Try Out Guitar 360 Method Using a Coupon Code!

{This post may contain affiliate links.}

Ooo!  You have to love when you find a course that both a dad and a daughter can enjoy.  That's what's happened here when we were offered a chance to review the Semester 1 Bundle from Guitar 360 Method - an excellent resource for online, immersive lessons which include music theory.


Deal Alert!

If you've already heard of Guitar 360 Method and have just stopped by looking for a coupon code,  you're in luck! Krisz Simonfalvi, the author and instructor of Guitar 360 Method, has kindly offered a limited time only coupon code for Training Happy Hearts readers.  Just use the code HOMESCHOOL20 at checkout for 20% off!

What is Guitar 360 Method?

If this is your first time hearing about Guitar 360 Method, let me explain a bit about what it is and how it works.

Guitar 360 Method is a series of online video guitar lessons designed for students who want to gain confidence in their guitar skills, enjoy freedom in when they learn, and exercise creativity in their playing. 

The program aims to help you do more than JUST learn songs.  It teaches how music works, so you can succeed with your aims, whether they be strumming for fun, playing in a band, or writing your own music.  

Guitar 360 Method is best suited for tweens, teens, or adults, and can be excellent for you if you are an absolute beginner that wants to understand the guitar while learning practical music theory.  It can also be ideal for you if you've been playing for a while, but wish to learn more in order to unleash your creativity.  The author and instructor of the program also states that children as young as nine can do well with Guitar 360 Method if they have a strong personal desire and drive to succeed.

The Semester 1 Bundle comes with:

• the Free 5-week Absolute Beginner Course that takes you through Parts of the Guitar, Left Hand and Right Hand Basics, How to Tune, 4-Finger Warm Up Exercises, Your First Chord, Next chord(s), Basic Strumming, Pickups and Multiplying Chords, Parts of a Song, Practice, etc.
• Bonus Content Songs carefully instruct you with an Introduction and Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, and Practice
• 13 Weeks of Semester One material takes you from being a beginner to confidently playing in any key anywhere on the neck with dynamics, musical interest, and variety.  Among other things, you'll learn about Chords, Strumming, Music Theory, Scales, and Adding Texture and Variety.  By the time you finish the material, you'll have learned enough to a play rhythm or lead guitar.

When learning with Guitar 360 Method, you'll find a Cyclical Pedagogy where every bit of knowledge acquired connects to everything else you are learning, allowing you to build confidence, freedom, and creativity instead of being stuck in the mire of a tedious linear-approach.  

In fact, the instructor and author of the program, Krisz Simonfalvi, has succeeded due to his mix of skill and down-to-earth music theory!  He started playing classical guitar at age six, quickly became good at it, but did not enjoy it, because his teacher never taught him how to understand the guitar.  So, Krisz quit playing after six years.

Then, in Krisz's teens, he picked up an electric guitar and found his music theory teacher's voice ringing in his ears. He realized how easy it is to understand the guitar with practical, down-to-earth music theory and went on to tour with bands, record in studios, produce music, and teach lessons to pros and newbie alike.

In his career, Krisz has:

• taught over 200 private students - from beginners to professionals
• instructed in guitar, bass, music theory, songwriting, stage performance, music production, arranging, and engineering
• recorded 20+ projects for a wide range of international artists on four continents
• and, of course, launched Guitar 360 Method.

That means Guitar 360 Method, though fairly new (launched in 2017), comes with a long history of success.

It also comes with ease of use.

We found log-in super simple, and, pulling up content easy.  There was no wasted time as we navigated the course through targeted, bite-sized lesson videos.

Lessons vary, but, typically, each one contains one or more of these types of videos:

• Goal, where you find out what you'll be learning
• Instruction, where the actual teaching takes place
• Ear, where you practice listening to differences between chords to help you play by ear
• Practice, where you follow instructions and see fingering and chords
• Quiz, where you check up on what you've been learning by taking a multiple choice test with instant feedback

There are also some downloadable files to help you retain your learning.

The course is set up so you can take things at your own pace, reviewing prior material or even jumping ahead as you wish.

Guitar 360 Method truly is solidly designed and taught.

