When you have a child who finds reading challenging, your search for a curriculum becomes much more focused. You need a program built on proven, research-based methods that can meet your child right where they are. The All About Reading curriculum is often recommended for students with learning differences like dyslexia because of its multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-based approach. But what does that really look like in a daily lesson? We will examine the specific features designed to support different learning needs and evaluate how its systematic instruction helps build confidence. This guide offers a clear, honest look at whether this popular program provides the explicit support your child needs.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on mastery over speed: The program uses a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham-based approach that introduces one new skill at a time. This step-by-step method is designed to build confidence and prevent overwhelm, making it a strong choice for children who need a steady, supportive path to reading.
- Prioritize consistency with short, scripted lessons: The “open-and-go” format requires minimal prep, and lessons take just 20 minutes a day. This structure makes it easy for busy parents and educators to teach reading effectively without needing a special background in education.
- Invest with confidence thanks to a complete kit and guarantee: Each level provides all the materials you need, from decodable readers to hands-on letter tiles. The one-year, any-condition money-back guarantee removes the financial risk, giving you plenty of time to see if it works for your child.
What is All About Reading?
All About Reading is a well-known homeschool curriculum created to help parents teach their children to read with confidence. It’s designed to be an open-and-go program, meaning the lessons are scripted and easy to implement right out of the box, which is a big draw for busy homeschooling families. The program promises a positive and effective learning experience, aiming to make reading an enjoyable skill for every child to master. It’s structured to give parents the tools and guidance needed to feel like capable and successful reading teachers, even without a background in education.
The curriculum is built on a foundation that many educators and parents trust. It emphasizes direct, explicit instruction, ensuring that no steps are skipped in the learning process. This approach is particularly helpful for families looking for a clear path to follow, removing the guesswork from teaching fundamental reading skills. By providing a complete package with all the necessary materials, it seeks to be an all-in-one solution for homeschool reading instruction. The goal is to build strong, fluent readers by focusing on the five key components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, all within a supportive, one-on-one teaching environment.
Core Features and Philosophy
At its heart, the program uses the Orton-Gillingham approach, a method celebrated for its effectiveness, especially for children who face reading challenges like dyslexia. The core philosophy revolves around multisensory instruction. This just means it engages kids by letting them learn through sight, sound, and touch. Instead of just looking at letters on a page, students might use letter tiles to build words or trace letters to feel their shapes. This hands-on style helps keep lessons engaging and makes abstract concepts more concrete, which is a huge win for keeping young learners focused and excited about their progress.
The Program’s Levels and Progression
All About Reading is structured to guide a child from the very beginning of their literacy journey through to fluency. The program is broken down into five sequential levels: Pre-Reading, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4. This step-by-step progression ensures that children build a solid foundation before moving on to more complex skills. Each level comes as a complete kit, typically including a Teacher’s Manual with scripted lessons, a Student Packet with an activity book and flashcards, and beautifully illustrated hardcover readers filled with stories that are a joy to read. Lessons are teacher-led and consistently structured, usually involving a quick review, learning a new concept, and practicing with hands-on activities.
How is the Curriculum Structured?
One of the most important things to look for in a reading program is a clear, logical structure. You want to see a path from A to B that makes sense for your child. All About Reading is built on a sequential, multi-level system designed to move students from foundational pre-reading skills to fluent, independent reading. The program is broken down into five distinct levels, starting with a pre-reading stage and followed by four levels of formal reading instruction. This step-by-step progression ensures that no critical skills are missed along the way. Let’s look at how each part of the curriculum is organized.
The Pre-Reading Level
The Pre-Reading level is the gentle starting point for preschoolers and kindergarteners. The goal here isn’t to have your child reading full sentences, but to build the essential groundwork for literacy. The activities are fun and play-based, focusing on what experts call the “Big Five” early reading skills. Your child will work on print awareness (like knowing how to hold a book) and letter knowledge. A major emphasis is placed on phonological awareness—the ability to hear and play with the sounds in words. This is a critical component of the Science of Reading and sets your child up for success when they start decoding words.
Reading Levels 1-4
Once your child has mastered the pre-reading skills, they move into the core of the program: Levels 1 through 4. Each level builds directly on the one before it, creating a seamless and logical learning path. This systematic approach is a hallmark of structured literacy, which is incredibly effective for all children, including those with learning differences like dyslexia. The progression is gentle but steady, ensuring your child feels confident and successful as they learn new phonograms and spelling rules. By the end of Level 4, the program aims to have your child reading at a solid mid-third-grade level, equipped with the skills to read and comprehend a wide variety of texts.
