Logic of English Foundations’ activity-rich lessons, comprehensive and easy to teach curriculum, fun readers and proven approach to teaching can go a long way in making the experience of learning English language skills easier and a lot more enjoyable for all involved.
So, if you are looking for a full, multisensory English curriculum for ages 4-7 that is as comprehensive as it is fun to teach and learn from, Logic of English Foundations might be right for you.
What We Like
But watch out for…
What Is Logic Of English Foundations
Created by literacy specialist and author Denise Eide, Logic of English Foundations is a complete Orton-Gillingham-inspired language arts curriculum.
Throughout its integrative lessons, the program teaches phonics, reading, spelling, grammar, handwriting and composition through a combination of clear, rules-based instruction and using a variety of highly engaging and multisensory activities and games.
Logic of English Foundations is available as a traditional pen-and-paper curriculum, and as an online, video-assisted program.
What Ages Or Grades Is Foundations Designed For?
Logic of English’s Foundations curriculum is intended to teach students at the very beginning of their English language journey and starts its instruction at the very beginning of literacy, i.e. with letter recognition, essential phonograms and phonemics, letter formation in writing and so on.
Broadly speaking, it can therefore be said to be aimed at students around Pre-K to grade 2, or about 4-7, where such learning usually begins.
That said, Logic of English Foundations is more of a skill-based program.
There are four sequential levels to the program, Levels A-D, and rather than being divided by grade or age, they are focused on the practical, step-by-step development and mastery of certain knowledge and skill in phonics, writing, grammar, spelling and more.
Because Foundations is more skill-focused, it can more easily and comfortably be used to teach students who fall outside the normal age or grade range for early language programs.
Both precocious learners and students who are a bit behind in their language skills can make good use of Logic of English Foundations to establish and hone their basic literacy and writing skills, and because it makes no obvious reference to intended age or grade, they can do so in a far less intimidating or embarrassing way.
Program Entry Options and Placement Tests
It is important to note that Logic of English Foundations is a little more advanced than some other early literacy curricula out there.
The course follows its own scope and sequence and tends to introduce topics earlier than many other programs, particularly common core aligned ones.
More importantly each level tends to refer to and build upon the knowledge and skill developed in the previous one.
Consequently, unlike some other programs out there, parents and students can’t really just start wherever they feel most comfortable and are urged to begin at either Level A or B.
Being that it is an at-home learning program, there really isn’t anything stopping parents from doing what they’d like, but it should be noted that level C and D rely heavily on skills developed in earlier levels, making them less favorable entry points since students can easily get lost.
Even with just two potential entry points to the program, levels A and B, it can be a little hard for homeschooling families switching into the program from another to know exactly where to start.
Happily, Logic of English has a variety of placement tests and recommendations that can help parents find the right for their child.
As a start, parents can get a recommendation from the company using an online questionnaire that is located on the company website.
Starting with the age of the student, the form then asks a series of increasingly specific questions that sort of hone in on the specific knowledge and skills that a student might already possess.
Depending on parental response and the student’s age, the questions can get pretty specific and detailed.
At the end, the form offers suggestions as to which level might be the best place to start and even offers some resources to help the parent make sure, such as placement tests and readings.
For homeschoolers, this questionnaire, while a good place to start and certainly a lot easier than a formal placement test or other skill evaluation, does have parents make some judgment calls about their students ability and so requires parents to have some understanding of their own child’s knowledge and skill in English.
For those who need a little more help or would like a more fine grained process, the company also helpfully provides a PDF placement test for Foundations Level B so that parents can see if it’s right for their child.
The PDF is more involved than the online questionnaire and more in line with a traditional curriculum placement test.
It comprehensively tests an assortment of English language skills, such as phonics awareness, including phonemics, decoding and blending skills, as well as spelling, handwriting and more.
The test is pretty heavily scripted, making it quite easy for new homeschooling parents to use. Parents are essentially given a series of tasks or questions to administer to their student and simply mark whether the student responds correctly or incorrectly based on the answers and details provided.
The test is fairly long at 25 questions, but requires far fewer judgment calls about the student and their skills, potentially yielding far more accurate and meaningful results to help parents decide if their student is ready to begin at a more advanced level.
Ultimately, with both an automated recommendation engine and a traditional placement test, Logic of English is a little more thoughtful compared to other programs when it comes to helping students get started.
What’s Required To Teach The Program?
