Tonya - Mom to Lily, U.S.A.

When did you start using Little Reader?

We began using Little Reader when Lily was 17 months old.

Please describe your child's progress in learning to read.

We had tried a few other learning systems and they seemed to work for a while. However, by the time Lily finished the programs, she was able to master the all of the words but was still unable to decode new words. It was then we searched for a new curriculum and found BrillKids. After using Little Reader for just two and a half months, Lily's progress skyrocketed. She learned hundreds of new words in that short time and at 19.5 months old, she began to truly decode new words she had never seen before.

She absolutely adored the Little Reader flashcards and computer sessions. They became (and still are) a regular part of her day. At one and a half years old, Lily would often toddle over to the bookshelf where the BrillKids Binders were kept and bring them to me, asking me to sit down and read words with her. Since then, we have continued to follow the daily curriculum, have read all of the categories and stories, and have taken advantage of the community downloads to access even more subjects and foreign languages. At not even three years old, Lily easily decodes new material, including multi-syllable words, and has a very expansive vocabulary as a result. She reads fluently at about a first or second grade level and happily engages with books on her own accord many times throughout the day. She loves to choose her own books and enjoys reading about whatever her current interests are.

How big a part did Little Reader play in helping your children to read?

We had tried a few different reading systems but Little Reader is our favorite by far. It was the first system that really kept Lily's attention and allowed for customized content. Ultimately, it was a key element in helping her make the leap from sight-reading memorized words to decoding novel words. The other systems simply did not offer enough words to enable her to "crack the code" of reading phonetically. In contrast, Little Reader contains 3,000 words, including pattern phonics lessons. The ready-made content allowed us to move through the course categories at her preferred pace -- which was more rapid than I would have ever imagined! Lily was thirsty to learn and as a busy Mom, it was easy to show her the words on the screen or simply click "print" to create physical material. I never would have had time to make all of the flashcards she needed by hand, but Little Reader did the work for me.

What do you like about Little Reader and why would you recommend it to others?

I love that Little Reader is so easy to use. As a busy mom of two little ones, I just don't have the luxury of time when it comes to preparing lessons and flashcards. Little Reader took the guesswork out of teaching my kids to read. I recommend Little Reader to all parents looking to give their little ones the best possible start to their education. Our family is so grateful that we stumbled on BrillKids!