TESTIMONIALS - SPECIAL NEEDS

When our reading coordinator told us about Reading A-Z, I thought it was too good to be true, but she was right! Variety beyond the basal reading series is always greatly appreciated. The varieties of materials available on Reading A-Z are invaluable.
Christine Carter; Special Education Teacher; Panther Run Elementary School; Lake Worth, Florida

Reading A-Z is perfect for me to use with my students. I use the lesson plans, comprehension tests, and worksheets and love the content and leveling of the books.
Barbara Stuart; Special Education Resource Teacher; Scott Elementary School; Naperville, Illinois

I am thrilled with Reading A-Z. I am a special-education kindergarten teacher, and the students love the books and feel successful. I use the flashcards and consonant pictures. I could not teach without Reading A-Z.
Cheryl Dinnie; Maylan School; Hartford, Connecticut

This is a great series! I have used it with my beginning readers. They are so enthusiastic. One mother said, “Now you've taught them to read, how do you stop them?” (Her daughter had been reading in bed with a flashlight.)
Olita Williams; Special-Education Teacher

I work with first-grade students. I have two students who read slightly below grade level and three who read far below grade level. I let one group plug into Reading A-Z books while I read with the other group. I have used the fluency passages with my better readers to assess their progress on short-term objectives on their IEPs. I have found your program to be most useful.
Barbara Brown; Special-Education Teacher; Arlington, Virginia

I used your leveled books last year and saw tremendous growth, even with severely at-risk students. I have recommended your site to countless teachers. I firmly believe in your philosophy regarding your high-frequency word books, and I feel that reading teachers would benefit from them with their students.
Cherry Carl; Reading Specialist and University Instructor at the University of California; San Diego

My fourth graders were reading at second-grade level. They refused to read independently or read tests on their own. Now they are reading the tests to me instead of vice versa. My fifth graders were reading at a third-grade level. They are now reading at the fifth-grade level, and their spelling and ability to define words have dramatically improved. Thank you so much, and congratulations on a great line of products. Keep them coming.
Kelly L. Hurst; Special Education Program K-8 Resource Teacher

I teach in the lowest income school in Dallas, Texas, with a 100 percent at-risk population of students. These kids need reading to escape their environmental challenges and to have a future. Most of my students arrive in my classroom with a pre-K knowledge of reading, despite being anywhere from 10 to 19 years old. You can only imagine how damaged their self esteem is. They really have taken a delight your products, and having a printable book that they can love, keep, and return to time and again is a real treasure. I have seen some amazing strides. Many other teachers in my school, my district and my other "teacher friends" are already hooked on your products because they are so helpful. If you ever sit and wonder if you're making a difference, think of us and know that you are.
Dr. Vickie Lewis; TAKS Program Coordinator; Rylie I.S.D.; Dallas, TX

My teachers/staff are all so very excited about their "new libraries!" We know our students will benefit from increased access to reading material written at their independent and instructional levels. Our staff will have more time to attend to the students' instructional needs since teachers will spend less time searching for/creating appropriate materials. Your service is now on the short list of indispensable items in our literacy repertoire. Thank you ever so much!
Johnett Scogin; Texas School for the Deaf; Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator; Austin, TX

These have been wonderful reading materials that I use with language impaired children. The materials are on their level of comprehension and close to their instructional reading ability. They love putting the books together and coloring them while we work in groups. Thank you for your site and all that it has to offer.
Lesli Phelan, M.S. CCC-SLP; Speech-Language Pathologist; Boggess Elementary; Texas

I love the Reading A-Z Web site. The leveled readers are great, as well as the lesson plans that accompany them. I am a special-education reading teacher, with students from first to fifth grade. Your books have been a lifesaver for me. My students especially enjoy the nonfiction readers. I also use the Tommy Tales series for my third-graders.
Rebecca Sherman, Resource Teacher; Nolanville Elementary; Nolanville, TX