As might be expected of an all in one English language program, there are quite a few components included at each level of Logic of English Foundations.
The materials for each level can be divided into two groups- volume-specific material, i.e. books and materials unique to each level, and what the company refers to as its Core Materials, which are one time purchases that will be reused throughout the program.
Core Materials
The Core Materials for Foundations are a number of one-time purchases that are required to support each level’s lessons. These include:
Basic Phonogram Flash Cards – A set of 77 thick 4.5″ X 6″ cards upon which single and multi-letter phonograms are printed.
These cards are used in lessons to support phonics learning as a traditional visual aide for parents to use in introducing sounds, as well as through various in-lesson activities, such as a twist on the traditional stoplight game where students take a step forward if they can pronounce phonogram(s) printed on the card when shown by the parent or teacher.
There is also a set of Spelling Rule Flash Cards, used in later parts of the course (Foundations D), which are similar but have short spelling rules printed on them, rather than letter-sounds.
Phonogram Game Card Set (Cursive or Manuscript) – These are two decks of cards designed to be handled and used as sort of playing cards for various in-lesson games.
In addition to the 75 basic phonograms, these cards also include various “action” cards, whose specific purpose depends on the rules of the game in question.
Phonogram Game Tiles – These are laminated, color coded paper squares printed with various phonograms. Fairly thick and durable, they come in an easily separated sheet and are designed to be used as manipulatives for hands-on phonics and spelling learning.
Adding a hands-on component to the program, in effect students can use them to move sounds around and build words as part of a lesson or as part of various games and activities.
Phonogram & Spelling Rule Quick Reference – This is sort of a handy folding chart that contains a quick summary of the various rules for spelling and phonics reading included in the program, such as affix rules, advanced phonograms and their pronunciation, various spelling rules, exceptions to note, and more.
This is designed to be something that parents can quickly look at to answer students’ questions or clarify something for themselves in a lesson without having to stop and look things up in the teacher’s manual.
Spelling Analysis Quick Reference – This is sort of a two-sided, small chart with step-by-step instructions for practicing student spelling with word lists according to the process laid out in the Logic of English.
Much like the Phonogram & Spelling Rule Quick Reference, these can be very handy if a parent wants to put the teacher’s manual away and work more closely (or more informally) with their student.
Rhythm of Handwriting Tactile Cards (Cursive or Manuscript) – The handwriting tactile cards are actually kind of interesting as they are printed alphabet cards (in print or cursive) with fine texturing on them.
A twist on the classic Orton-Gillingham tactile exercise, students can use these cards to trace the various movements of writing with their fingers, honing their kinesthetic memory for writing letters as they trace their swoops, swings and strokes.
Rhythm of Handwriting Quick Reference (Cursive or Manuscript) – Another reference chart, these contain brief instructions (in cursive or in print) of the motions needed to write out letters in the method and manner outlined in the Rhythm of Handwriting component of the program.
Student Whiteboard – Finally, Logic of English Foundations makes use of a whiteboard upon which a student can practice their handwriting using a dry erase marker.
The whiteboard is pre-printed with helpful boundary lines that help keep students handwriting neat and in correct proportion.
In general it looks and acts like a classic handwriting practice sheet, but in far more reusable and environmentally-friendly format.
Volume Specific Materials
In addition to the core materials, each level of the Foundation series requires specific teaching material to teach its lessons.
As of writing these are:
| Direct Teaching Material | Plus |
| Level A Teacher’s Manual and Student Workbook | Doodling Dragons: An ABC Book of Sounds |
| Level B Teacher’s Manual and Student Workbook | Whistling Whales: Beyond the Sounds of ABC, Foundation B Readers, Foundations B Readers: Young Artist Series |
| Level C Teacher’s Manual and Student Workbook | Knitting Knights: Beyond the Sounds of ABC, Foundation B Readers, Miles and Jax, Miles and Jax: Master Planners |
| Level D Teacher’s Manual and Student Workbook | Foundation D Readers |
Teacher’s Manuals
Logic of English Foundations Teacher’s Manuals contain essentially everything parents need to teach the program.
Each manual contains fully-scripted lesson plans that provide fairly detailed instructions for delivering phonics, spelling and handwriting instruction.
They also provide help on how to organize the material, introduce subjects, run the various in-lesson activities and games and offer advice and troubleshooting on issues that parents commonly encounter, making them fairly comprehensive in scope.
