Customer Reviews

At Last: A Reading Method for Every Child

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is great! I used it to teach my severely dyslexic child to read, after the University Reading Clinic had said she never would. They were wrong! The first thing I liked was that this book teaches the alphabet in order, then works with straightforward phonics in seven simple steps. The second was that it uses a normal font and does not attempt to force a child to learn one symbol and then switch to another. I made my own flashcards from the directions in the book. Phonograms are grouped, it uses many of the Orton methods, and drills with sight words as well as using decoding skills. In other words, it teaches in a multi-sensory fashion that reaches all modalities. It does not teach all the phonics or spelling rules in the world: it simply gets the child reading well. After this program my dd was reading functionally, in another year she was reading at 6th grade level, and after another was off the charts. There are optional workbooks which we did not use because we were using a workbook program for homeschooling. I was pleased that this book was easily adaptable to work with other materials.

As a special education teacher for 22 years, I highly recommend this book to reading specialists, teachers, tutors, and parents who want the best method available for teaching people to read. I recently started tutoring using this book and am having great success.

Just a note to praise AT LAST! A READING METHOD FOR EVERY CHILD. I was introduced to it last year, my first year of teaching first grade, and AT LAST has since been an invaluable guide. I'm teaching a 1/2 split this year and using this program again. In fact, I've introduced my primary-level colleagues to AT LAST and, hopefully, by next month, all four first grades will be employing a variation on this program. Last year I enjoyed enormous success with AT LAST! and I anticipate even better results this year. My thanks to the author.

This program turned around reading problems in our homeschool. In addition to clear instruction in the book, the author also provides lesson plans (word lists, etc.) for some basal reading series at her web site www.onlinereadingteacher.com She has a series of complementary work sheets that greatly decrease the preparation for the parent. You may also post questions on her message board, and she is quick and thorough in her answers. I have found this to be a highly successful reading program. My "problem reader" exclaimed yesterday as we deciphered words, "Oh! This is my favorite part of school!", and she now reads with confidnece. What more can I say?

My daughter and I have been enjoying learning to read with AT LAST! It really works for every child. We were frustrated after trying several other high-profile methods for lst grade. They were all silly and confusing. After finding this book, Sarah took off in her reading. We have taken it slow and easy, but now she is reading signs and words from books that I have not "taught" her yet. AT LAST! has been great for us! When my other children get old enough to read, we will use this method and not waste time with any of the others.

I have been teaching in the Sunnyvale School District since 1984, primariily as a Special Education teacher. I have had many school psychologists call me over the years and tell me they had recommended that certain students be registered in my class because "Lori can teach ANYONE how to read." I believe that the reason I have been so successful in teaching so many students to read is because of the wonderful reading program developed by Mary Pecci that I have followed. Mary's approach is so successful, I believe, because it breaks down the process of reading into mnageable "chunks" or processes. Unlike other reading approaches which require children to learn endless numbers of phonemes, rules, and exceptions, Mary's approach is simple, understandable, and usable by students! I have seen students - - time and again - - "break the code" of reading easily by following her system. I will always use this reading approach with my classes; it works!

I purchased AT LAST! after reading the testimonials on THE NATIONAL RIGHT TO READ FOUNDATION web site. I was skeptical at first that it would guide me toward unravelling my daughter's reading problem, which began in Grade I and continued on throughout Grade III. However, the book has been true to its cover statement (A Simplified Guide for Teachers and Parents). Having been able to bring my daughter up to grade level using AT LAST! as a guide, I now share the simplified techniques as parent tutor to other parents who find themselves in a similar dilemma with their children's reading difficulties. Highly recommended.

I want to start out by saying how thankful I am that this book was written. We are a homeschooling family that was struggling with both learning to teach reading and reading itself when we discovered this book. It has been a blessing to us, and just makes it much more enjoyable for all.

I appreciate At Last! A Reading Method for Every Child because it is inexpensive, it doesn't require a lot of time to learn it, and most of all, because it works. I have lost track of the number of parents who have come to me and thanked me for teaching their child to read, who thought their child could never read well. Most teachers can teach an average person to read. Mary's dynamic system of phonics can teach the unteachable to read.

I used this book and the related seatwork for my 3 yr old and she learned to read within a year. It was fun and she loved it and I loved it. Later my son joined in on the fun. They still remember the lessons with fondness. It is a good investment.