I just wanted to let you know how invaluable your Web site has become to me. I teach remedial students from K-5. We are a poor rural district, and I paid for the subscription out of my own personal funds. It has been worth every penny, and I would have gladly paid more. I am able to find books that are perfect for my students' reading levels as well as their interests. I also use the decodable books to help my students focus on particular sounds.
Virginia S. Mayfield; Reading Specialist; Lawn Elementary; Jim Ned Independent School District; Lawn, TX

I have a seven-year-old grandson with Down syndrome. I am constantly looking for things for him online. I was very excited to stumble upon your site. He was so excited about Go Animals Go and Get In. Most of the words in both books were words he knew, so he felt very smart. Thank you for helping Joey’s education. I can only imagine how many other kids you are helping.
Karen Ann Mantin; New Brunswick, Canada

I am teaching my own child with special needs. Previously, my son was enrolled in a general-ed classroom. He is severely language impaired. He was not successful in the classroom. His reading and math lagged far behind his peers'. With Reading A-Z, his reading improved and so did his math scores. It is proof that a child who was thought to be unteachable can learn to read and comprehend. Thank you!
Justina Cracchiolo, Parent

Your web site is brilliant. I am trying to teach my son at home, as he is unwell and as I don't have much money to buy resources. I have found your site so useful. My son loves the activities that go along with the reading.
Sue Fitz; Sussex, England

I have used the books for my junior and senior classes at the Illinois School for the Deaf. My students read at about a third- or fourth-grade level, so I love the short books on subjects that are age-appropriate for older students who cannot read well, such as Mummies, Bats, and What’s in a Name? We just finished Sally Ride for the sophomore language class. I used this short book to teach the students how to summarize an introduction, characters, and setting, and how to briefly explain the plot. It was a perfect book for teaching that concept.
Lynda Drake; High-School Language Teacher; Illinois School for the Deaf; Jacksonville, IL

I teach in a third-grade classroom, but I have a lot of children with special needs. At the beginning of the year, many read at first- and second-grade levels or lower. I could not afford to purchase all those books to meet the reading levels of my students. In January, I discovered Reading A-Z at a workshop. My students love your books; they understand what they read and are eager to read. They feel successful. Thank you again for providing a wonderful variety of reading books, worksheets, and ideas.
Dianna Esh; Pioneer Elementary; Glendale, AZ

I use materials from your Web site in my classroom daily. Reading A-Z, in my opinion, is one of the best teacher Web sites available.
Jeanne Woods; Special Education Provider, K-12; Pilot Grove C-4; Pilot Grove, MO

As a special-education teacher, I have to say that your Web site has been so helpful. Without it, I do not think I would be able to accommodate different levels or interest my students in reading. Your books are excellent because they have many nonfiction titles, which my boys seem to love. I also really enjoy that the pictures in the books reflect the diversity in my classroom. I love the story about the boy getting new glasses. The illustrations look just like one of my students who also recently started wearing glasses. The story spoke to him.
Lesley Pysklywec; Special Education (Learning Disabilities, Grade 3-6); Howard P.S.; Toronto, Ontario, Canada

So often, special-education teachers are given regular materials and told to adapt them. These books and lessons are appropriate for children with special needs and ready for use.
Nina Wormuth; John Adams School; Scranton, PA

This Web site has been a wonderful resource for our school. I am a special-education teacher always on the prowl for lower-level readers for my children.
Robin Nicoletti; Hooksett Village School; Hooksett, NH

I teach 12- to 14-year-olds. I have students who are reading at the AA level and students who are reading at the U level and almost every level in between. I especially appreciate your assortment of books that are high interest and low vocabulary. It's very hard to find books that don't look too babyish for my students.
Rhonda Whittington; Dalewood School; St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

I'm a special-education teacher (fourth, fifth, and sixth grades) and use Reading A-Z materials. What a wonderful resource. I can adjust lessons as necessary and still give my students the feeling of success and accomplishment.
Ginny Carlson; Pat Henry Elementary School; Lawton, OK

You can't imagine the difference you have made in my special-education students' reading. They love these books.
Nancy Barnes; Gautier Middle School; MS

Readinga-z.com is really something wonderful. I'm a special educator, and you are helping me so much with all the material you are creating.
Rosita Rioseco