The Foundations Teacher’s manuals are full-color softcover books that are about 240-345 pages long, so while fairly detailed and expansive they are still reasonably sized and easy to carry and keep.
Student Workbooks
The Foundations Student Workbooks are something of a blend between a traditional curriculum workbook and activity book.
Around 230-290 pages long, these books contain material (lists, pictures, etc) that students will use in-lesson as directed by the parent, such as lists of words and phonograms.
They also contain various reviews and exercises in reading, spelling and handwriting that students use to build skill fluency.
Like the Teacher’s Manual, they are full-color and are illustrated, making them a little bit more interesting for kids to use and look at compared to the black and white workbooks provided by most programs, which is nice.
Letter-Sound Correspondence Books
Levels A, B and C also make use of letter-sound correspondence books – Doodling Dragons, Whistling Whales and Knitting Knights.
Each book contains examples of single and multi-letter phonograms, and they are richly illustrated, with the idea that using cute cartoon artwork and various humorous phrases can help demonstrate sounds in a more engaging and memorable way.
These are read aloud-style books and their use is integrated into a lesson’s reading work, with fully detailed instructions for their use.
Readers
As might be expected from a language arts program, there are also a variety of readers used in Logic of English Foundations to help students practice their reading, decoding and sight word skills.
In general, the readers are an assortment of short leveled, fun texts that are richly illustrated using both hand drawings and fun photos.
Depending on the level, these can be either fiction or non-fiction books specifically designed for the program and are strongly linked to the individual lessons at each level, reinforcing their specific phonics learning on the way.
The fiction readers, such as Fred the Frog, Max and Can Pete Pick a Pet?, are short and to the point, filled with rhyme and humor that younger students should enjoy.
The non-fiction readers, on the other hand, introduce STEM and multicultural topics, which can help broaden their general knowledge as well as help them with their reading, which is a definite plus.
Miles and Jax
Finally, Level C introduces a book series called Miles and Jax.
These are a couple short stories about a boy named Miles and his friend Jax, a talking meerkat and are, in essence, controlled readers specific to Logic of English, meaning they align with the pace and skills of the lessons for C.
Cute and fun, these stories provide a sense of continuity that kids can enjoy (kind of like their first real “series” of books), compared to the stand alone readers in other levels, which is nice.
Technology Integration
Logic of English Foundations does a pretty good job when it comes to the use of technology compared to many other competing English Language curricula out there, which tend to be pretty traditional pen and paper only programs.
In addition to the physical books and materials, parents can opt to purchase and use PDFs of all the books, including readers and letter sound books, for use on tablets and computers if they prefer paperless learning (or just prefer to keep their house less cluttered).
There are also song apps to accompany the letter sound books, which add an additional auditory component and are kind of fun and memorable for students.
Finally, the company also offers Logic of English Foundations online, which we’ll discuss below.
Logic of English Foundations Online
Logic of English has begun introducing an online version of its Foundations curricula.
Using the same basic materials as the traditional Foundations courses, the online courses provide parents with a variety of digital content to help teach the course, including videos teaching phonics and practice, handwriting and spelling, with new content being added regularly.
These videos, taught by the founder of the program, essentially go through and teach the courses’ lesson material.
To give parents an idea of what Foundations Online is like, a sample video of its instruction can be seen below:
In addition to the videos there is also a variety of interactive digital content that kids can make use of and work with on screen, such as memory games, matching games, typing activities, dictation exercises and more.
Logic of English Foundations Online isn’t really intended to replace the parent or turn Foundations into a self-study program.
Parents will still need to oversee the learning, participate in certain games and help students out in general, however this online program significantly simplifies teaching the program and can be of great help to very busy parents and/or those who are uncertain of their own ability to teach English.
On the downside, like most other online courses, Logic of English Foundations Online is a subscription service, and access to its materials is limited to a year.
Therefore, parents looking to use it with younger siblings will have to re-subscribe to do so.
How It Works
When starting out with Foundations, parents have the option of starting out in Level A or B, depending on their child’s readiness and previous exposure to reading and language arts, and with the help of the Logic of English placement test and recommendations.
Although the program moves at its own pace, scope and sequence, broadly speaking Level A introduces the earliest fundamentals of English language instruction, roughly corresponding to K-1 standards, while B builds upon that and continues through grade 1 and includes some grade 2 standards.
