TOS Crew Review: First Start Reading and Classical Phonics

As my homeschool friends all know I am always on the lookout for a great reading program. While one program worked great for my son, it was a horrible failure for my daughter Lexi, who has dyslexia. We have a great reading program for Lexi but, when trying to use it with Ava Mae she has found it boring at times. Enter Memoria Press' new First Start Reading and Classical Phonics program. I was so happy to test out something different with Ava Mae and being we do a mixture of Classical/Charlotte Mason curriculum I knew it would fit right in.

I have been so happy with First Start Reading and Classical Phonics - my daughter really took to the program immediately. The pages in First Start Reading are interesting and keep my daughter's attention. I love that we can combine her practice of handwriting with the phonics program. After just a few short lessons my daughter was reading and writing the words she had learned. The books are the perfect mixture of tracing, reading, drawing, and coloring for Ava Mae. I love the fact that the lessons are simple and direct but, very thorough. The teacher's manual is so easy to follow - anyone can easily use it to teach their child to read.

The only hiccup we had while using the program were the word lists in the Classical Phonics book. When I first opened the book to show my daughter without even looking she immediately said "I cannot read those words". After a few minutes of showing her how the word lists would work she was happily working through them. Classical Phonics has a very traditional way of teaching phonics - no pictures next to words cluing the child into what the letters spell - just phonetically arranged word lists {it was originally published in 1913 and was ahead of its time when it came out}.

Memoria Press' First Start Reading is a complete phonics, reading and printing program. There are three student books and one teacher's manual - all which retail for $29.95 {a great price!} and can be ordered directly from Memoria Press.

Memoria Press' Classical Phonics is a teacher and student guide all in one. It retails for $14.95 and can also be purchased directly from Memoria Press.

Would you like to read what my fellow crew mates thought of Memoria Press and the First Start Reading and Classical Phonics program? Then head on over to the TOS Crew Blog.

Disclaimer: I am reviewing this product on behalf of the TOS Crew. I received no compensation, other than a free First Start Reading and Classical Phonics program from Memoria Press, for the writing of this review. The contents of this review express my personal opinion of the curriculum.