A Happy Girl

My 11 year old was the person in our home who most wanted to try Guitar 360 Method, since she her daddy bought her a guitar a while back that she has been wanting to learn to play.

She was excited to start Guitar 360 Method, and, thanks to Krisz's kind and clear demeanor, was not chagrined by the fact that her fingers are still a bit small and tender and her fingers lack practiced dexterity.  In fact, she is content going slowly with Guitar 360 Method and has this to say:

I have wanted to play guitar for a couple of years. 

On my ninth birthday, my dad got me a guitar and said he'd teach me. That did not go very well.  So, I was excited when I saw we could do the Guitar 360 Method.

I  have only used the beginner lessons, because I am very slow, and the teacher says, "Take it at your own pace."  So, I took him seriously. 

So far, it is going better than lessons with my dad. 

I like how the teacher is up front.  For example, when he teaches how to use the pick, he showed me how to use it a certain way and, then was like, "and right off the bat, my problem with this series... There are people who use the pick this way (the wrong way), and they are legends, but we're going to try it like this."  I like how he says that there is not one way to do things.  Other people are like, "This is the only way to do it, and you have to do it this way!" (Not my dad or Krisz, but many teachers.) 

I also like that the videos are short.  That makes it easier to find videos with a certain skill.  You don't have to go through a long video, but can see it in a short video that is labeled. 

I also like that the teacher seems fairly happy. He is easy to listen to. 

My mom told me Guitar 360 Method is not a subscription that runs out.  That's good, so I can actually finish it. I am slow and there is no pressure.  I like this and would recommend it to kids like me, who are kind of beginners, and people who have started playing but want a refresher and to learn new things.

A Pleased Dad

My husband, who has played guitar on and off for years and even played in a paid band for while, has also been viewing the course.  He says:

As an experienced guitar player, I wasn’t sure if I would get anything out of the Guitar 360 Method program. Much to my surprise, I actually learned some new things. 

For example, I had never heard of Solfege prior to starting the program. Another example is the shortcuts to finding notes. Although I have been playing for many years, I still struggle to find all of the notes on the guitar without having to think about it. This is a common issue with many guitar players. However, Krisz Simonfalvi gives several easy-to-remember tips on how to quickly find notes on the guitar. I found this section to be extremely helpful.

Not only did the program teach me new things, but it also helped re-establish ideas and techniques that I am already familiar with. He spends time going into music theory, teaching the student how to connect minor and major scales, analyzing chord shapes and even string bending. And he also has a check on learning by giving quizzes periodically throughout the program. 

Overall, I think that it’s a good program because it helps the beginner go from the basics of the guitar to music theory which will help students take their playing to the next level. Further, it helps the experienced player learn a few new things and reinforce prior knowledge in a unique and interesting way. I would definitely recommend it for a self-taught, non-classically trained experienced player like myself to learn more.

My husband is also a huge Youtube fan and has viewed countless Youtube videos to pick up different guitar skills through the years.  When I asked him what he thinks about Guitar 360 Method in comparison to most free Youtube videos, he said this program definitely gives a bigger picture and is more methodical.  On Youtube, you have some guy that just quick says, "Here, I am going to show you how to do this," and does just that. With Guitar 360 Method, you can definitely see the whole method.  The program can take a beginner from where they are to where they want to be and can be a resource for more experienced players, too.

No Need to Rush to Finish

One thing I dislike about many online programs is the rush to finish them before a subscription runs out, or, worse, the fact that life sometimes gets in the way of studies and, then, when you return to pick up where you left off, your subscription has ended and you cannot continue without paying again.  With Guitar 360 Method this will not happen!

Once you get Guitar 360 Method its yours to keep, and I love that! For, like many homeschoolers, my family struggles with actually getting the "home" in homeschool. Between work trips for my husband, homeschool community commitments, outside classes and service opportunities, my own work needs, and more, our family often finds that we're short on time at home to enjoy things like learning and playing music.  Add to that that one of our computers recently died, and, once we have attended to priorities of eating, sleeping, chores, and basic lessons, there just are not enough screens to go around for everyone to dive in concurrently with what they wish. For us, that means that subscription-based programs, even when liked, don't always get completed and often become more stress than enjoyment lately.