As the program continues into later grades, Logic of English Foundations continues to progressively and sequentially build upon previous learning.
Each level in Logic of English Foundations consists of 40 lessons and 8 periodic reviews (one after every 5 lessons).
Comprehensive and Integrated English Language Program
Logic of English Foundations teaches phonics, reading, spelling and handwriting, and does so in an integrated way, with each lesson having specific sections dedicated to each of these skills.
At Level A, for example, a full lesson may include sections dedicated to:
- Phonemic Awareness – where students learn to identify sounds from hearing words
- Handwriting – where students practice different strokes used to create letters
- Phonogram Practice – Where students practice working with different letter sounds
- Words – students practice their spelling with simple words
- Reading – students practice reading relatively simple words and, later short phrases
As students move on in the series the instruction becomes more in tune with the burgeoning skills and abilities of the student.
In Level D, for example, a full lesson may include:
- Advanced Phonogram – where students and parents explore more unusual phonograms, such as aigh
- Phonogram Practice – Where students and parents then practice and review their phonograms
- Spelling Rules– Where students learn formal spelling rules
- Spelling – Where students get practice in spelling with word lists
- Grammar – where students are introduced to and practice more formal English grammar rules
- Reading – Students practice reading with their readers and associated books
- Writing – Students learn to organize and create a piece of written work, often based on the readings
With several different topics covered in each lesson, parents can be forgiven for wondering if Foundations lessons aren’t a bit long, particularly for the intended age group.
Happily, Logic of English keeps each lesson relatively short (usually only a few pages), with each individual subject’s teaching and activities kept pretty tightly focused.
As a result, parents and students can cover multiple ELA topics but only need to spend between 20-90 minutes per lesson (depending on the level and student’s own progress, of course), and cover a level in a semester or so, making it a pretty efficient curriculum that’s not too strenuous on student attention, all things considered.
Overall, we feel Logic of English Foundations lessons are very comprehensive in scope.
Each lesson in the program touches on all the essential components of early English language instruction (phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting) in a fairly balanced way, making it less likely for parents and students to neglect any one component by accident.
Because each lesson rotates through different topics, they are also a bit more dynamic than some other programs.
With lessons divided up, students aren’t bogged down in one ELA subject for as long and are therefore less likely to get bored or frustrated, particularly since each component of the lesson (spelling, reading, phonics or handwriting) tends to involve very different physical activities and/or games.
On the downside, however, it does mean that parents do have to be a little more on top of their organization and prep, since they will usually have to get a number of different items from different subjects together before each lesson.
It also means that parents need to pay a little closer attention to their student and their progress and be willing to adjust their teaching pace a little bit if a student is having difficulty in one aspect of the lesson.
One thing we really like, and feel is worth noting, is that the program’s handwriting component offers instruction in both script and cursive.
This effectively allows parents to choose which method of handwriting they would like their child to learn first, an added bit of flexibility and thought that’s not usually found in other programs.
Orton-Gillingham Instruction
Logic of English Foundations is based on the Orgon-Gillinham method of English language instruction, a proven, hands-on method of teaching reading, writing and language to dyslexic and nondyselxic students alike.
This approach has a few characteristics to it that can make Logic of English Foundations a little different than other early English language curricula.
Systematic and Structured Teaching
Lessons in Logic of English Foundations are systematic and structured.
At each level they follow a consistent pattern of instruction and reinforcement, introducing ideas, skills and concepts the same way from lesson to lesson, which can help students feel more familiar and secure with the program and their learning.
Explicit, Rules-Based Instruction
Whether it is teaching phonics, spelling, grammar or even handwriting, Logic of English Foundations explicitly teaches students specific rules and strategies they can use to perform a task, rather than teaching through exposure to literature or by building an intuitive sense.
In this way, it is similar to programs such as Spell to Read and Write, and All About Reading or All About Spelling.
This explicit, rules-based approach is perhaps most evident in reading, spelling and grammar, which have specific lesson components and teaching cards associated with them, but it also exists for handwriting, with students being taught very specific methods of drawing letters, with direction and stroke being explicitly outlined for them.
Sequential & Cumulative Learning
Starting from the absolute fundamentals of language, Logic of English Foundations teaches English language instruction in a careful step by step manner, where each new level slowly builds upon the previous level’s skills and knowledge.
