for sounds during the phonological awareness exercises. Tapping out the letters of the red words on his arm was a favorite. Sliding down sound tiles and letter tiles to spell words were captivating for him.
Lesson Components are Short
Each step takes only 5-10 minutes, some even shorter. This kept the instruction moving quickly so my son didn’t lose interest.
Fluency Practice is Included
Without the pressure of time, my son was eager to read the fluency drills. He really liked using the yellow and gray tracker. It kept him focused.
Reading Is for Meaning, Not Just Decoding
I loved the whole procedure for reading sentences. You tell your child to read the first two sentences in his head and to look at you when he’s finished. Then you ask him a question about what he read. This technique really encouraged my son to read for meaning. He smiled proudly every time he finished reading, and was eager for me to ask him the question.
The procedure for reading passages is similar. But the questions asked this time involve higher level comprehension like predicting, visualizing, inferring, determining importance, and summarizing. These questions were challenging for my son, but with more experience and support, I’m sure he will come to understand how to use these reading strategies.
Makes You Aware of Reading Errors
Prior to using this program, I had no idea my son was confusing the “h” sound and adding tails on the end of letter sounds. For “h” he kept saying “ch” and for letters like “m” he didn’t say “mmmm” but “muh.” Adding “uh” to the letter sounds made blending so much harder. I was glad this was brought to my attention so I could work on correcting it.
Self-Paced Reading Program
I like how you can move at your own pace. Some days my son can sit still and be attentive for longer periods, so we can breeze through quite a few steps. Other days when his attention span is short or he’s just not in the mood, we can do the bare minimum.
Predictability Creates a Routine
For kids (and adults) who like structure, this program is wonderful. My son got into a rhythm with the lessons. He liked being able to anticipate what we were going to do when we got out the materials and I started reading the script.
Easy to Use Reading Program
From a teacher’s perspective, not having to plan reading lessons or gather and prepare a bunch of materials is ideal. What I’m required to do and say is simple and scripted for me.
Orton-Gillingham Approach is Reassuring
Because the Orton-Gillingham approach is effective and research-based, I feel confident using the PRIDE Reading Program. The lessons are sequential and systematic, so I know I’m not missing any parts and creating gaps in my son’s reading.
Obstacles We Faced Using the PRIDE Reading Program
Not All Multisensory Activities Worked
Some of the techniques in the PRIDE Reading Program did not appeal to my son. For example, he was not keen on writing words on his palm before writing them in the workbook. So, I didn’t require him to do that.
Using the whiteboard tended to throw my son off-task. He was more interested in using the markers than getting the reading work done. Like when he wanted to write gigantic letters to fill the entire board with the word “has.”
Had to Refer Back to Teacher Training
Even after the training I had some questions when I started using the program with my son. I couldn’t remember how many blank sound tiles to put at the top of the back of the book. Do I put them all out? Or do I put out only the ones he’ll use?
A similar question came up when we used the letter tiles to spell the words. I couldn’t remember if I put the entire alphabet out on the table, or just the letters needed to spell the words in the lesson.
To answer my questions I went back to the teacher training videos and found the clips where the teacher modeled those steps with a student. I was reminded that you only lay out the tiles needed for that lesson so your child isn’t confused with letter tiles she hasn’t learned yet.
Dictation Sequence Required Too Much Consecutive Writing
I understand the progression of the steps and how they build upon one another. For the dictation you start with letter sounds, then words, and finally letters. However, having these steps back to back makes for a lot of writing.
My kindergartener had a hard time with the demand of writing. We could really only get through the letters and words. If we tried to do the next consecutive step of writing sentences, he was overwhelmed and his behavior deteriorated. I had to break these steps up over two days. For other children, this may not be an issue at all.
Helpful Tips From Our Experience Using the PRIDE Reading Program
I love how PRIDE Reading Program includes a tote bag. Store all your materials in the bag and keep it handy on a doorknob. If you’re like me and sometimes travel to other places to do work, like the library, you can just grab the bag and your laptop and go. I do this twice a week when I take my daughter to a class. While my son and I wait for her we can do reading. You can access the lessons on your phone if you don’t want to carry your laptop.
The kit includes two sound card boxes. Use the empty sound card box to store the set of cards you are currently working on. Leave the other box filled with sounds yet to learn.
Use ziplock baggies to organize letter tiles by color/group and tuck them into your zippered pouch. If your child is above level two and your are needing to use more letter tiles, adding magnets to the tiles and organizing them on a magnetic board can be helpful.
Instead of using time as your guide for pacing lessons, use the steps. My son and I came to an agreement that completing three steps in a sitting was reasonable. I wanted to insist on more, especially when some steps are so short, but for his personality, this worked best. (I have to compromise like this with him often). If I had used this program with my easy-going daughter, we would’ve moved more quickly through the program.
I highly recommend the PRIDE Reading Program to homeschoolers looking for a thorough, systematic reading curriculum for their emergent readers or struggling readers.
If you’d like to find out how other homeschooling families feel about this fantastic reading program, you can read more reviews at the Homeschool Review Crew.
