Review: Reading Kingdom

This past month Genevieve has been trying out Reading Kingdom, an online access based program designed to develop literacy skills in the K-3 crowd (or the up to 10 crowd, depending on if their skills are below that of a 3rd grader).  We have been provided with free access for the purposes of review!

Reading Kingdom was developed by Marion Blake, a professor at Columbia who focuses on literacy in children.  It is designed to be used 4 to 5 times a week, or even more with older children who are struggling.

What's to like?

• Phonics are a big component of the program, which I appreciate.  I think phonics are essential to developing great readers.
• Basic computer skills, as well as spelling and reading comprehension, are built along with the reading skills.
• The lessons are very short.
• The program is designed (and easy) for kids to use independent of adult supervision.
• It's simple to log in as a parent and check on your child's progress with nice visuals and reports available.
• A free 30 day trial is available to see if the program is right for you!
• The games are engaging, Genevieve is eager to play more every time I invite her to give it a go.  There is a "passport" that you earn through the levels and it provides her with incentive to keep at it.
• Customization - you can choose if you want your kids using an on screen keyboard or a physical keyboard, and you can tailor the program's default response time if your child needs more time to get responses keyed in.

The placement test used to evaluate your child's initial placement isn't extremely flexible in my opinion.    As a word of warning - it is also very long to a young child!  I was initially hesitant about trying this product out because my kids all read at a 3rd grade plus reading level already.  I wondered what the program would do for them!  Well, as it turns out, the placement test suggests that they aren't keyboard experts.  I would completely agree with that.  How to use the space key, how to capitalize, and how to find the keys.   All important skills.  And in the sequence of this program those are skills learned before you get to the heavy duty reading and writing.  The Reading Kingdom system suggested placing them near the beginning of the program in terms of ability.

My initial instinct was to protest this!  After some thought, however, I concluded that the program was probably correct in thinking that some skill development was in order in the areas it noticed weakness.  So we stuck with the initial placement.  I do know that the support team with Reading Kingdom is very flexible and willing to adjust levels for you if you email them.

So right now Genevieve has been working on the keyboard land skills, but the reading material provided is definitely not difficult for her.  I have mixed thoughts on the typing she has been doing as I'm not a fan of hunt and pecking on the keyboard (I think correct hand placement should be taught from day one, so haven't encouraged or done much typing, deliberately, with the kids to date).  My preference is to have her use the on screen keyboard, in this way we're avoiding development of hunt and peck typing habits.

I think she's learned her way around the keyboard, and it's happening in a painless way.  :)

If you are looking for a program for a beginning reader this could be an excellent choice.  Programs that include phonics are definitely the way to go in my book and I love the integration of areas of literacy that Reading Kingdom utilizes.  I think that for my kids with their particular combination of skills it wasn't quite a perfect fit though.  It is, however, a fun supplement!

To be fair, it can be much more than a supplement.  There is an excellent overview of the program and the methodology behind it, here, that can give you a better sense of exactly how Reading Kingdom works.  I suggest reading it!

Access is either monthly or yearly.  It is $19.99/month, or $199 for a full year.  Additional children on your account are discounted at half the cost of the first.

Check out some of the many reviews detailing thoughts from other families about Reading Kingdom, here!