Because  Guitar 360 Method is not a subscription, though, this has not happened. My daughter has been able to begin to self-pace through the program in small pockets of time while my husband has referenced it around work and family.  My boys - who both want to give it a go - know they can when time allows in another season, and I can, too! You see, I have always wanted to play an instrument, and after seeing parts of Guitar 360 Method in play for my daughter and husband, am confident that when I some of my current commitments and life concerns wind down, I can finally begin learning.

Yes, I just LOVE that Guitar 360 Method does not come as a subscription, but is our family's to keep!

Learn More

Remember, if you want a FREE taste of Krisz's teaching style and the high-quality of his lesson videos, you can use his Free Course for Beginners.  Then, if you like what you see (like we do!), move on to the Semester 1 Bundle using the coupon code HOMESCHOOL20 at checkout, which, for a limited time, will offer you 20% off.

If guitar isn't your thing, keep an eye out at Guitar 360 Method  for the release of upcoming Keys 350 (piano) Method and Drums 360 Method in the near future.

Find Guitar 360 Method on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guitar360method/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelessrock
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krisz_guitar360method/

Find all the reviews!

Read how 50 Review Crew families have been learning how to play guitar online using Guitar 360 Method with tweens, teens, adults, and even younger children.

Read More

Math-Whizz Is a Hit Here

My kiddoes like online math programs with a game-like flair, so when I shared with my children about an opportunity to review a 12-month subscription to Math-Whizz from Whizz Education, I was not surprised when they said, "Yes, let's try it!" 

I have since been happily satisfied that all three of my children - despite being at totally different math levels with completely divergent learning styles - are benefiting from the program.

Speedy Success

In just a few weeks, one of my children has spent an average of 107 minutes a week with Math-Whizz and has jumped fro a 9.84 math age to a 9.95 one. (The recommended goal for program usage is a mere 30', but this child truly enjoys it, so I let him have at it!) 


Through parent reporting I have discovered this child does well on exercises, but not as well on tests.  Reviewing parent reports, I also now know which math skills I need to work with him 1:1 on through using provided replay modes or doing offscreen lessons of my own making.

He is succeeding so well with Math-Whizz that I am considering making the program a "spine" for his math studies for he remainder of the year.  My thought is that he can use the program at will on his own, and, then, once a week or so, I can review reports and create some tailor-made pencil and paper exercises, math games, etc. for he and I to tackle together, thus making this supplementary program a full program for us.

I am sure my other son would like if I did the same with him, However different child - different needs.  Unlike my younger son, who truly likes both the learning and the game aspects of Math-Whizz, my older boy tends to do the bare minimum in order to get to the games.  In fact, he has spent an average of 130 minutes a week on Math-Whizz, yet has only increased from a 13.42 math age to a 13.43 one largely due to the fact that about 1/3 of his time has not been used in tutor mode!

A note on the parent report alerted me to his odd time spent vs. progression made ratio, and, after reviewing reports and talking to my child, I realized that was spending a good portion of time in the game mode - earning just enough credits to play, play, play.  This did not surprise me, since this child is one who prefers online play to online learning.  It did not upset me that much either, since I am grateful that he enjoys Math-Whizz and has had to earn his playtime with the program by doing some work at least.  It did, however, make me realize that Math-Whizz can only remain a fun supplement for him this year, not a math spine.  For my son just does not have the attention and diligence to make the most of his math learning time with Math-Whizz.

He can - and does- however, learn some things and, interestingly, I have seen that his exercise scores are unimpressive while his test scores are great.  I am not sure if this is due to his ADHD and sensory things coming into play, with the graphics in the lesson exercises being more of distraction than a help to him, while the plainer style tests allow him more focus, or if it is just because my son prefers trying to quickly work things out in his head rather than using pencil and paper, and so tends to make careless errors sometimes - which are showing up with his exercise scores.  Whatever is the reason, I am confident with observation and persusalof another week or two of report, I will suss it out and, in the meantime, my son is still making incremental progress and thoroughly enjoying Math-Whizz.

His sister is also progressing.  In just a few weeks, she has moved from a math age of 10.84 to 10.86 with only 43 minutes of Math-Whizz use on average.  This pleases me since she has had to overcome frustrations to make such progress.