What’s Inside Each Level?
When you open an All About Reading level, you’ll find a complete, open-and-go kit. Each package includes a Teacher’s Manual with lightly scripted, easy-to-follow lessons, so you never have to guess what to do next. You’ll also get a Student Packet, which contains a fun activity book, flashcards for review, and progress-tracking stickers. The hands-on letter tiles are a key component for building words without the stress of handwriting. Finally, each level comes with beautifully illustrated hardcover readers. These books contain charming stories and poems that are perfectly aligned with the skills your child has just learned, giving them immediate practice with high-quality decodable books.
What is the Teaching Method?
All About Reading’s effectiveness is rooted in its specific teaching philosophy, which combines several proven educational strategies. The program is designed to be straightforward for parents and teachers to implement while being highly effective for students. It centers on three core principles: a multisensory approach, Orton-Gillingham roots, and systematic instruction. Understanding how these elements work together will give you a clear picture of what a lesson looks like and why it’s structured the way it is. Let’s look at each component.
A Multisensory Approach
At its core, All About Reading uses a teaching style known as multisensory instruction. This simply means that lessons are designed to engage more than one sense at a time. Instead of just looking at words on a page, children learn by seeing, hearing, and doing. For example, a student might see a letter, say its sound out loud, and trace its shape with their finger. This method helps create stronger neural pathways for learning, making it easier for information to stick. It’s especially helpful for keeping kids focused and making learning feel more like play than work.
Its Orton-Gillingham Roots
The program is built on the principles of the Orton-Gillingham method, a highly respected approach developed specifically to help struggling readers. All About Reading adapts this method with scripted, open-and-go lessons that make it accessible even if you have no prior training. The lessons incorporate multisensory activities to break down reading into simple, manageable steps. This foundation is a key reason the program is often recommended for children who find traditional phonics instruction challenging, as it provides the explicit, structured support they need to succeed.
Systematic and Sequential Instruction
All About Reading is a mastery-based program, which means it teaches concepts in a logical, step-by-step order. Each lesson introduces just one new skill at a time, and students practice it until they feel confident before moving on. This systematic and sequential approach prevents students from becoming overwhelmed and ensures there are no gaps in their learning. This is particularly beneficial for dyslexic students who need a clear, predictable structure to build their reading skills. By building on a solid foundation, the program helps children gain confidence right alongside their new abilities.
Does It Work for Different Learning Needs?
One of the biggest questions for any parent or educator is whether a curriculum can meet a child right where they are. A one-size-fits-all program rarely works because every child learns differently. This is especially true for students with learning challenges who need a more tailored and supportive path to reading success. A good program should be flexible enough to accommodate various paces and learning preferences. Let’s look at how All About Reading is designed to support different types of learners, from those with specific reading difficulties to those who simply have a unique learning style.
Features for Students with Dyslexia
If you have a child with dyslexia, you know that the right instructional approach is critical. All About Reading uses a mastery-based system, which can be particularly beneficial. The program introduces just one new concept at a time and ensures the student fully grasps it before moving forward. This incremental process helps prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed that can discourage struggling readers. By building skills step-by-step on a solid foundation, it helps build the confidence that is so essential for students who have found reading difficult. This slow and steady approach allows children to experience consistent success, which can completely change their attitude toward learning.
Adapting to Various Learning Styles
All About Reading is built on a multisensory foundation, meaning it engages sight, sound, and touch to help concepts stick. This is a core principle of structured literacy because it gives children multiple ways to connect with and remember information. The program incorporates activities that go beyond just looking at a book. The lessons are also designed to be completed in about 20 minutes a day, which is great for kids with shorter attention spans. Because it’s mastery-based, you can move at your child’s individual pace. If a concept clicks quickly, you can move on. If it takes more time, you can practice until it’s solid without any pressure to keep up with a rigid schedule. This flexibility makes it adaptable for many different home and school environments.
What Materials Are Included?
When you invest in a curriculum, you want to know exactly what you’re getting in the box. All About Reading is a physical, hands-on program, so you’ll receive a package with all the components you need to get started with your lessons. The materials are designed to work together to create a cohesive learning experience. Let’s look at what comes with each level.
