All About Reading versus Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons

Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons vs. All About Reading

I’ve taught all of my children to read (as well other children when I was a former public and private school teacher).

This blog post is a non-affiliate, unsponsored comparison of two very popular reading curriculum, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (EL) and All About Reading (AAR).

I’ve used both thoroughly. Let’s get into a comparison, review, and be sure to join us for a lesson in both!

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This blog post is a non-affiliate, unsponsored comparison of two very popular reading curriculum, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (EL) and All About Reading (AAR).

Watch the YouTube video about 100 Easy Lessons vs. All About Reading

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. Please see my disclosure for more details.

What is Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons?

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a  phonics-based reading program that is based on the Direct Instruction Method.

El is a phonics-based reading program that is based on the Direct Instruction Method. EL uses 44 different letter formations to create a regular alphabet to simplify the decoding process for beginning readers.

 Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons uses 44 different letter formations to create a regular alphabet to simplify the decoding process for beginning readers.

What does Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons entail?

Everything necessary for instruction is contained in 100 Easy Lessons, including words, sentences, and stories for reading practice.

Everything necessary for instruction is contained in this single book, including letters, words, sentences, and stories for reading practice.

Letters

The Sounds Introduction is first.

Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons - letters

Words

Next, your child will sound out words.

Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons - words

Sentences & Stories

Then your child will read simple sentences.

Reading Practice

Finally, your child will be able to read stories! God willing.

Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons - reading practice

Scripted

As you can see in the images above, the pink text is what you will say to your child.

Supplementary Component

A few pages at the end of the book provide suggestions for covering additional phonetic sounds along with suggested books for reading.

Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons - what next?
Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons - book list

Pros & Cons of 100EL

Pros

  • It works. One of my kids learned how to read with EL.
  • Simple layout: everything in one book
  • Affordable
  • Scripted

Cons

  • Black and white text
  • It can be rather boring
  • Doesn’t use a multi-sensory approach
  • Stories tend to be twaddle
  • Because EL uses an unusual orthography (formation of letters to represent the various sounds) it may be confusing to use with a child who has already begun reading instruction in another method.

What is All About Reading?

All About Reading by All About Learning Press

All About Reading (AAR) is an intensive phonics program for pre-kindergarten and up, that uses the Orton-Gillingham methodology. With this method, 97% of English words can be learned according to phonetic rules, leaving only 3% to be learned as sight words.

What does All About Reading entail?

What does All About Reading by All About Learning Press, entail?

AAR is a highly interactive multi-sensory program. The open-and-go lesson plans are scripted and illustrated, making it simple for the inexperienced parent to present the lessons with little or no prep time.

AAR is easy to adapt to each child’s needs by selecting among the suggested hands-on activities, choosing their favorite books for read-aloud time, and adjusting the pace and amount of interaction.

What do the AAR levels consist of?

AAR consists of two main parts: the Pre-reading program (teaching essential pre-reading skills) and the Reading program (consisting of Levels 1 through 4).

AAR Pre-Reading Level Overview & Features

All About Reading - Prereading Level Overview and features

The pre-reading level of AAR is meant to introduce the letters and their sounds.

Features:

AAR Pre-reading level includes –

  • Teacher’s Manual
  • Student Packet
  • Readers
  • Divider Cards
  • Letter Sounds A to Z app
  • & Animal Stickers (for Awards Completion Chart)

Optional, yet highly recommended items:

  • Ziggy the Zebra Puppet (he’s part of our family now 😉
  • All About Reading Pre-reading Review Box
  • Plus, just recently added, Lowercase Letter Crafts Book

The Prereading Teacher’s Manual

All About Reading - Prereading Level - Teacher's Manual

AAR’s Teacher’s Manual contains fun lessons and activities, all while teaching the Big Five Skills.

All About Reading Prereadings Teacher's Manual contains fun lessons and activities, all while teaching the Big Five Skills.

