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Reviews

Our son, Seth was non-verbal and severely delayed through his toddler and early school years and displayed severe autistic symptoms from about a year old. He was in his own world, not social and very poor in his receptive/expressive/cognitive skills. Very few things brought him out of that world as far as interests and awareness. It was hard to know what all he knew. As soon as I read about RIOA’s methodology of rhythm, rhyme and repetition, I felt that this could perhaps help in his early learning. The first 3 books I read (Brown Bear, Hungry Caterpillar and Is your Mama A Llama) broke through the barrier of his world into our world. He LOVED it! Within a short time, he began repeating the words, making eye contact, smiling/laughing at the pictures and my animation of the stories! He was about 4 years old (2015 when we started) and started engaging with me and then our family. By the time we ended the program, he was reciting the books by memory. He brought me the books to read to him again and again (hence RIOA’s name). He started conversing with others (early speech of words and phrases) and we felt his foundation of learning had been set. By the time we started homeschooling him at 6 years old, he could understand directions and follow them. And most importantly, he was verbal enough to give me output on what he understood and learned. He could give me feedback!!! As we continued other functional therapies which built on this foundation, we saw his cognition, awareness of his surroundings, interest in people, social skills with family, friends and strangers boost to whole new levels! He calls people by name and knows who belongs to which families. Just a whole range of learnings. We are so thankful he is mostly in our world (the big picture world) than in his own world. My husband and I prayed way back that we would hear him talk one day (we only had heard his voice in our dreams at night) which happened, we believe, starting with the help of RIOA. Today, we can’t believe that we actually have to tell him at times, not to talk too much! :-). God lead us to your site that one day in 2015 and we are eternally grateful! Keep up the great work you are doing! Overall, we give God all the credit and glory and praise!
 
Best wishes for the success of RIOA!!
Art and Joy Kellenberger

I have found the Read It Once Again curriculum to be an excellent tool to help improve my student’s language skills. The curriculum offers the necessary structure for young children, yet it is flexible enough to allow a teacher to respond to her student’s individual needs. The curriculum also allows the teacher to use her individual style of teaching and her creativity. This versatile curriculum also provides the needed tools to address the motor, cognitive, social, and daily living domains.

Through the years I have seen my student’s skills, particularly language skills, blossom with this curriculum. I believe that its roots in rhyme, rhythm and repetition are a key factor in the success that this curriculum often brings.

Many parents comment on their child’s improved behavior and language skill about 2-4 months after beginning the program. Skills continue to improve through the years. The children who tend to have the greatest success are the ones who are identified at three years old and attend the program for 2-3 years.

Being able to send home the storybook at the end of each month is an excellent way to help parents help their children improve their language skills. Many parents comment that the books we send home are the first books that their children are able to sit and listen to.

When I first saw Rae teaching this curriculum, I knew that this was the way to teach our young children. The more I taught the curriculum, the more I liked it. As the years continue to go by, I continue to be amazed not only at the progress of our students, but how much I enjoy using the curriculum. What I take home with me everyday, and what brings me back each morning is the heartfelt joy of knowing that so many of my students have new found skills and confidence because of what we are able to accomplish in our classroom.

Ms. Nancy Bailey

PCD Teacher

“I am the Principal at The Kauri Sue Hamilton School in Riverton, UT and our students all have significant multiple disabilities. Our staff and students love your products! I saw your display at CEC in Nashville in 2010 and our school has been hooked ever since. We own every book set you’ve created and hope you’ll make more. You have become our elementary literacy program and your curriculum guides allow teachers to create month-long lessons that incorporate the story into math, art, home ec and music. This past summer our teachers took time to develop an Adapted Literacy Lesson Plan for each book. Key vocabulary words were identified, picture symbols were created and prediction and comprehension questions were developed. With very little planning time each day, our staff are grateful for your materials and our additions that give them valuable literacy curriculum materials to use all month long. The colorful worksheets and picture materials available on your CD’s are wonderful for capturing students’ attention and adding to lessons. Thanks! “
Rita Wetzstein