For, while my daughter likes Math-Whizz, the placement test at the start was tedious and difficult for her and she also has been chagrined by the amount of reading required in the lessons without an audio option to read text to her, plus, for some reason, our computer often glitches when she is on which makes inputting responses difficult for her.

These setbacks aside, my daughter is still progressing with Math-Whizz, and I am getting some good data that can help me help her progress more. Detailed reports help me know what to prepare to work with her on 1:1, so she can improve her math prowess even more.

Getting Started

Read all the reviews.

Upon receiving our log-ins for Math-Whizz, each child had to take a fairly lengthy assessment test that had common math questions based on my children's actual ages, with some questions "above grade level", some "below", and some "at", so the program could see where each child's strengths and weaknesses were.

Because the test was long - and contained too much reading for my child with dyslexia, I was glad that the test could be paused at any point, and, then, resumed without problem during a child's next log in.

I also appreciated how, once the test was over, I was sent a notice about my child's "math age" and my children could then use and play with the program.

The program is designed as a series of interactive, tailored lessons and fun games and is meant to be an affordable alternative to a math tutor for children ages 5 to 13 which can help them develop confidence and improve math abilities by 18 months in as little as a year.  I have yet to see if that kind of result will happen since we have only been using the program for a little while, but with current standings, I can see how it may!

In the Children's Words...

My daughter, as I mentioned, does not like placement tests nor text heavy learning.  So, she said:

When I first started Math-Whizz, I really hated it, because I did not like the placement test.  It felt dry, boring, and long,  What I did like about it, though, was I could pause it whenever I liked and come back to it without losing my place.

After I finished the placement test, I liked the other part when I do it from my study.  I had options to tutor, play games, go to the store, challenge other people, and paint the walls.

The studying is okay, but I wish they had an option to have all text read aloud and I also wish some things were explained a bit better.  Besides that, it's all good.

My favorite game is Mathman.  

I would recommend this to kids who like online programs and who are like my brother and like credits, buying things, and stuff like that.  For kids like me, it's good after the placement test.  (I never like placement tests, so it is not just Math-Whizz.)

I will add that my daughter often does not like online learning, so her liking this program is telling of its quality and appeal!

My youngest child likes overall package - fun and learning.  he said:

It's fun!  You earn credits by doing math questions, taking tests, reviewing, and challenging other people.  Then, you can use the credits for playing games, buying pets, and stuff in the store.

I like the games.  Jimbo Jump, Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road, and Keep 'Em Up are my favorites.  In Jumbo Jump, you jump and try get past ghosts.  In Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road, you use the arrow keys to dodge cars, go over rivers, and stuff.  And, in Keep 'Em Up, you use the moue to move a ping pong paddle to hit balls up.

  None of the games except one have math, but I am learning math, too, so I can play the games and challenge other people.

He liked the idea of challenging other people, and the option to do so motivates him to review and improve his skills.

My oldest son favors the games.  He said:

Math-Whizz is an online math program designed to help kids learn their math.

When you first start, you must take a placement test, which is long, long, long, but, you can take breaks, and, when you are done, you find out your "math age".  I thought this was pretty cool, because my "math age" is greater than my regular age. 

Then, you can get into your virtual study and you can change it by adding pets, toys, and plants which you by with credits.   You can also paint it and change how it looks. 

You can also click through the image of the computer to learn new stuff or on the tablet to review old stuff.
When you are learning, you get taught things with interactive slide shows, graphics, and stuff, and, then, you do problems that will actually challenge you.  The program uses what you know from the placement test, and moves from there.  

Every so often, there are tests, too. 

I think they should add a place onscreen to write, draw, and do your math work with a digital pen, not just the keyboard.  The calculator also needs to be able to shrink smaller.  Now, it covers up a lot of the screen and messes me up.  

When you do math, you earn credits which can be spent in the store or on games.  I like the games.  One of my favorites is a space games where you shoot blobs of goop at enemies who are shooting blobs of goop at you. I also like Pac Man and the panda game. 

I would recommend Math-Whizz.  It is not as fun as some other math programs I have used, but it is better than a majority.  Its greatest aspect is the way there is a study and you can choose to go to any of the digital spaces from there - to buy things, to play games, to learn...  I feel like I am learning.

