READ Learning Educational Services Product Review

READ Learning Educational Services, LLC is an educational service company that offers research-based reading, spelling and writing curriculum for individuals ages 6-adult.  These resources are ideal for people with dyslexia, dysgraphia and other learning disabilities.

The company’s Silver Moon Spelling Rules program is of special interest.  The program facilitates the mastery of American English spelling rules and gives students the knowledge necessary to improve their spelling skills – which in turn, benefits their reading and writing abilities.  What a wonderful/tremendous side effect!

The Silver Moon Spelling Rules program (Sets 1 and 2) are multi-sensory, explicit, systematic, cumulative, and mastery-based – and they are Orton Gillingham inspired. Silver Moon resources are intended for one-on-one use or for use in a small group.

See the video below

Materials that make up the program

To use this program, you need the 1). Silver Moon Instructional Manual, 2). one small set of spelling rule cards for each of your students – both my son and my daughter are doing this program, so we have two sets of student cards, and 3). one large set of instructor spelling rule cards. You can purchase all three in a bundle and buy additional sets of cards as needed.

The Instructional Manual

The instruction manual contains lesson plans, learning targets, teacher talk (the manual actually tells you what to say), guided instruction with real words and make-believe words (make-believe words are great for learning spelling rules), special notes and tips and tricks, independent practice, reproducible student pages, pre and post-tests, extension activities, a reference section, a certificate of completion for your student, and more. It is spiral bound and has a wipe-able cover.  I really like this book.

The Student Cards

The student cards are designed to resemble direct instruction flashcards. That’s because flashcards provide a research-based, systematic, and effective way of teaching.

Set 1 – Silver Moon Spelling Rules Set 1 consists of 20 American English spelling rules and 1 bonus reading rule.  Each rule is accompanied by a direct-instruction, multi-sensory and cumulative spelling lesson.

Each lesson builds off previously mastered lessons and each lesson progresses with more complex words, concepts and rules.  Rules 1-6 contain only one-syllable words for spelling practice, and all of the words are closed syllables whereas Rules 7-17 contain two-syllable words for spelling practice and contain both closed and open syllables.  Rules 18-21 contain up to three-syllable words, with open and closed syllables.

Set 2 – Set 2 consists of 24 American English spelling rules.  Each rule is accompanied by a direct-instruction, multi-sensory spelling lesson.

Each lesson builds off previously mastered lessons and each lesson progresses with more complex words, concepts and rules. Whereas Set 1 students learn how to identify closed syllables and open syllables as part of the spelling process, in Set 2 kids are introduced to two new syllable types – students learn how to identify silent E syllables and unit syllables.

For both sets, make sure you request the accompanying free resources from the website. These include a complementary keyword sound chart, syllable division guides, word tables, and a syllable types guide.  Some of the pages follow.

With both sets 1 and 2, students earn the rule card after showing mastery of the rule.  My kids love collecting the cards and get more excited and motivated with each card they earn.  My daughter keeps her cards on a metal binder ring and my son keeps his in a folder with plastic sheet protectors.  They use the cards as reference tools as needed – and honestly, they just like looking at/admiring the cards they’ve earned.

The Instructor’s Cards

The teacher cards are larger versions (6 x 8.5 inches ) of the student cards. The cards help you teach the Silver Moon Spelling Rules explicitly and sequentially.

Instructor’s cards can be used independent of the instructor’s manual. The rules begin with simple closed syllable rules and move up to multi-syllable rules that include open and closed syllables with schwa spelling rules.

Screenshots from Silver Moon Spelling Rules, Set 1

    Screenshots from Silver Moon Spelling Rules, Set 2

How to Use the Program

With this program, assessment drives instruction.  You pre-test before presenting lessons to determine what your kids know and what they still need to learn. If your kids are familiar with a given rule, you can move through the content quickly – but you shouldn’t skip it entirely. Covering all the lessons ensures there are no unexpected gaps in student knowledge.

Lesson Sequence

The sequence of lessons follow a “model, lead, test” approach and it’s recommended that you introduce one spelling rule each week.  This, of course, is a theoretical recommendation and pacing of instruction needs to be considered on a case to case basis.  Some families may progress this quickly, but some may not. Choose the pace that works best for your child.

• Review previously taught rules and independent practice pages – Step 1
• Clearly state lesson goals – Step 2
• Model the new spelling rule – Step 3
• Guided practice – spell real words – Step 4
• Guided practice – spell nonsense words – Step 5
• Test – Independent Practice page – Step 6
• Extension activities – application to reading lessons – Step 7

You use the post-test after completing each of the three parts in the manuals to determine if your kids have mastered the material. If mastery hasn’t been reached with a 90% accuracy rate, you should re-teach the rule by repeating steps 3-5.

What I like about these products

• When you build an understanding of spelling rules (and your kids really get it), they don’t need to memorize how to spell words – they just know how to do it
• And when kids understand how to spell, it benefits their reading and writing ability, and promotes independence and self-confidence.  What a wonderful side effect 🙂
• The products are research-based, which I truly appreciate
  
• I also appreciate that the products provides mastery-based learning
• I like that the lessons are multi-sensory – they work well for different learning styles (my kids learn differently – I bet yours do too).
• The materials are Orton Gillingham influenced
• The resources are easy to use (the scripted lessons are a breeze).  Also, the sequence of lessons follows a “model, lead, test” approach which is easy to follow
• It’s a fun program. The lessons keep students actively engaged. The graphics are cute. Plus, my kids like collecting mastered cards and making up nonsense words
• Extension activities are included. You can ask your child to be a Word Detective or a Story Builder, using words that follow the rule being studied (Sets 1 and 2). In Set 2 you can add Phrase or Sentence Dictation, Word Sorting and Concept Cluster assignments.
• There are FREE, downloadable resources.  I’m a fan of free resources, aren’t you?  🙂
• Also, there is a three Rule Match game that corresponds to the three parts of instruction in Set 1.  FYI – my kiddos LOVE this game. 🙂  See pics below.

Did you like this Read Learning Educational Services, LLC review? We really enjoyed writing it for you. You can check out our other reviews here: https://www.howtohomeschool.net/curriculum-reviews