Teacher’s Manuals and Student Materials
Each level of All About Reading comes with a comprehensive Teacher’s Manual. I find these manuals incredibly helpful because they provide detailed, scripted lessons that guide you step-by-step. This structure removes the guesswork, which is a relief whether you’re a seasoned educator or a homeschool parent just starting out. The Student Packet complements the manual with an activity book, flashcards for review, and progress-tracking stickers. A well-organized homeschool curriculum should always equip the parent or teacher with clear, easy-to-follow instructions, and this is a core component of the All About Reading package.
Decodable Readers and Activity Books
The program includes beautifully illustrated hardcover readers filled with stories and poems. These aren’t just random stories; they are carefully crafted to only use the phonics skills your child has already learned. This is the essence of decodable books, as they allow children to practice their new skills and build confidence by successfully reading on their own. The activity book in the Student Packet provides extra practice with interactive sheets that reinforce the concepts from each lesson. This combination of reading practice and hands-on activities helps solidify learning in a fun, engaging way.
Hands-On Learning Tools
All About Reading strongly emphasizes a hands-on, multisensory learning path. The program uses letter tiles—either physical tiles or an app—so children can build words and physically manipulate sounds. This tactile experience is a cornerstone of the Orton-Gillingham approach, which helps make abstract concepts about language concrete and easier to grasp. Along with the tiles, the curriculum uses flashcards and incorporates games into its review process. This ensures students have truly mastered a skill before moving on, which is essential for building a solid foundation for lifelong reading success.
How to Use All About Reading
Getting started with a new curriculum can feel like a big undertaking, but All About Reading is designed to be straightforward for both parents and teachers. The program is scripted, which means you don’t have to guess what to do next. Let’s walk through how the lessons are structured and how you can fit them into your daily routine.
Lesson Structure and Pacing Guide
Each lesson in All About Reading is teacher-led and follows a consistent, predictable pattern. You’ll typically start by reviewing previously learned concepts before introducing a new one. This systematic approach helps solidify learning before moving forward. The curriculum uses hands-on materials like letter tiles, flashcards, and activity sheets to keep lessons engaging. The program is built on the five essential components of reading: phonological awareness, phonics and decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A key part of the daily routine is “Read Aloud Time,” which helps build vocabulary and a love for stories. This type of explicit, sequential instruction is a hallmark of structured literacy and is effective for all learners.
Fitting Lessons Into Your Schedule
One of the most appealing features of All About Reading is its efficiency. The lessons are designed to take just 20 minutes per day. This short, focused time commitment makes it much easier to stay consistent, whether you’re a homeschool parent juggling multiple subjects or a teacher working with small groups. This bite-sized approach is especially helpful for young children or students who struggle with attention, as it allows them to stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed. For many families, finding a program that fits into a busy life is a top priority, and the 20-minute format makes this homeschool curriculum a manageable choice. The key is consistency, and short daily lessons make that goal achievable.
Available Parent and Teacher Support
When you purchase an All About Reading program, you also get access to lifetime support from the company. This is a huge plus for parents and educators who might feel nervous about teaching reading, especially if their child has learning challenges. If you hit a snag, have a question about a specific lesson, or just need some encouragement, you can reach out to their team for help. Having this kind of safety net can provide valuable peace of mind. Knowing that expert guidance is available can make all the difference in your teaching journey. For families who find they need more intensive, one-on-one help, working with certified PRIDE Reading Specialists can also provide that personalized support to ensure your child succeeds.
How Much Does It Cost?
When you’re considering a new curriculum, the budget is always a big piece of the puzzle. All About Reading breaks down its pricing by level, so you can purchase what you need as your child progresses. This approach can make the investment feel more manageable than buying a massive, multi-year kit all at once. Let’s look at what you can expect to invest in this program.
Cost Per Level
All About Reading is sold in individual levels, so you won’t have to make a huge upfront investment for the entire program. A complete set of materials for one reading level typically costs around $160. If you already have some materials from a previous child, you can also buy components separately. For example, the Teacher’s Manual is about $51, and the Student Packet, which includes the activity book and other consumables, is around $68. This flexibility is great if you’re teaching multiple children and just need a fresh student packet. You can also purchase the readers and activity books on their own to supplement your child’s learning.
Bundle Deals and Discounts
While All About Learning Press doesn’t always have traditional sales, they do offer savings when you purchase a complete level set versus buying each piece individually. The biggest financial perk they offer is their guarantee, which removes the risk of your investment. They also occasionally offer promotions, so it’s a good idea to check their website when you’re ready to buy. Because the program is designed to be non-consumable for the most part (except for the student activity book), you can reuse it with younger siblings. This adds a lot of long-term value for homeschooling families and is a key consideration when comparing the overall cost to other programs.