So, there you have it.  Math-Whizz  is working for all three of my children and holds up to its promise:

• Artificial intelligence adapts to each of my children's needs.

• The program acts as a supplemental tutor, evaluating student progress and guiding a child through advances in math skills

• Included parent reporting helps me track my children's progress and hone in on which math skills and knowledge my children would do well to practice 1:1 with me.

• Between the customized lesson delivery and options for children to skip portions of exercises after proving their prowess with them, there is little wasted math time.  If a child is having trouble with something, practice is there.  If a child get something, the program moves on. 

 I have been pleased with Math-Whizz for its kids appeal, customized math teaching, and ease of implementation.  I appreciate how it works to help my children progress with math independently while keeping me abreast of where hey are succeeding and getting stuck, so I know how be to utilize our precious 1:1 time together.  I am glad the program has come into our homeschool and think it is worth checking out!

Learn More

For more information about Math-Whizz from Whizz Education, connect on social media:

• Facebook: Math Whizz and WhizzEducation
• Twitter: MathWhizz
• YouTube: Whizz Education
• Google+: https://plus.google.com/114065875490611944121

You might also like to see what thirty Homeschool Review Crew families thought when they tried Math-Whizz. Find all  the reviews.

Read More

Learn About Forensic Faith with a Fun Book {A Review}

If you're children enjoy mysteries and stories that include a faith focus, then I have a fun book to share with you today: Forensic Faith for Kids provided by David C Cook and Case Makers Academy.

My children and I enjoyed reviewing an advance reading copy of this book - written for children ages 8-12 -  as  bedtime read together a last month, learning a bit about how real detectives solve cases, strengthening the kids' logical thinking, and encouraging them to boldly share faith with others.

I was particularly interested in Forensic Faith for Kids because it is written by a former atheist and real-life detective - J. Warner - and his wife - Susie Wallace - who have been training young people in faith for over a decade.  I thought my children would find it interesting that one of the authors of the book is a cold-case detective who has been featured on Dateline, Fox News, truTV, and other crime-related televisions, and I was right about that. 

I also suspected there would be an energetic faith basis shining throughout the story, since, typically, converts to Christianity have contagious faith.  Again, I was correct.  Without question, the Wallaces main intent in Forensic Faith for Kids is to share their faith with others and teach readers to do the same.  They did so well!

Enjoyed by All!

All three of my children and I enjoyed reading and chatting about Forensic Faith for Kids - a 134-page softcover book - together.

My 11-year-old said:

Forensic Faith for Kids is a good book that children who like to be detectives can enjoy.  It begins with a team car wash, where a corgi named Bailey shows up.  One of the kids from the car wash brings Bailey home and, then, to their detective club.

 Meanwhile, a girl and her friend are at a youth group and talking about if Jesus was really God, because their acquaintance Marco said Jesus might not be God.

The young detectives bring these two cases - Who Does Bailey Belong To and Is Jesus God - to their detective club.  The leader guides them through the cases.  Some things they discover are:

• what unreasonable faith, blind faith, and forensic faith are

• how to gather evidence

• how training can be frustrating but lead to success

• the importance of being thorough, alert, and detailed

• how to organize thoughts

• how to communicate

• how to find truth

 They keep getting steps closer to solving Bailey's case, but, then, find out they're stuck.  Meanwhile, they go to Marco's to talk to him about Jesus.  They bring Bailey there and accidentally solve the case.

Sometimes the truth is hidden in plain sight!

I enjoyed this book and would like to read other ones in the series!

My 12-year-old (who liked the illustrations like on the page pictured) said:

I, as a book lover, thought this book was good, because it has an interesting storyline.  I had a theory, which was proven false, that the author may have been trying to point the dog towards being Marco's, but, then, it would be someone else's.  But - spoiler alert! - I was wrong.  I looked forward and realized it was Marco's.  I think it would have been more interesting if it wasn't.

I liked how the two cases were connected, and I enjoyed the story.  It was entertaining.  It taught me about corgis.  It didn't do much for my faith, because I have already done a lot about my faith.  It did help me think about doing apologetics though. 