Level A, for example, starts at the very beginning, helping students understand that letters and words are made of blended sounds, and introducing the most basic phonograms.
The course then builds upon this basic understanding until, by Level D, students are beginning to read and comprehend short stories and texts on their own, writing responses and begin honing their understanding of formal spelling and grammar rules.
As a result of this step by step, cumulative approach, Logic of English Foundations can be far less overwhelming/frustrating for students than some other programs, although it does ultimately make the program a little harder to switch into from other curricula, especially at the more advanced levels.
Multisensory Learning
Finally, Logic of English Foundations is a very multisensory, hands-on English language arts curriculum.
Each lesson in the program contains a number of opportunities for students to see, listen and feel what they’re learning through the use of dialogues, flashcards, games, letter manipulatives, sandpaper letter cards and more.
Perhaps most characteristic of this approach to learning are the various tactile ways in which students practice their writing.
In line with the classic Orton-Gillingham methods of learning to write letters, with Foundations students trace and erase letters with their fingers, practice air writing, use tactile cards and are even encouraged to make use of various fun props.
What are Logic of English Foundations Lessons Like?
Lesson Structure
As mentioned above, Logic of English Foundations is an integrative and complete English language arts curriculum.
Typically, lessons begin with a brief overview of the objectives for that lesson, letting parents know and keep track of what general concepts are being taught for each component of the lesson (handwriting, spelling, phonics, etc), and provides a fairly detailed list of any materials that will be needed for the lesson (flashcards, letter tiles, readings, various home goods, for example).
Following this, parents and students dive into learning.
As might be expected, what students learn largely depends on the level, but lessons do follow a somewhat consistent format throughout the program.
Broadly speaking, these are:
- Phonics instruction (Phonemic Awareness, Phonograms, Systematic Phonics & Advanced Phonograms)
- Handwriting (in Levels A & B)
- Vocabulary, Spelling and Grammar
- Reading and Reading Comprehension
- Writing (in later levels)
What is interesting in teaching Logic of English Foundations is that, rather than splitting reading, writing, spelling and grammar into different lessons or days, each lesson touches upon these skills (adjusted for age and ability), with the lessons divided up into smaller, topical sub-lessons that parents and students work through in sequence.
In other words, students don’t so much have individual “reading,” “spelling” or “writing” lessons as they do full English Language Arts lessons.
As a result, students won’t spend a complete lesson solely doing phonics, spelling, writing or handwriting practice, but rather these skills and their requisite knowledge are broken down into more manageable chunks and are rotated through.
For instance, over the course of a lesson, students may work on a little systematic phonics, then spend time working on their vocabulary, then do some spelling work, before pulling out their readers and doing some reading and composition work.
As mentioned previously, this has the effect of making lessons more dynamic and more manageable for students, since they aren’t likely to get as bogged down and bored as they might be spending a full hour working on spelling for example, but does require a bit more organizational skill on the part of parents to keep everything running smoothly.
Reviews
Each level of Foundations has 40 lessons. After every 5 lessons, three is a review lesson (8 in total) that assesses the material learned to that point.
This not only allows parents to get a good idea of how their student is doing and progressing, and whether they need extra help in certain areas or not, but also provides a good opportunity for students to get more dedicated and comprehensive practice in specific skills, which is very helpful.
Unlike many other programs, these review lessons aren’t simple reading and dictation tests, but are actually quite hands-on and interactive.
Much like the instructional lessons, these assessments often involve activities and games that students undertake or pla, which makes these reviews far less stressful for the child and perhaps a better indicator of their true abilities.
Interestingly, and helpfully, at the end of each assessment parents are given specific ideas and resources to help their student get more practice in specific skills if they need it, so parents aren’t left to figure things out on their own.
In addition to periodic, dedicated review, the program also offers plenty of concept and skill review in lessons, so students can get more consistent reinforcement what they are learning throughout their lessons.
Activities
Logic of English Foundations is an activity-rich curriculum.
Throughout each lesson, usually after information is formally introduced, students and parents engage in a variety of activities, challenges and games that reinforce the learning and get students more physically engaged with the material.
These activities can range from more traditional whiteboard and tile work, roleplaying activities, various card games, tic tac toe, phonogram bingo, activities where kids (and parents) run around the room completing tasks and much much more.
Aside from making the curriculum far more multisensory, this activity-based approach makes Foundations lessons a lot more fun for both parents and students.