Here is the first lesson in AAR Prereading

Here is the first lesson in All About Reading Prereading
Here is the first lesson in All About Reading Prereading

The Student Packet

All About Reading - Prereading Level - The Student Packet

In the Student Packet, there are craft sheets that contain plenty of oral manipulation and distinguishing of sounds, all developing the key fundamental skill that predicts reading success – phonemic awareness.

The Readers

The phonetic All About Reading readers are beautifully illustrated hardcover books that could stand on their own. They feature finely detailed (and now in full color) drawings that are a delight in themselves.

The phonetic readers are beautifully illustrated hardcover books that could stand on their own. They feature finely detailed (and now full color) drawings that are a delight in themselves.

The “whimsical” poems in the readers help children familiarize the sound associated with the letters.

Pre-reading Review Box, & Picture & Letter Sound Cards, and Divider Cards

Letter Sounds A to Z app

All About Reading Letters App

The app is useful in playing the letter sounds for your child and is helpful for inexperienced parents who may be confused as to what the letters sound like. It is free and you can use it on your computer, tablet, or phone.

Ziggy Zebra Puppet

Ziggy is optional, yet highly recommended. Your child will love playing games with Ziggy and will be able to correct Ziggy’s mistakes, which helps them feel like Ziggy is learning along with them.

He’s part of our family and joins us in other homeschooling lessons as well! 😉

Extras

Sorry for the dark image!

With your purchase of All About Reading Prereading you will receive an Uppercase and Lowercase Poster.

Our Experience with AAR Pre-Reading

I’ve successfully used AAR Prereading with multiple children. I’ve purchased the entire Prereading package and I’ve never regretted it.

Aside from the Student Packet, you can reuse everything with your other children. If you’ll be using Prereading with multiple children at the same time, you’ll need to purchase extra Student Packs.

Join us for an AAR Prereading lesson here at 00:00 !

AAR Levels 1-4 Overview & Features

In All About Reading Levels 1 - 4, the five key components of reading shift to phonological awareness, phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

In AAR Levels 1 – 4, the five key components of reading shift to phonological awareness, phonics/decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Before starting Level 1, your child should already know the alphabet and be able to identify both uppercase and lowercase letters.

AAR Levels 1-4 Features

AAR Level 2 Features
AAR Level 1 Features

AAR Levels 1-4 include one of each per level:

  • Teachers Manual
  • Student Packet
  • Readers
  • Phonogram Sounds App
  • Basic Reading Interactive Kit (which is a one-time purchase per household) that includes physical Letter Tiles, magnets, and one set of Reading Divider Cards.
  • Reading Review Box (again, a one time purchase per household)

In addition to that, you will need to purchase: A 2’ x 3’ magnetic whiteboard for both storing and working with the letter tiles, or you can purchase the Letter Tiles App, which takes the place of the physical letter tiles and magnetic white board.

The Teacher’s Manual

All About Reading contains a necessary Teacher's Manual for each level that contains open-and-go lesson plans that help you teach key reading skills.

All About Reading contains a necessary Teacher’s Manual for each level that consists of open-and-go lesson plans that help you teach key reading skills.

All About Reading contains a necessary Teacher's Manual for each level that consists of open-and-go lesson plans that help you teach key reading skills.

The first lesson in AAR Level 1

At the top, the gray box allows you to see what the lesson will be about as well as what you need for each lesson.

Before You Begin

Sometimes there is a 'Before You Begin' box that you review prior to the lesson.  For example, in the first lesson you will preview the sounds of the letters, hand motions, vowels and consonants, and the blending procedure. - All About Reading Level 1

Sometimes there is a ‘Before You Begin’ box that you review prior to the lesson. For example, in the first lesson you will preview the sounds of the letters, hand motions, vowels and consonants, and the blending procedure.

New Teaching

All About Reading - New Teaching

The New Teaching in the first lesson contains: Teach New Letter Sounds, Demonstrate How to Blend Sounds, Play “Change the Word”, Teach Vowels and Consonants, Complete Activity Sheet

All About Reading - New Teaching

Practice Reading Words

This is when you child practices reading words using the Word Cards.

