I've written this before, but it is worth repeating. We are a busy family! We are constantly on the go with therapies, ministry and the like. Anything that makes our homeschooling easier is more than welcome in this family. K5 Learning has done just that. It is a computer based learning program for students in, well, K (kindergarten) through grade 5 - hence the name K5 Learning! Joshua has really enjoyed and learned a lot from this great learning tool! Now, I enjoy computer based programs because most require very little parental involvement. This program was no exception. I really didn't have to be around when he was doing his lessons. That is a plus for us. With a high school student and a learning challenged preschool student that I am trying to teach as well, having a learning tool where I don't have to be right there all of the time is a bonus. The only drawback is that it is always a fight to get my computer back!
K5 Learning doesn't cover just one subject.
One great thing about K5 Learning is that it doesn't just cover one subject. So many computer programs are just math based, or reading based. Those programs usually do their job well. However, sometimes a parent wants help in more than just subject. Instead of having a program for math and then another curriculum for reading, K5 Learning covers both. In fact it covers several areas:
- Reading - a myriad of lessons that covers all aspects of reading from phonics to advanced reading comprehension. I'll talk more about this one later in my review.
- Spelling and Vocabulary - the K5 Learning program either generates spelling words for you or you can plug in your own words. When the word appears, the page also displays the definition, a sentence with the word in it that you can click and hear it read to you, a button to click to see a picture of the word, or even a button to click to hear and see the word in different languages. You are given a series of words to spell if you spell it correctly, the next word pops up and you are never given that word again. If you spell in incorrectly, you are given more hints, and you can't move on until it is spelled right.
- Math Concepts - covers everything from the basic numbers and operations to measurements and even geometry, algebra and data analysis.
- Math Facts - K5 Learning believes that you must get the basic facts down, so they have developed a game where a student sees a math fact and has to answer it in a certain amount of time. The time is set for 2 seconds, but it is adjustable to fit each student.
One thing that I really like about K5 Learning is that it gives a parent choices.
Another thing that I really like is that it gives parents choices. If a child is right on grade level then the parent can just start him at that particular grade level. Unfortunately, when it comes to grade levels for different subjects, Joshua is all over the board. He is at one grade level for one subject, but at another grade level for another. Well, that's no problem for K5 Learning. You can assign a different grade level for different subjects.
Sometimes, though, it is hard to determine where a child's grade level is. K5 learning has assessment tools for Reading and Math that finds where the learner is and begins his learning process where he needs to be.
Finally, though, there are times where you know that a student needs help in a specific area. Like, maybe, fractions when it comes to math, or reading comprehension when it comes to reading. Well, K5 Learning allows you to look at a list of all of the lessons and assign what lessons you want for your child to learn. This is where I want to elaborate a little more.
I really like programs that allow you to fit the program to the child's needs. That's what K5 Learning allowed us to do and it has really benefited Joshua because of that.
Joshua, as most of you know, has aspergers syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum. One of the typical problems with many aspergers kids is that they don't understand things like idioms and inferences. It's hard for them to "read between the lines" so to speak. Since K5 Learning allows you to pick out the different areas that you want your child to focus on, I chose all of the reading comprehension lessons from drawing conclusions to context clues to cause and effect to getting the main idea. You name it, if it involved reading comprehension that's what I assigned to him. Joshua really enjoyed the lessons with the modern "hip" characters. And, I really liked it because, although the characters were a little more modern and different than some programs use, they weren't disrespectful or they didn't say anything inappropriate or weren't dressed inappropriately.
Finally, K5 Learning has great progress reports for parents. Almost everything that you can think of is listed if you want it to be. You can access basic reports, or you can access more detailed reports. It's all up to you. Isn't that neat?
So, how much is all of this (plus other things like printable math worksheets that I didn't mention because it would make this review way too long)? A monthly subscription to the K5 Learning website is $25 for the first child with each additional child $15 per month. An annual subscription is $199 for the first child and $129 for each additional child. Now, I know that these prices may seem high. I can attest, though, that because of the TOS Homeschool Crew I have reviewed many online programs and this is a great price for all that you get. Remember, you aren't just getting ,math or reading, you are getting math, reading, spelling/vocabulary and math facts. If you were to purchase a separate curriculum for each one of these things, it would often cost much more. And, for those of you who are looking for extra help for your students, remember, a one hour session with a tutor often costs much more than $25. The $25 you will spending per month for K5 Learning gives you unlimited access. Don't take my word for how neat this program is, though. Try K5 Learning's free, no credit card needed (that's always a plus for me) 14 day free trial. Just click here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above.
As usual, other members of the TOS Homeschool Crew reviewed K5 Learning and you can find what they had to say by clicking here. Happy Home Educating!
As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was given a free limited time subscription to K5 Learning to try out and give my honest review on my blog.
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