Students who find it tedious being lectured to (and parents who dislike a dry approach to teaching) will enjoy this hands-on and kinesthetic approach to language learning, and the more engaging nature of the lessons can help students better absorb and retain the information presented, which is a definite plus.
How Easy Is Logic Of English: Foundations To Teach?
Although there can be a lot of moving parts to each lesson, with multiple sub-lessons and lots of materials to keep track of, Logic of English Foundations is actually very easy to teach and is very much an open and go curriculum.
The Teacher’s Manuals are fully scripted, providing parents with a step-by-step, direct and even illustrated series of instructions they can follow to teach the necessary concepts and skills to their student.
In fact, we feel that these are so comprehensively scripted that even parents who have never taught English before or are even new to homeschooling altogether should have no issue teaching a lesson.
The lessons do require parents and students to engage in a variety of games and activities, but these are similarly well-scripted, providing parents with full instructions on how to carry them out and what to emphasize as part of the learning.
Finally, Logic of English provides a great many tips and suggestions located on the margins of its pages that can help parents better understand what they’re doing, what to look out for and can even help with troubleshooting common problems that students may have.
The only real drawback with the program in terms of teaching is that, with flashcards, whiteboard work, letter cards, tiles and more in a lesson, parents will need to spend time organizing and reviewing the lesson plan before each lesson to ensure that it progresses smoothly and they don’t have to spend time looking for things around the house.
Parents should be aware, however, that Logic of English Foundations is very far from being a self-teaching/independent learning program for kids.
With so many activities and direct instruction, it does require parents to not only teach but also be actively and personally engaged in the learning and activities, which can be an issue for busier homeschools.
Pros And Cons Of Logic Of English: Foundations
Pros
Multisensory, hands-on English Language program
Unlike many other English language curricula, which are largely audio and visual, Logic of English Foundations includes a wide variety of tactile and kinesthetic activities that allow students to move around, touch and play during lessons, which can increase their engagement and deepen their learning.
Easy, open and go curriculum
Logic of English Foundations is a fully-scripted curriculum that provides ample, step-by-step instructions that guide parents through the lessons, letting them teach the material effectively without any assumption of previous experience or knowledge in teaching.
Lots of engaging activities in each lesson
Every lesson in Foundations includes a wide variety of activities and games that, aside from making the program more multisensory, also make its lessons far more engaging and fun for students and parents alike.
Lots of opportunities for review and practice
With its various activities, games and periodic review lessons, Logic of English Foundations provides students with a good amount of practice and revision to help them better absorb, remember and be able to perform the skills and information they are taught.
Well-illustrated and fun readers and letter-sound books
Unlike other curricula, which can use plain, black and white texts and passages, Logic of English uses richly illustrated, humor-filled readers and books to help students practice their reading in a more interesting and fun way.
Lots of placement options to help homeschool parents find their place
As with many other homeschool curricula, Logic of English Foundations follows its own pace, scope and sequence, and its levels tend to build on previous learning – two things that can make it hard for parents and students to switch into the program.
Helpfully, Logic of English provides both an online recommendation engine and an easy to use, printable and scripted placement test to help parents find the best place for their child to start.
Available as digital and printed curriculum
Unlike many other homeschool English language programs, Logic of English Foundations is available as a traditional pen-and-paper curriculum, as well as in a video-rich online format with supporting apps and interactive games, making it an appealing option for both families looking for the convenience of a digital curriculum and those wishing to limit screen time.
Cons
Printed curriculum can be a bit pricey
Although they are convenient and contain everything a parent needs to teach the program, complete physical sets of Logic of English Foundations can cost nearly $100-200 (depending on the level), which might be a bit out of reach for some homeschool families, particularly those who don’t want to use the more affordable, digital option. .
Lots of materials to keep track of and organize
With flashcards, letter tiles, readers, letter-sound books, reference charts, tactile letters, workbooks and more, there is a lot to do with Logic of English Foundations.
While this can keep learning a lot more interesting and interactive, it also means that there is a lot for parents to organize and keep track of before, during and after lessons.
Can be time intensive for parents
Although the online videos can help, Logic of English Foundations isn’t really an independent learning program and parents will probably need to spend a fair amount of time organizing materials, working with students, playing games with them, monitoring their progress and overseeing the learning process.
Who Is Foundations Ideal For?
