We are first time homeschooling since Thanksgiving... thanks to covid. My 3rd grader is doing CLE Language Arts. She is dyslexic and ADHD and she is able to do it by herself. I just ordered the CLE reading. If she walked in the room and saw that huge BJU stack it would overwhelm her and it would be a fight to get her to do it. YES!! I'm always looking for flip through videos. Thanks for posting...ordering 4th grade soon. 🙂
Thats nice. Im glad the video helped. I appreciate flip through and comparison videos as well, which is why I made this one. I would do what works best for your family. If she was to just have the reader and the workbook (Bju Press) or light unit (CLE) it might feel similar but I think the stories might be a bit longer in BJU. Of course a more seasoned homeschool mom can feel free to comment here with their opinion. The workbook pages are short and sweet with BJU. Where there seems to be a few pages with CLE. So its totally up to you!
Thank you so much! Some of my viewers recommended that I check into Christian light reading and like you, I always research curriculum before I purchase it. I love the BJU...but I really like the CLE too! Your flip throughs were very helpful! -Janelle
We are doing the bju reading 4 now, but the older edition. I'd say the teacher guides are more important than the answer key. I have yet to use the answer key but I use the teacher guide with every lesson. It's nice not having to come up with all the questions plus there are lessons woven in there that aren't in the reader.
My 4th grader did CLE lang arts in 3rd grade. I switched her to BJU for 4th grade....she hates it and is requesting we switch back to CLE. She has dyslexia and add and the whole layout of CLE is just better for her.
I would guess Cle but both are pretty straight forward. I think the stories may be a bit longer in bju but maybe another more seasoned homeschool mom could confirm this. Cle has multiple workbook pages but I feel like shorter stories. Bju seems like longer stories but shorter workbook pages. They are both going to be open and go as far as the reader. The work book and then having the answer key. So it’s going to depend on if you think your kiddo would like the style of bju stories and workbook pages or the Cle reader and their workbook pages. If your on the go a lot then you can also take one Cle workbook with you easily. Like in a closed clipboard where you can insert stuff inside of it and clip it shut. We also bought an expensive 3 hole punch so I punch the whole Cle 3 week workbooks and take in a binder because we travel often. The Cle workbook and reader and teachers guide is easy to take in a little tubberware.
I’ve heard some say that the CLE stories are boring in the reader. Did you find this was the case? I have a reluctant reader so I’m trying to capture his attention. I like how the CLE will have them read alone and then to me the second time. I think he may feel better having read a story once himself since he hates being corrected.
We have used CLE for 1st and 2nd grade. My son told me as we recently moved into the 2nd reader for 2nd grade that he doesn't like the reader anymore and thinks it's boring, which is why I'm looking into BJU press. My son doesn't really enjoy reading and really likes to have lot of pictures, which I think, BJU has pictures on every page and CLE maybe one or 2 pictures per story. The workbooks for CLE are awesome and my son and I really like them. I wish BJU was cheaper. We'll probably stick with CLE for now. Hope that helped!
I ended up going with BJU and got the older edition. There are pictures on all the pages and the workbook looks fun. I’m excited for my son! I got the used reader, new workbook, and used workbook answers for super cheap on eBay! It’s not the latest version but it still looks great
@@merasorash I got the one reader and worktext answer key for free from a McCays used book store bin In Knoxville. I bought the workbook new on Bju website, and I bought the second reader on eBay for like 8.00. I didn’t spend much. It was the older edition and it was just fine. Most of the stories are the same I believe. Also a Christian book store in Knoxville has a used homeschooling section, and I just saw two hardcover readers for 5.00 I believe, and they had a bunch of other readers and worktext answer keys for like. 4.50 or so. If you look around you may find some deals. So all in all I had around 45.00 maybe in Bju reading grade 3 no teachers editions.
@@allyh193 yes I just saw used readers and worktext answer key at a Christian book store used for like 5.00 for the worktext key and 8.00 I think for the two readers, such a deal and just as great as the new edition
Under BJU subjects are these books under the reading section or under the English section? With some courses the lump everything. It talks about a CD too. What is that for? I loved the books that you showed but I need it for 5th grade. Do you have the link to the area to buy this curriculum. Great review by the way!
I do have 5th grade. Give me some time and I’ll do the video on it. I don’t dig much into the cd but it’s extra practice sheets etc. Maybe I’ll do a video on that. Reading is under its own section. Go to bju press homeschool website then click on text or parent led not videos. And click the subject and grade and it shows everything.
I’m so glad to see this! I’ve been wanting to try BJU press reading for our kids and haven’t done it because I hadn’t really been able to find enough information before spending that much on a curriculum considering it is just an extra for what we already use in our house. Now that it’s been 5 months, would you say the teacher guides are useful? I’m thinking they would take up too much space for the amount that you would actually use them. I can’t see consulting them for elementary reading, but if they are needed to teach them I would buy them.
Honestly we haven’t started it yet. So I can’t say. We have some other things we have been finishing up. I think it could be helpful if you have the time to do it with your child. But if you don’t have the time and you’d rather sit and grade, then no I wouldn’t get them. It’s only if your very involved in parent led.
Which program did you decide to use? I'm undecided. My daughter has been doing CLE reading so far but she said the stories are super boring. I'm just afraid BJU is going to be too teacher intensive. Maybe the stories are more interesting though?
We have both. She was still finishing up something from 3rd grade. I bought a mix of extra stuff for her. If she’s not loving the Cle reading stories then I would consider the bju press. What we did for 2nd grade was buy the readers off eBay dirt cheap. If she likes that then the next step could be to buy the workbook off bju website or Christian book website and the teachers work text answer key. My daughter likes both but she’s actively doing the Cle reading 4th grade first and enjoying it. But some people have mentioned not liking the Cle reading on you tube. I think it just depends on the kiddo. But as far as bju being too intensive I would just tailor it your liking. I think just having the child do the readers and workbook page is just fine and you can grade it with the workbook answer key. The other stuff is unnecessary to me although I see it’s value.
The flip through videos that you do are so helpful! Thank you for doing them! Does the BJU Reading 4 come with the 3 chapter books and teaching materials when you order the parent led option?
Thanks. What you see here is the parent led option. I think they send chapter books as well for video led. I usually add video later but in this case, I ordered the parent led option up front to get all the physical teacher books.
160 lessons in the workbook. Hundreds of pages in the reader. It’s a lot. I actually thought about giving myself grace and doing maybe two years or year and a half for it. It’s a bit much
It’s not quick. We skip some stuff. Try to read the story and do the questions. The workbook page is too bad. Maybe have your kiddo watch some of this video to see if they think the workbook page would be a better fit for them. They may like the style of questions better. My daughter likes both of them equally
Yes she does enjoy it. It’s longer than Cle but she still likes it. We like how the stories are so diverse with bju press. The lesson length is going to depend on whether you do video lessons or not. They are longer stories so that is something to consider
We haven’t done the Abeka reading in those grades. My friend was not happy with it. She dropped it and went to Cle. Norah likes bju reading and Cle reading.