The “Go For It!” Guarantee
This is where All About Reading really stands out. They offer a “Go For It!” Guarantee, which gives you a full year to try the program. If at any point during that year you decide it’s not a good fit for your family, you can return it for a full refund of the purchase price. What I find most reassuring is that you can return the materials in any condition—used, written in, it doesn’t matter. This kind of guarantee shows they really stand behind their curriculum and gives parents significant peace of mind when making a decision.
How Does It Compare to Other Reading Programs?
Choosing a reading curriculum can feel like a huge decision, and it’s smart to see how your top choice stacks up against the others. While many programs, including All About Reading, are built on the solid foundation of the Science of Reading, they each have a unique flavor and focus. Some are designed as all-in-one language arts solutions, while others offer a laser-focused approach to mastering the mechanics of reading. The best fit for your child depends on their individual learning style, your teaching preferences, and your family’s budget.
For children with learning differences like dyslexia, the right program isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. It’s the key that helps them finally make sense of the printed word. Understanding the subtle but important differences between curricula can help you make a confident choice. A program that works wonders for one child might not click with another, and that’s perfectly okay. The goal is to find the structure and methodology that resonates with your student and empowers you as their teacher. Let’s look at how All About Reading compares to some other popular options so you can find the perfect match for your young reader.
PRIDE Reading Program
Like All About Reading, the PRIDE Reading Program is a structured, sequential curriculum rooted in the Orton-Gillingham approach. Both programs break reading down into manageable steps, which is fantastic for building a child’s confidence. The main distinction is that the PRIDE Reading Program was specifically developed to support diverse learners, especially those with dyslexia and other processing disorders. Its lessons are scripted and incredibly easy to implement, taking the guesswork out of teaching for parents and educators. If you’re looking for a program that offers a direct, powerful, and proven path for a struggling reader, PRIDE’s specialized focus makes it an exceptional choice.
Barton Reading & Spelling System
The Barton Reading & Spelling System is another highly respected Orton-Gillingham-based program, often compared to All About Reading. Its core strength lies in its mastery-based learning model, where students learn one new concept at a time and don’t move on until they’ve mastered it. This methodical pace is particularly effective for students with dyslexia, as it prevents them from feeling overwhelmed. While All About Reading is also incremental, Barton is well-known for its one-on-one tutoring structure and requires a specific training process for the tutor. Families who want a very explicit, guided system often gravitate toward Barton.
Wilson Reading System
The Wilson Reading System is a powerhouse in the world of structured literacy and is frequently used in schools as a Tier 3 intervention for students with significant reading challenges. Similar to All About Reading, it is a comprehensive program based on Orton-Gillingham principles that provides systematic, phonics-centered instruction. The primary difference often comes down to implementation. Wilson is typically delivered by teachers and tutors with specialized certification, making it a go-to for intensive school-based support. All About Reading, on the other hand, is widely known for its parent-friendly design, making it an accessible choice in the homeschool community without requiring formal training.
Sonlight
Sonlight offers a different approach entirely. Instead of being a dedicated phonics program, it’s a rich, literature-based curriculum that integrates history, Bible studies, and reading. Families who choose Sonlight are often looking for a holistic, story-rich educational experience. While it does include phonics instruction, it’s not the singular focus as it is in All About Reading. The choice between them comes down to your goals. If you want a specialized tool to teach the mechanics of reading explicitly, All About Reading is designed for that. If you prefer an integrated curriculum where reading is woven into other subjects, Sonlight might be a better fit.
The Good and the Beautiful
The Good and the Beautiful is another program that takes a more comprehensive, all-in-one approach to language arts. It combines phonics, reading, writing, spelling, literature, and even art into a single curriculum. Many parents love its gentle approach and beautiful, faith-based materials. Compared to All About Reading, which separates reading and spelling into two distinct programs, The Good and the Beautiful bundles everything together. Your decision here will likely depend on whether you prefer to teach reading as a standalone subject with a focused tool or as part of a broader, integrated language arts block.
Is All About Reading the Right Choice for You?
