This really is my favorite of all of the early reading programs that I have found. Little Reader is the only program that has grown with K from the time she read her first words until now and is still growing with her.
Little Reader is a computer based program which allows a parent to customize it to suit their child. You can choose between available pictures or add your own. Fonts can be changed or set to display randomly. You can even record your own voice if you wish. Little Reader has a set curriculum, or you can choose between thousands of files that are available. I am so impressed with the versatility of this program. Now.........time for my confession...........I have not utilized this program even close to the full extent that is possible. There are two main reasons for this. 1. Lots of computer problems! and 2. To repeat what I said earlier, you really need to teach your child in the way that suits them best. When she was younger, K really didn't seem to learn as well with a TV or computer screen she seemed to learn best with a flashcard - and she insisted it had a picture on it. In fact, it has only been in the last 6 months that she willingly reads a flashcard without a picture. Having said that, Little Reader has still been a huge time saver for me. The vast majority of her flashcards are from Little Reader and thanks to all of those great features, I can customize the flashcards. I could never have kept up to her if I had to make all of her cards myself. To be honest, I probably still don't really keep up to her! I have a hard enough time keeping up when all I had to do was print and laminate! It would have taken endless hours to source all of the pictures, then make and laminate the cards. I have so much respect for the moms and dads who had to do it this way! Thankfully, now that K is doing well with reading, she seems to learn just as quickly from a computer or TV screen as with flashcards. As soon as I get my new computer rather than having to borrow my husband's work computer or my kid's iPad, we'll get back at it again!
Update as of Aug/2011: Other than doing a set of "Fleschcards" (phonics flashcards based on Rudolph Flesch's book & created by Larry Sanger), we are solely using LittleReader. K is picking up new words more quickly than ever & it is so much easier for me now. A Little Reader weekly program takes literally a few minutes to set up - a far cry from the time it took to do a 45 word per week program with laminated flashcards!
BrillKids also has a math program called Little Math. Look forward to some blog posts about our experiences with it soon!
BrillKids
UPDATE: BrillKids is now giving a discount to parents of children with Special Needs. Click on this link for more info:
Exciting Announcement From BrillKids
Cool! GREAT post. Sounds like it is worth the $$$. :) I like how it grows with our kids.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the one about Little Math.
I love Brillkids Little Reader too. Some days my daughter just doesn't want to watch the T.V and she just loves to sit on my lap or next to me and watch the words on the computer. I love how it grows. I'm even using it with my 7yr old. One thing I will admit. I wished it was around 13yrs ago when I had my first child. LOL.
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