The product, READS, from EGM Educational Systems LLC is actually an entire reading comprehension system of which our favorite new product, the Speedy Speller, is just a small part. The READS Reading Comprehension System retails for just $19.95. Included in the READS program are:
- READS Parent Manual
- Question Cards and Rings
- Reward Chart and Stickers
- Magic Finger and Reading Guide Strip
- Speedy Speller
Since the Speedy Speller is what drew us to READS, I wanted to start with it!
The Speedy Speller has over 1400 words, arranged alphabetically in a handy paper-back book. There are extra lines by each letter to add your own commonly used words to the large amount already provided. Mustang uses this regularly! So much so, that she has it hidden away so the other kids can't get to it. I appreciate that The Speedy Speller has helped Mustang to initiate spelling words on her own-rather then immediately asking her dad and I for help. It also seems that, as she stopped asking us for the right letter, she has begun to realize she doesn't always need the help of the Speedy Speller either!! Sometimes she uses it just to check her spelling rather then find it out to begin with!
Now, the main part of READS centers around the cards on a ring found in the photo above. Each of the 30 cards has a question or statement to encourage reading comprehension. When we first got the packet, I made the mistake of diving in without reading the teacher's manual {who me, never}. So, I asked Mustang the questions after she read her story. I was so impressed with how well she could remember what she read and how well she could verbalize her thoughts!
After reading through the manual, I found out that the idea is to ask the question before the reading period so that the student is looking for a good answer to the question while they read.
Mustang actually preferred my accidental asking of the questions afterwards. She said she liked that I wanted to know what she read about. I guess many times I don't ever ask her what the story was about, but she really wanted to tell me! She is an avid reader and can spend days at a time reading if I would let her. She was just pleased to find out that I cared about what she had spent hours doing!
There are some other items in the READS program that, I have to be honest, felt like fillers. I am sure they are very helpful to those that need them, but they seemed to be for a different level of reading student then the Speedy Speller or the Comprehension Question Cards.
The extra items included a Reward Chart and Stickers set, and a Magic Finger Reading Guide set.
We did not use the Reward Chart and Stickers set because I am pretty sure it would be counter productive for Mustang. She likes to receive extra praise for doing things. And, once she received a sticker for reading a book, she would never again see it as a fun pass time. Instead, she would always be looking for her sticker or reward. Of course, with a different personality type, this would be a great bonus to help encourage the reading necessary to use the Comprehension Question Cards with.
The Magic Finger and Reading Guide Strip were WAY below her needs. But, it wasn't a waste! Charger had a fun time using them with his reading-well the Magic Finger anyways.
Overall thoughts-we mostly liked the READS program. The Comprehension Quiz Cards and Speedy Reader were both HUGE hits! We loved them. The rest of the items felt like fillers to make it worth the price tag. But, at only $19.95, it is priced fairly. I would recommend the READS program, especially if you don't have a reading program that is big on reading comprehension. At this very moment, we don't have a specified reading program for Mustang and the READS program has been a great way to turn Mustang's love of reading into her reading program. Mustang is reading at about a 3rd to 4th grade level and READS is designed for grades 1-4th.
Others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew also tried out READs. Be sure to check out what they had to say by clicking on the graphic below!
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