Choosing a reading curriculum is a big decision, and what works wonders for one family might not be the right fit for another. The goal is to find a program that aligns with your child’s learning needs, your teaching style, and your family’s schedule. Before you make a choice, it’s helpful to think through a few key areas to see if All About Reading matches what you’re looking for. This isn’t about finding a perfect program, but the one that will set your child up for the most success and feel manageable for you to teach. It’s about looking at the components—the teaching method, the materials, the pacing—and holding them up against your own family’s reality. What does your child need to feel confident? What do you need to feel confident as their teacher? Answering these questions honestly is the first step. A curriculum might have glowing reviews, but if it requires two hours of prep time and you only have 30 minutes, it’s not the right fit. Similarly, a program might be incredibly thorough, but if its pace frustrates your child, it could do more harm than good. The best choice is always an informed one, based on a clear understanding of both the curriculum’s strengths and your own unique situation. Let’s walk through how to assess if All About Reading is the one for you.
Assess Your Child’s Specific Needs
First, consider your child’s unique personality and learning profile. Are they easily overwhelmed? Do they thrive with slow, steady progress? All About Reading is a mastery-based program, which means it introduces just one new concept at a time and ensures the child understands it before moving on. This methodical pace can be a game-changer for building confidence, especially for students who struggle. For children with dyslexia, this approach can be particularly beneficial, as it prevents the cognitive overload that can happen with faster-paced programs. Think about whether this step-by-step method would help your child feel secure and successful in their reading journey.
Consider Reviews from Other Parents and Educators
It’s always wise to hear from others who have used the curriculum. Many parents appreciate that All About Reading is designed to be “open-and-go,” making it simple to start a lesson without a lot of prep time. One reviewer noted that it provides very intentional phonics instruction and makes it easy for parents who may not have had strong phonics training themselves. For families with multiple children, the program’s structure can also be a major plus. As one homeschool parent shared, “I highly recommend this program specifically to parents teaching more than one child to read in the upcoming years,” because the materials can often be reused, saving time and money.
Match It to Your Teaching Style and Schedule
Finally, be realistic about your own capacity and teaching preferences. All About Reading is intentionally designed to be “easy to teach” for parents and “easy to learn” for kids. If you’re looking for a homeschool curriculum that won’t demand hours of your day, this is a significant factor. With lessons that take about 20 minutes daily, it’s a manageable commitment for most busy families. If your teaching style is more hands-on and you prefer a curriculum that lays everything out for you clearly, AAR’s scripted lessons and organized materials will likely be a great match. Consider if this structure fits your life or if you need something with more or less parent involvement.
Related Articles
- All About Reading Curriculum Review: A Parent’s Guide – Structured Literacy
- The Orton-Gillingham Lesson – Structured Literacy
- Effective Reading Strategies for Children with Learning Differences
- Reading Programs for Dyslexia: What You Need to Know
- Structured Literacy Curriculum – PRIDE Reading Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Is All About Reading a complete language arts program? All About Reading is specifically focused on teaching the skill of reading. While it does touch on vocabulary and comprehension, it doesn’t cover subjects like grammar, writing, or spelling in depth. The company offers a separate program, All About Spelling, to teach that skill. This focused approach can be very effective for children who need to concentrate on mastering one thing at a time without feeling overwhelmed by a combined language arts block.
How do I know which level is right for my child? The best way to find the right starting point is to use the free placement tests available on the All About Learning Press website. It’s really important to set your child up for success by starting them in the level that matches their current skills, not necessarily their grade level. A solid foundation is everything, so there’s no harm in starting at a lower level to ensure there are no gaps in their learning.
What if my child has a short attention span? Will 20 minutes a day really be enough? The 20-minute lesson format is actually one of the program’s biggest strengths, especially for kids who have trouble staying focused. The goal is consistency over duration. Short, positive, and focused daily lessons are often far more effective for building skills and confidence than longer, less frequent sessions. This approach helps make reading a manageable and enjoyable part of the day instead of a draining chore.
Do I need special training to teach this curriculum effectively? No, you don’t need any special training. The program was designed from the ground up for parents and teachers who don’t have a background in reading instruction. The teacher’s manuals are lightly scripted, telling you exactly what to say and do for each step of the lesson. This “open-and-go” format is intended to make you feel confident and prepared to teach right out of the box.
What happens if my child finishes all the levels but still isn’t a strong reader? First, completing the entire program is a huge accomplishment for any child. If you find that your child still has significant reading challenges, it may indicate they need a more intensive or specialized approach. Some children with more pronounced learning differences like dyslexia benefit from a program that is even more targeted to their needs or from working one-on-one with a certified reading specialist who can provide personalized support.