Lastly, Read Aloud & Progress Chart

The Mitten by Jan Brett, read aloud for homeschooling.
Each level in All About Reading contains a progress chart and stickers.

Student Activity Books

The student activity books in All About Reading are a major component and add much variety to the lessons through short reading games and activities that motivate your child.

The student activity books are a major component and add much variety to the lessons through short reading games and activities that motivate your child.

The Readers

All About Reading hardcover readers in Levels 1- 4 are excellent, with lovely illustrations and interesting content for vocabulary-controlled reading material.

The hardcover readers in Levels 1- 4 are excellent, with lovely illustrations and interesting content for vocabulary-controlled reading material.

The hardcover readers in Levels 1- 4 are excellent, with lovely illustrations and interesting content for vocabulary-controlled reading material.
Level 1 Reader
The hardcover readers in Levels 1- 4 are excellent, with lovely illustrations and interesting content for vocabulary-controlled reading material.
Level 2 Reader

Basic Reading Interactive Kit

All About Reading letter tiles to teach sounds, introduce blending, and demonstrate, for example, how switching the first letter (e.g., using the words map and sap) changes only the initial sound.

You will use phonogram cards and letter tiles to teach sounds, introduce blending, and demonstrate, for example, how switching the first letter (e.g., using the words map and sap) changes only the initial sound.

In All About Reading Levels 1 - 4 Reading Review Box
In All About Reading Levels 1 - 4 letter tiles, magnets
In All About Reading Levels 1 - 4 Phonogram Cards, Word Cars, and Dividers
All About Reading Level 1 Word cards
Word Cards
All About Reading Level 1 Phonogram cards
Phonogram Cards

In addition to that, you will need to purchase a 2’ x 3’ magnetic whiteboard or this App. If you’re a Worldschooling, homeschooling-on-the-road, or homeschooling-on-the-go family, definitely choose the App.

That way you won’t have to lug around a big white board. Or ya know, have your magnet pieces stolen by your cat.

All About Reading Phonogram Sounds App

Join us for a lesson in AAR Level 1, here, at 00:00 , as well as a lesson in AAR Level 2 at 00:00 !

Pros & Cons of AAR

Pros

  • Open & Go
  • Explicit instructions, including complete scripting 
  • Beautiful illustrations in Readers
  • Interesting stories in Readers
  • Multi-sensory approach (which is great for children with dyslexia)

Cons

  • It can be expensive…but I think it’s worth every penny
  • A lot of moving parts

So which one is our favorite?

Which reading curriculum is our favorite?

Drumroll….

All About Reading!

Why? Because AAR works best for our family.

It’s open and go, which means I’ll use it. I want my children to view reading as delightful and that is what AAR has given our family – The love of reading, which trumps all else.

Pricing

When comparison prices appear, please keep in mind that they are subject to change. Click on links where available to verify price accuracy.

AAR complete (Pre-Reading Level) package from the All About Learning website – $134

AAR complete (Level 1) package from the All About Learning website – $196.85

AAR from Amazon – prices vary

100 EL from Amazon – $17.89

FAQs

What age should I start using a reading curriculum?

When your child is developmentally ready. For us, that was when my kids were writing notes (yes, even on the wall), asking to read, or pretending to read.

And no, younger is not necessarily better.

My child is 4 and we finished 100 EL successfully and want to start AAR. Is the Pre-Reading AAR level necessary? Or should we pick up with level one?

I recommend using AAR’s placement tests, but it sounds as if your child will be able to jump into AAR Level 1.

So…which one should I choose!?

Any traditional phonics program will work. While researching, ask yourself: Does the program’s approach fit my…

  • teaching style?
  • child’s learning style?
  • budget?

Helpful Links

This is the third post in the Teach Your Child to Read Series. Read the first post here.

Review: Writing & Rhetoric

Review: Well Ordered Language

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