First Start Reading Program Review

     ​The homeschooling world is filled with methods, curricula, online programs, and every imaginable learning tool in between. In my own experiences, I recall feeling so overwhelmed by trying to find the right program that compliments my child’s learning style, especially when it came time to teach them to read. With another emerging reader in our home and so much on the market, I was so relieved to find Memoria Press through the Homeschool Review Crew.

     Memoria Press offers curricula that accompanies the tried and true classical learning style and makes products that are high quality, simple and accessible for all. The last few months, we have been trying out Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program, and I have fallen in love with the ease, beauty, and simplicity that this program offers. 

​     We received student workbooks A-E, a copy of Classical Phonics, the Teacher’s Guide, and a separate Teacher’s Guide for workbook E. The student workbooks are intended to be used by one student, and of course the guides can be used over and over again. Classical Phonics, is a simple book that consists of letters and word families to help young learners practice the phonics skills and is a great confidence-builder after their lessons!
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*Fruit not included

     When I first pulled the Teachers Guide out of the box, I was a bit intimidated. It was a big book, and I’m a mama with very little time. Once I cracked open the book, I realized my fears were widely misplaced because the Teachers Guide makes the instructors job so clear cut, easy, and fun. It also accompanies books A, B, C, and D so it covers a tremendous amount of content. First Start Reading Program covers consonants, short and long vowels, 45 common words, hand writing practice, and space to color and draw.  As the lessons advance, students begin to work on their listening skills through comprehension activities and dictation assignments.
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     We started with book A, which was perfect for my 4 ½ year old beginning reader. Lesson one covered the letter “M,” in two we learned “A” and by lesson three we were blending the sounds together and forming the start of a sentence, “I am…”  My daughter especially loved the drawing activities that accompany the lessons, below is her self-portrait for lesson three:

     Books A-D provide a tremendous first start for kindergarten-aged children while ​Book E and the separate Teacher's Guide provide more advanced materiel suitable for 1st grade. It features 8 different lessons and a variety of activities varying from copy work, vowel teams like “ai” and “ie”, dictation assignments, and reading comprehension activities.

    One thing I feel that this program does incredibly well is placing commonly confused phonetic sounds right next to each other so that students can learn the differences early on and avoid the pitfall of simply guessing the words.  My older student needs to work on that, so we plan to use Book E with him to make sure he has a firm grasp on the different sounds vowel pair make. 

     I have loved our journey through Classical Phonics with the First Start Reading Program. I wish that we started with this program from day one with my oldest child. It's simple lessons build upon each other to create a firm reading foundation that children will benefit from for the rest of their lives. I've also fallen in love with Memoria Press and can't wait to see what else they have to offer as we continue homeschooling.

     The Homeschool Review Crew checked out many more programs with Memoria Press - be sure to check out what they reviewed and thought below!