Many Thanks to Starfall!

My little one Jacob will go to school this coming September 2011. We just finished the registration for junior kindergarten and he will join his brother Joshua in the same catholic school not too far from home.  As for Joshua, we could say that he is an achiever and we are so proud of him! He claimed to be the smartest boy in his class as what his teacher told him because he's really good in reading.  Joshua is also bilingual,  at the age of 5 he speak our native tongue tagalog and english fluently. I really love to put him in a school with french immersion as early as senior kindergarten but I am happy with the school he is currently enrolled aside from the fact that its accessible to me whenever I need to go there. I'll be considering that thought with my little girl when she goes to school.

My Welcome to Kindergarten article shows my little boy Josh very excited with school two years ago. I have a little fear with Jacob, before the school starts I hope he will overcome his shyness and not seeing Mommy around. Fair enough to say that he is looking forward to ride the school bus and seat beside Joshua, not knowing that they will not be in the same room because Joshua will be in grade one while Jacob will be in Junior Kinder.
I am so grateful to Starfall.com, i owe it to them for bringing the best to my kids, they are learning at the same time playing and enjoying the interactive presentation of reading. This is not a paid advertisement as they dont need one. It is one way of saying thank you and more power! You are building a good foundation of our children.
                     Jacob

                                                Joshua 

I sent an email to them and joined other parents and teachers of showing our support and gratitude:

From: Liezl
Since my eldest son started schooling on 2008, starfall has been his greatest companion! He learned how to read on his own phase at the age of 3,at junior kinder his teacher was pretty amazed by him. And now he is in Senior Kinder his reading level is already on grade 2.
And now my second son is also learning basics,and enjoyed the interactive presentation and books here, he will be in junior kinder in  September.We are so grateful starfall! I highly recommend this site for every parent and preschoolers out there!
And they warmly replied: 

Hello Liezl,

Thanks for your enthusiastic support of Starfall!  We are so glad to hear that your sons are doing so well.

You might also be interested in our new companion site: more.starfall.com. It has all of the content from classic Starfall, plus a lot more. (Lots of Math, a Talking Library, More Phonics, Motion Songs, Numbers, Math Songs, Colors, Vowel Pals Books, and more.) There is also a great “Teachers Lounge” section on more.starfall.com, with lots of downloadable materials that are perfect for parents and teachers. With a classroom or school membership, teachers can create class lists, to keep track of children’s progress.

I would encourage you to check out http://more.starfall.com!

Thanks,

Ric Beemer

Starfall Education

More Info from  Starfall Kindergarten Reading and Language Arts Curriculum. 

Dear Parents:

Welcome! Like most parents who are concerned about their children's education, you are probably wondering how to help and encourage your child as he* learns to read. Our research-based methods are modeled on recommendations from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Our website and printed materials are perfect for homeschooling or bolstering the instruction your child receives at school. We're here both online and off-line to help you provide the early language and literacy experiences your child needs.
ONLINE
Starfall.com is easy to use—there are no complicated instructions:

1. Begin with the Starfall ABCs. Encourage your child to play and explore by clicking on any letter. The order doesn't matter. Your child will come to recognize the relationship between letters and sounds. This is the "Alphabetic Principle," the foundation of phonics.
2. Move on to Learn to Read row number 1. Each row features one vowel sound. Children listen to, manipulate, read, and eventually master this sound-spelling through a variety of books and games before moving on to the next row. This is systematic, sequential phonics and is recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
3. With a basic understanding of letter-sound relationships, your child is ready to explore a variety of genres and topics that will expand his reading vocabulary and comprehension in It's Fun to Read.
4. Our advanced section, I'm Reading, will transition your child from learning to read toreading to learn. These vocabulary-controlled stories introduce children to words they will frequently encounter in reading. Selections read in their entirety model the qualities of fluent reading: intonation, expression, inflection and rate.

Although we recommend your child progress sequentially, there is no harm in allowing him to follow his own interests and create a unique path. Starfall supports your child's exploration. Every word on the site is clickable and will read aloud. In this way, your child's speaking, reading, and writing vocabulary can grow alongside his curiosity.
On occasion, sit down with your child and use the website together. Talk about your shared experience. This supports your child’s sense of accomplishment by allowing him to share what he’s learned. It will also expand his vocabulary at the same time.
OFF-LINE
Turn off the television and the computer and read to your child. Establish a regular reading time every night. Have fun with the books you read, by giving the characters distinct voices, or acting out scenarios from the stories. Have conversations about what you read. Ask your child questions about the stories and encourage him to ask questions in return. Much of the online content can be downloaded for free or purchased in print form, to be read away from the computer.

• Practice and reinforce the letter-sound associations your kindergarten child encounters online with our ABC Practice Pages.
• Your first grade child can practice phonics with Zac the Rat with our Level I Reading and Writing Journal.
• Watch your first or second grade child's creative writing skills blossom with ourLevel II Reading and Writing Journal.
• Visit our download center for even more free activities for you to share with your child.
• Visit the Starfall Store for high-quality Educational Products.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?
Starting at a young age, have conversations with your child and encourage her to ask questions. Asking questions is the paramount skill in reading comprehension—the end goal of all reading instruction.
Children learn to read through a long series of tiny steps. When your child reads even just a few words, be very proud! Celebrate these small successes. It will motivate your child and open a world of knowledge.
Sincerely,
The Starfall Team