Hands on learners
Students who learn best through tactile learning and those who struggle through more traditional, top-down teaching will certainly enjoy Logic of English Foundations’ myriad of fun games and activities that allow them to move around, touch and play as they learn.
Parents looking for an easy, scripted and comprehensive english language arts curriculum
Although it can require a little upkeep in the way of organizing all its components, Logic of English Foundations is a very easy curriculum that requires very little prep time or experience to teach.
Students with difficulties with language and reading
With its multisensory, activity-rich Orton-Gillingham-inspired approach, Logic of English Foundations can be a great curriculum for students who have difficulties in reading or learning.
Parents and students looking for an activity-rich curriculum
With tons of games and activities in each lesson, Foundations can be great for parents and students who are looking for an English language curriculum that is fun as well as comprehensive.
Parents who enjoy learning and interacting with their students during lessons
With Logic of English Foundations, parents will interact quite a bit with their child during their lessons, making it a great option for parents who like to learn with their child rather than only teaching to them.
Who Is Foundations Not Ideal For?
Busy homeschools looking for a hands-off, self-study approach
Although Logic of English Foundations Online goes a long way in taking some of the load off of parents, ultimately the program is still largely parent/teacher-led and requires parents to spend a fair amount of time either conducting lessons, playing games, overseeing learning or organizing materials.
Parents looking for a simple, streamlined ELA curriculum
With phonics cards, tactile cards, reference guides, letter tiles, workbooks, Teacher’s Manuals, apps and more, Logic of English Foundations can have a lot of components that might be used in any given lesson, unlike some other programs we’ve looked at such as Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and others.
It therefore might not be ideal for those looking for a streamlined and lightweight curriculum.
Homeschools on a very tight budget
Depending on the level, Logic of English Foundations can cost between $100-200 per level for the physical version and around $75 per year for the online version.
This means it can be a little expensive for those on a strict budget.
Price
Note: Prices current as of writing, all prices in USD.
While Logic of English Foundation materials can be purchased piecemeal, as with other expansive curricula, it is often more efficient and easier for parents to buy them as sets.
It is important to note that Levels A and B can be more expensive than other levels. Since they are entry points to the program, they do require the additional purchase of the programs Core Materials, which are used for subsequent levels.
Level B is, however, also offered without these Core Materials, for those who have started the program in Level A.
Entry Sets – including one-time purchase of Core Materials
Level A – $ 199.88
Level B – $230.86
Regular Sets (includes Teacher’s Guides, Workbooks, Letter-Sound Books and Readers)
Level B – $105.95 (without one-time purchases)
Level C – $129.94
Level D – $107.96
Online Curriculum (Includes online content, PDF copies of volume specific and core materials)
$74.99 per year for each level
With all that said, it is worth noting that Logic of English does run periodic discounts and special offers, so it is worth checking out their latest prices.
Is It Worth The Price?
At just over $100 per level (or more if you’re just starting out) for physical sets and $75 per year for the online/digital version, Logic of English isn’t the cheapest English language arts curriculum around.
That said, it does provide a lot of value for money to parents.
Covering phonics, reading, writing and spelling It is pretty much a comprehensive, early language arts program.
It offers a recognized and proven Orton Gillingham-inspired approach to language arts, and teaches using a series of activity-rich, integrative and multisensory lessons that aren’t all that common in other programs.
The program is also well-scripted and easy to teach, making it a good choice for parents who are new to homeschooling or just uncertain about their own ability to teach English.
Finally, the physical and PDF copies of Logic of English Foundations offer a lot of ready material (flashcards, letter tiles, sensory cards, reference guides and more) that can be reused with future students.
Bottom Line
Proper reading, spelling and writing are some of the more fundamental and important skills that a student can acquire.
Yet, teaching them can sometimes be a frustrating and stressful experience for both students and parents.
Logic of English Foundations’ activity-rich lessons, comprehensive and easy to teach curriculum, fun readers and proven approach to teaching can go a long way in making the experience of learning English language skills easier and a lot more enjoyable for all involved.
So, if you are looking for a full, multisensory English curriculum for ages 4-7 that is as comprehensive as it is fun to teach and learn from, Logic of English Foundations might be right for you.
About the Author
Anne Miller is the editor of The Smarter Learning Guide and is a passionate advocate for education and educational technology. A mom of two, she majored in English Language and Literature and worked as a substitute teacher and tutor for several years. When not writing she continues to root for the Yankees and the Giants.