I would like to state one small point that bothered me a lot, because I am crazy about myths and fantasy.  In the story, they say Viking myths had elves riding dogs and corgis are small.  Elves in Viking mythology are like seven feet tall.  So, maybe they meant Celtic or Irish elves which I am not as studied in.  It drove me crazy to have this in the story.
I thought the illustrations were the right style for this type of book.   

I would recommend this book to families who have members who are interested in detective stuff and apologetics.  We read as a family, but you could read it on your own, too.  I was tempted to, but I knew I would spoil it for everyone and that would not be very kind.  (I've done that before!)

My 8-year-old (who liked the corgi like on the page pictured) said:

This book was okay.  I liked guessing how to solve the cases and predicting them.  It was easy to predict.  When my mom was reading us the book and would stop, I'd say, "More!"  I wanted her to read more to see if I was right. 

I did not know much about corgis before. I did know a lot about God. I thought it was kind of weird, but connected to do the two cases together.   

I would recommend this book as a read to self and skip ahead (giggle) so you can see what happens!  Spoiler alert: It is Marco's box.  I thought that at the beginning of the story, and, then, looked ahead and knew.

With an easy to follow story, CSI Assignment boxes that featured Bible verses, Detective Definition boxes to help teach about solving cases, boxes with tools for "Your Detective Bag", engaging illustrations, and a strong faith message,  Forensic Faith for Kids is well-designed and worth our time.  


Online Fun, Too!

As you can tell, my children and I enjoyed the book Forensic Faith for Kids.  So, I was excited to see that there are loads of corollary materials to go along with it online at Case Makers Academy. 

Indeed, there are:

• brief videos to go along with each chapter of the book
• printable training activity sheets (which are typically puzzles and games)
• a printable Academy Notebook with fill in portions to help highlight key points)
• an Adult Leader Guide which tells you how to prepare for presenting the chapter, highlights key concepts, and offers discussion questions.

These digital components are all provided FREE and could well make enjoying the book into a full-blown study for a child, family, youth group, or co-op class.

Truly, Case Makers Academy offers a bevy of resources which can engage and focus children and their parents and teachers.

No Worries for Catholic Readers

As anyone who reads here regularly is aware, I am a grateful Catholic who is hardly shy about sharing my faith.  I am also a big believer that all Christians needs to know, love, and understand one another, working together for Christ regardless of denomination.

That said, I had one reservation before reviewing Forensic Faith for Kids: Despite the obvious expertise and trustworthiness of the authors (which I knew would make the book a good one),  I wondered if there might be a pronounced anti-Catholic bias in it. For while I have no problem using non-Catholic materials with my children, and have, many times, witnessed fruit through doing so, I also like to be careful about using too many materials with anti-Catholic bias.  For, frankly, I would rather spend time uniting in Christian faith rather than explaining to my children ad nauseam all the different divisions.

In fact, I truly believe the evil one seeks to divide - families, communities, Christians - and, I aim not to partake in such things when I can avoid doing so.  

Thus, I did my due diligence, looking about online for indication of bias in the book, and, not finding anything that convinced me one way or the other that Forensic Faith for Kids had anything but a general Christian point of view, I took a chance, and decided to review the book - reading it with my kids just in case. 

I am happy to report that my precaution of reading the book together with my children in case of bias was unnecessary, but also fruitful.  Fruitful because reading Forensic Faith for Kids alongside my children was enjoyable and edifying.  Unnecessary because I did not need to spend any time explaining divisions among Christians to my children while reading the book. 
Rather, we focused on the fun of the story, the logic of the process the young detectives used in it, the way the Bible can help us to understand and share our faith, and the ideas the book provided for how to investigate and share truth.

I would recommend Forensic Faith for Kids to any family that has children who enjoy mysteries and would like to strengthen their ability to communicate truths about God to their friends and family members.

Learn More

Read all the reviews!

Sixty-five Homeschool Review Crew families read Forensic Faith for Kids and some went all out with the digital resources on Case Makers Academy, too.

Case Makers Academy be found on Facebook, too.

Read More

Make Reading Lessons Easy with Reading Kingdom! {A Review}

 

Our family would like to thank Reading Kingdom for the opportunity for this review.

