Can "See abc's®" Help Older Children???

Many parents wonder, "Can 'See abc's^®' help older children with reading problems?"  Well, just read the following story and see for yourself!

Millie, the mother of a beautiful, little-3rd grade daughter gave her child's teacher the following note at the spring SEP Conference:

Millie:  

        "She started out very shy and timid.  Her self-esteem was very low.  She was reluctant to even try. She was convinced that she was stupid.  Because of that, she felt that she was not as good as the others.  She was frustrated, scared and depressed all at the same time.  It was even to the point to where she was afraid to make goals or even dream.  She came home every day crying because her teacher was frustrated with her.

       We moved to College Ward, Utah, where she began the third grade at River Heights Elementary.  When her new teacher, Mrs. Nickell, began helping her with the "See abc's" reading program, she came home happy and full of hope.  She told me that she thought she had a chance, now.  The program was a simple concept that she could grasp and understand.  After three days, she came home from school and said, "I don't think it's me.  I don't think that I'm stupid."  Two weeks later, she said, "I know it's not me.  I'm not stupid.  This is even easy!"  I saw her confidence building. . . her self-esteem building. . . her happiness building!  Her willingness to participate and even her appearance and attitude changed for the better!  It gave her the strength to pick herself up, dust herself off, make new friends, and truly be happy in all  her school work, not just reading.

        One night, as I was singing to her at bedtime about the stars, she said, 'I feel like that shining star in the sky.  I have grown so much and I feel like I know what I am doing."  Now, she is convinced that school is a good thing and it's a happy piece of her life."

Of all the great stories that come in about the difference See abc's has made in the lives of children, this is one of my two most favorite!  I still can't read it without tearing up, because I know what it feels like to think you are stupid just because you are a poor or slow reader.  I'm sooooo grateful that See abc's was able to completely change not only her reading abilities, but also her sweet personality.   She completed the entire program and even read books without having to!  That's when you know a child really loves to read.  That didn't happen to me until my late 30's!

So, in answer to the question, "Can See abc's help older children?"  Yes, it absolutely can.  

Doreese

See abc's Launches Emily Far Past the Mark!

• I've told you about little Emily before.  Last year, at her kindergarten screening, she was tested reading on a 4th grade level.  I asked her mother to give me a report on how her Kindergarten year went.  I was amazed to hear of her great accomplishments.  So, from the words of her mother:
  "Emily learned the See abc's" reading program over the space of one Summer. She was only 4. By the time she was finished she still had a year until she'd start kindergarten, but it was all I could do to keep her entertained! She was so excited to read anything and everything I put in front of her.
  

  She started kindergarten the following year finishing a chapter book every other night. She could pick up Harry Potter and read fluidly. She even surpassed her older sister's reading level! She reads with influxes in her voice that make her much more interesting to listen to, and her comprehension was there by the time she started school.

  Because Emily didn't have the hurdle of learning to sound words out or try to understand what she was reading, she started trying new things. She could read the instructions on every worksheet herself and figure out what she needed to do. While other children memorized sight words and sounded out words like pot and cat, Emily was leaps and bounds ahead doing third grade math, science and reading at the level of a sixth or seventh grader. Reading wasn't an issue so she moved on to new challenges like fractions, times tables and more. 

  Her teachers loved that, even though she knew a great deal more than many of her peers, she went out of her way to teach what she'd learned rather than parade it over them that she could do it. She loves to teach and help other students learn the way she did.

  Because of her English comprehension and reading level she is top of her class with the Dual Language Immersion Portuguese program in her school. She isn't stumbling to make sense of her own language in any way, which, I believe, made her a perfect candidate for trying some new. Her Portuguese teacher was very impressed by her comprehension and even her level of understanding.

  All of this started with the See abc's Reading program. I believe it gave her the confidence she needed to feel like she could accomplish anything. I also feel that by learning to read before you begin kindergarten you are launched forward in your education to such a degree that you aren't held back by the typical stumbling blocks that other children often face. I am so grateful every day that Emily was able to use this program and that she's learned to love learning."

  Isn't that fantastic!!! Of course, it also takes a dedicated mother who is willing to sit down with their child for 20-30 minutes a day and teach them. But, the rewards from that are tremendous.

  Thanks Amy and Emily for sharing your story. Best of luck in First Grade Emily!

  Doreese
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