Working on Reading Comprehension with the PRIDE Reading Program {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

When I first learned about the PRIDE Reading Program, I wasn't sure if it was something we were going to be able to review, seeing as all of my children can read at this point. In fact, even Harold is reading chapter books now. However, I then realized there is a Reading Comprehension level available. I decided this would be a great chance to spend some time with Hannah and make sure she is actually understanding what she is reading, as I have had some concerns. So, once I was selected for the review, I was able to order the PRIDE Reading Program Reading Comprehension Kit. 

The PRIDE Reading Program, developed by Karina Richland, M.A., is an Orton-Gillingham Method Reading Instruction Program. The anagram PRIDE stands for Phonemic Recognition Instruction Delivering Empowerment. There are actually 8 different levels that children can work through while working on reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension. Beginning Consonants, plus Levels 1-3 are the beginning levels, then there are the advanced levels: Levels 4 and 5, the Primary Accelerated Review, and the Reading Comprehension Level that we have been working in. 

There are both online and physical components of this program. We received the physical PRIDE Reading Comprehension Workbook and PRIDE Activity Kit in the mail.

Hannah started out by examining all the components, then she decided to be a bit of a silly.

Here are all the components, minus the bag/apron (yes it is a tote bag, yes my daughter is silly):

We received:

The Reading Comprehension Workbook, which is a softcover, 163-page book. Though the cover is in color, the pages themselves are all black and white. 

A 9x12 white board

Sound chart

Two dry erase markers

An eraser for the white board

A pen

A reading tracker

A die

A pouch for the smaller items

And the PRIDE carry bag which we can use for storage (or an apron, whichever). 

In order to teach the program, I also had access to the PRIDE Reading Comprehension Online Teaching Guide. This can be accessed on either a desktop computer or mobile device.

When I log in, I go to the PRIDE Reading Program and it brings up our course. I click on that to show the different modules. These correspond to the chapters in the workbook. The only difference is that the online teaching guide includes the "About the PRIDE Reading Comprehension Program" as Module 1. 

Desktop view: 

Mobile view:

Then we have the modules:

• Sequencing
• Predicting
• Visualizing
• Inferencing
• Putting it all Together

These modules each have three units: Introduction, Practice, and Reinforcement. 

Each time I log in to the program, I just need to click on the title of the unit which is highlighted in blue. This will take us to our lesson.

The lesson scripts give me the words to say (in blue), instructions of what to do (in black), and what to write, notes, answers (in red).

Once we complete a unit, I just click on "Mark as Completed," and we move to the next unit. Our progress is recorded on the course page with the green circles with the check mark in them. 

Now, let's take a closer look at the book as I explain the different lesson steps in each unit. 

Step 1: Introducing the Concept.

The first page of each unit shows boxes with pictures in them. When we worked on sequencing, Hannah had to put "first," "then," "next," and "last" in the correct spots. 

Now that we are working on predicting, she needs to look at the picture and predict what will happen next. 

Step 2: Visual Association

This is when we utilize the Question Cards that are provided in the back of the book. These cardstock cards help guide us through the Who, What, Where, Why, and When questions that are asked in the lessons.

Step 3: Connecting the Concept

This step helps the child see how the concept connects to real life. For example, in the first picture above we talked about the people baking in the kitchen. In Step 3, we make it personal and talk about a time when we baked cookies, utilizing the question cards. This is all done orally.

Step 4: Story Organization and Step 5: Writing

While we were working on sequencing, Hannah was given a story idea to work on, and she had to work through the different steps. Then she was to write her story.

While working in the predicting module, she was given a prompt, told to come up with a prediction of what would happen, and then she was to write some reasons why. Then she was to turn that into a story.

Step 6: Reading a Story

Hannah is to read the story to herself a section at a time, then I ask her questions. After that she reads it out loud to me, so I can check how she is doing with her actual reading. Then we move on to the next section of the story, and so forth and so on, until we are done with the story. 

Step 7: Evaluation

This step is again done completely orally. Hannah was to tell me the sequence of the store and answer more questions. 

Step 8: Illustration

In this step Hannah was to illustrate the story, making sure someone who hadn't read the story could understand what was going on. 

Step 9: Summary

In this final step, Hannah was to write a summary of the story, utilizing the concept being taught, such as making sure to include first, then, next, and last in the sequencing lessons.

Each unit concludes with an Extra Learning Activity, such as a timeline of the child's life, scrambled paragraphs, and 20 questions in the sequencing units, and opposites in the predicting lessons.

I figured we would work through the program at a pace of one unit a week. We have done some units a bit slower, others a bit faster, depending upon what we have had going on in our days. So, each module will take us about three weeks. We are currently at the end of the Predicting Practice Lesson and will finish the Predicting module next week. From then we will work our way through Visualizing, Inferencing, and Putting it all Together. In looking ahead, I have noted that the units all follow the same format when it comes to the steps, which I do appreciate. 

I have enjoyed working through this with Hannah, though she isn't a huge fan of the writing, which is why we take a full week for each unit. Writing her own story and writing the summary take the longest so those lessons are worked on with nothing else on those days. I will say, we haven't been using the reading tracker, as she doesn't have a need for it, and she doesn't really need me to be reminding her with the question cards. She feels they are for younger children. 

I have appreciated being able to hear her read out loud, to make sure she is reading properly. I have discovered she does have struggles with figuring out what to write and how to organize her thoughts, so we will be working on that. Thankfully there are lots of opportunities to do so in this program. 

I think it is a great program, even though at times I wish we could choose what to write in the writing step. She found it difficult trying to figure out what an otter would do and what to talk about when it came to playing a guitar. I may just let her choose her own topic next time and see how she does.

I am very glad we had a chance to use the PRIDE Reading Program Reading Comprehension Program. It is an interesting way to work on reading and writing and organizing ones thoughts.

 You can find PRIDE Reading Program on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrideReadingProgram/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PrideReadingCo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pridereadingprogram/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pridereading/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCfQB_M2vL2Ebo8deuwwCrw

Don't forget to click on the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates thought of the level they worked with.