Bouillon, Principal

We started using these great book units in September and have found them to be an invaluable resource for our students! We have three classrooms of preschoolers with special needs currently using the books and are looking to expand to our center-based programs! Our preschoolers absolutely loved From Head to Toe!!
Julie Canaday Graham

I purchased three units at the EC conference in 2009. I brought them back to my county, and the EC staffed loved them. In fact, the county purchased two entire sets!
Amanda Waugh-Strickler

I Love Every Part of this Program! I have taught for 25 years and am pleased to say this is a GOLD MEDAL program. Our SLP introduced it to me and I bought at least 10 units to use. This is the best…My Early Childhood Special Education students are really enjoying these units. Can’t wait to see Level 2 as we look at RTI in Michigan!
Carolyn Ball Gibson

Read It Once Again is awesome for my preschoolers. I only have two units at this point but the speech pathologists have all the units. I’m jealous. Maybe I could write a grant to purchase the units.
Stephanie Marullo-Demonte

I absolutely love the units! I have 16 of them and share with my coworkers frequently. They are a great planning guide for my classroom and help me cover all aspects of learning – I love the gross motor activities and fine motor activities that are included. What a great resource! Can’t wait to see the “Give a Mouse a Cookie” unit!
Shannon Kiser Somerville

As an SLP I love all units and activities provided. One of the preschool classes I work with use the units throughout the school. The curriculum helps me to collaborate with the teacher and ensure carryover.
Heather Pittillo

My son always LOVED Read It Once Again as a preschooler and I’m so glad they have now made a level 2! I hope you continue to increase in the levels becasuse this is such a great concept and really helps my child to learn! Thanks!
Sarah Power Love

I LOVE my Read It Once Again units and would not consider going to preschool without them! We have the most fun on book party days….when everyone gets their own copy, just like the teacher’s, of our book. What a treat to see our sweet people “reading” everywhere we look!
Sandra Daniel Faggart

The success rate with returning preschool students with developmental delays to regular educational programming by first grade has exceeded 80%. I am certain this level of success could not have been achieved without the implementation of the “Read It Once Again” program.

More than 10 years ago experienced teachers of young children initially chose the program in my district and have embraced it completely, its real value may be with teachers new to the profession due to its integrated, comprehensive nature.

It is especially rewarding to see an effective, reasonably priced curriculum guide that is implemented with fidelity on a daily basis rather than sitting on a shelf. Considering the outstanding results of our students, the cost of the program, and the enthusiasm of the teachers using this program, this is money well spent.

Robert K. Hatchette, Ph.D.

We had a staff meeting Monday to review the first 6 weeks of school and one of our topics was curriculum. Everyone is so enthusiastic about your program and we decided we would like the materials for the other books we are using this year! I’ve just placed an order for Goodnight, Moon, which is our November book, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is our April selection.

Yesterday, we invited our parents to come see our play of The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything. Our Kindergarten teacher read the story while the Kindergarteners acted it out, in appropriate attire, of course!, and all the other Little Saints chimed in with each pair of words. Even the toddler class could participate because of the number of times we’ve read the story in each class. It was a big hit and our parents were very complimentary of what we are doing. Thank you for being such a big part of that success this year!

We have really enjoyed using such a creative and easy-to-use curriculum. Also, we quote you often from the presentation you gave us in August. Our staff is very happy!

St. Luke’s Little Saints Preschool & Kindergarten
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church
770.393.1424 x240

Carol G. Perry

Director, St. Luke’s Little Saints Preschool & Kindergarten

Hi, Just want to say that I am loving your curriculum and have been sharing with lots of people. Parents are also loving it. I have been working on developing Rubrics to help with assessment.Thanks for all of this work you have put into developing READ IT ONCE AGAIN. I am just getting started and find it so much fun and the kids are really excited to start a new book each month.
Joan Rees