• Do you have a child that likes learning online and is ready to read?

• Have you been trying to help a developing reader move from decoding simple words to comprehending longer passages?

• Would you like to help your 4-10 year old child move from where she is at now to reading and writing at a third grade level?
• Are you looking for an "easy button" for independent English Language Arts learning time?

Then, Reading Kingdom could be an ideal fit for you!

What is Reading Kingdom?

Reading Kingdom is a subscription-based online program that adapts to the skill level of your 4-10 year old child, creating a custom-tailored online learning environment that will bring your child up to a third grade level of reading and writing.

If your child is a beginning reader and uses Reading Kingdom 4-5 times weekly, it will take about 12-15 months to complete the program.  If your child is a bit further ahead to begin with, she may master all of the skills the program presents within 3-6 months.  Or, if your child, like mine, cannot take time for ELA lessons online on a daily basis, using the program less often can still bring positive results! 

As you can see, my two youngest children - who began this round of lessons with Reading Kingdom beyond Level 1 after completing placement tests - have been using the program an average of 3.7 days per week and have each completed over 20% of the levels they are at in just a month with excellent progress.

Basically, I started each child with a 20-30 minute placement test.  Then, Reading Kingdom placed my children at appropriate levels, and they have been doing one lesson each time they sit down with the computer, with the lessons typically take just 12-20 minutes to complete. That delights me, because I know my children are getting short, effective bursts of learning without getting too much screentime!
 
I also like that Reading Kingdom tracks how my children are doing each week using a graphic-based key, so they can see how they are doing.

Plus, as I parent, I can access downloadable progress reports that tell me exactly how long my children have been spending on each lesson, how they are progressing, what words lessons are targeting, etc.  These reports are quite helpful since my children are using Reading Kingdom as designed - all on their own - and, therefore, I am not always sure how they are doing.  

What do I mean by "as designed?"  Well, Reading Kingdom suggested that, besides giving your child some hand-over-hand mouse movement and clicking help, if needed, you do not provide your child with any aid with the program.  For the program adapts to your child's skill level and can only do that effectively with no parent coaching.  

Of course, you are welcome to sit next to your child to observe.  And,if you do so, you may be surprised to see that words like "girl" and "boy" are presented before words like "at", "cat" and "sat".  Bear with this and trust the program.  Phonics are presented.  They simply are blended with other literacy skills.  Reading Kingdom is purposefully designed to use more than the typical letter-sound based approach that many strictly phonics-based early reading programs do.  In fact, it employs a Six Skill Integrated Method patented by Dr. Marion Blank, a world-renowned expert on literacy. 

The six traits that the method keys into are:

• sequencing
• motor skills
• sounds
• meaning
• grammar
• comprehension 

How Does the Program Work?

 
When your child logs onto Reading Kingdom for the first time, an assessment comes up which determines where in the program your child will automatically be placed.  If your child cannot effectively complete a particular section of the assessment, no further questions are presented for the moment.  Rather, your child moves on to develop skills at the level indicated.  (If, however, you note that your child already has the skills necessary for a section they are automatically placed in, you can override your child's auto-placement, moving your child forward or back as you feel is necessary.)

Once placed at one of the five levels within the program, your child is presented with exercises and games in order to master skills.  These activities include multiple "books" per level, which means that by the end of the program your child will read over two dozen books independently!
Of course, between the "books",  your child will have plenty of sound, word, and typing practice.  But, not too much.  For, the software is designed to skip over words that your child can already read and "write". (The "writing" is actually keyboarding). 

The automated adjustments of the program, thus, help your child avoids drill-and-kill (as long as keyboard- or touch-screen typing are not issues) and accelerates with learning at a custom-designed pace.

Further, at the conclusion of each of the five levels of reading and writing that the program offers, a Progress Check is made.  This helps the program software to ensure that your child's reading achievements are on track.  If they are, your child moves onto the next level.  If not, your child is given a set of review activities to encourage stronger progress.

Finally, along with all the automated, individualized features of the program, Reading Kingdom offers your child a sense of being in control of his or her own learning.  At the conclusion of lessons, there is a component that allows your child choose to do more activities or not.  This feature can motivate your child with a sense of "I know I need to learn to read, and I can determine how much reading practice I am ready for right now." 

Obviously, with all these features, Reading Kingdom is a comprehensive program that can help your child master reading skills to a third-grade level.  It can do this as a stand-alone reading curriculum or can be used to supplement whatever approach you are already using.

Since the program works on any device with an internet connection, including Windows, Mac, iPad, Android, Chromebooks, etc., it can be used at home or on-the-go in order to help your child achieve reading success! 

Our Experience

 
Several years ago, two of my children tried out Reading Kingdom and were finding success with it, however, life - as it so often does - took us off course and we never finished using the program.  Thus, when an opportunity came up to review the program this year, I asked my two youngest children if they'd like to give it a try. 

They both did and have been using the program 3-4 times a week for the past month.

One of my children is at at-level learner and had this to say about
Reading Kingdom:

I use Reading Kingdom three times a week.  I log in, hit start, then do the lessons.  The lessons involve mostly typing and spelling. It's easy.  I am learning. 

I don't like that they focus on one word each lesson.  I do like that they split each lesson apart into sections and you can see where you are, so you know when the lesson will be done.

He is a compliant learner who appreciates opportunities to work on his own and, having met with success, move from online learning to play breaks!  The program works for him - and me - because it strengthens his skills on days I cannot do 1:1 learning time with him, and it also is easy, pleasant - and not too long at any one time - for him to use.

My other child that is using Reading Kingdom has long struggled with reading and writing, yet seeks more independence during lesson times.  Thus, Reading Kingdom is offering her an opportunity to work without me, learning at her own pace, with incremental skill advances.  She has been frustrated that lessons seem to include more spelling and word work than book reading, because book reading is her ultimate goal, but she also understands that one thing builds on another.



When I asked my daughter for her thoughts for this review, she said:

I wanted to try Reading Kingdom again, because I liked it okay last time and am better at patience now.  I hoped to get a lot of reading out of it.  I want to read books and stuff and wanted this program to focus on reading.
I have used it three times a week usually, sometimes more.  I have found it is mostly spelling, so I don't know why they call it Reading Kingdom.  It should be called Spelling Kingdom.

Every lesson, there are words you focus on, and you spell them and make sentences with the words in them. 

Some lessons are like reading a book.  I have only reached one of those.

The lessons have graphics included in them, so you could call it a game.  I find the program fun, besides that when I type, sometimes, I type the right keys on the keyboard and it says I typed things wrong.  I don't know if this is a glitch with my computer, the program, or both.

Also, sometimes, they have you read things and make you wait too long to go on. 

I think Reading Kingdom has helped me some.  I can work independently with it. 

I want to still use it sometimes now that the review is over...  I think it would be good for kids who need graphics to focus and want to learn to spell and read.

Final Thoughts...

I am glad Reading Kingdom came into our household again, because it has been offering us peaceful, consistent reading and writong skills practice and learning even when I am not available to do 1:1's with my children.  I love that lessons are tailored to each child's skill level and take only 12-20 minutes to complete.  I also appreciate that they can be done independently.  I would recommend the program to others with developing readers, especially those who struggle and enjoy learning online. 

Although neither of my children rave about Reading Kingdom, both use it effectively and I am seeing fruit.  My youngest son is getting a steady diet of independent ELA lessons and my daughter is currently progressing with her reading and writing skills through a combination of Reading Kingdom and 1:1 lessons with me. In fact, today, when I sat down with her to read something, I was happily surprised by her increasing fluency and credit Reading Kingdom for part of her success.

I hope my children and I can stay focused enough over the next 3-6 months to keep up a habit of regularly using Reading Kingdom, because it truly is a sound and helpful program.

I recommend Reading Kingdom to families with developing readers or struggling ones that seek independent learning online. 
Learn More

Try before you buy with a FREE 30-Day Trial!

Sixty-five Homeschool Review Crew families reviewed Reading Kingdom or ASD Reading, which is made specifically for children on the spectrum.  Find all the reviews linked at the Homechool Review Crew.

 

Find Reading Kingdom on social media at:

• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/readingkingdom
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/readingkingdom 
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/readingkingdom/

Read More