FAQs, Helps, and Extras

New Editions FAQs

Which language arts courses are going to have new editions and when will they release?

We have no plans to create new editions for Pre-K, Level K Primer, Levels 4-7, or High School 1. 

Level K: A new edition of Level K released on June 14, 2019.

Level 1: A new edition of Level 1 released on June 27, 2019.

Level 2: A new edition of Level 2 released on January 6, 2020.

Level 3: A new edition of Level 3 will release in April or May 2020. The current version of the Level 3 Language Arts Course Set, which has been beloved by many thousands of people, is now 40% off (while supplies last; no coupon code needed).

Will the new edition course sets cost more or less than the old editions?

Level K is exactly the same cost.
Level 1 costs slightly less than the previous edition.
Level 2 costs slightly less than the previous edition.

We do not have details to share yet about the cost of Level 3.

Can I preview sample pages of the new editions before they release?

Unfortunately, no. We will not release samples of the new editions until they release. When the new editions release, we will provide extensive preview pages.

Is the scope changing? For example, will a child still learn all the same things in each level?

Only small changes will be made in scope. The child will still learn the same things in each level, except for some small changes. We are mainly simplifying and improving how concepts are presented and organized and how the courses look.

Why are you creating new editions? What are the changes and are they major?

Levels K, 1, and 2 have received raving reviews, but we continually strive to improve and update our products, and this year we are focusing on these levels. Changes in Levels K, 1, and 2 are major and are as follows:
— In current editions, some lessons take half a day and some take several days. In the new editions, lessons will be organized into daily lessons. Parents should not feel they have to complete exactly one lesson a day. Take time to explore, discuss, and really dig into learning, even if that means you do only half a lesson some days. Some may find they can do two lessons some or all days. However, organizing the content into daily lessons gives a general guide to the parent. If you complete one lesson a day, four days a week, you will finish the course in a year. Also, this new organization will prevent you from needing to jump around in the book.
–Poetry memorization and spelling are incorporated right into the lessons, giving the courses less moving parts to complete each day (yes, this means you will no longer practice the spelling charts at the beginning of the courses. However, those charts will be in the appendix for those who would still like to practice the charts.)
–The same spelling rules will be taught, but they will be taught differently with less dictation and more varied activities.
–Mini books are read twice rather than three times. Mini books will no longer be used for Level 1; they will be incorporated into the Level 1 Reader
–The courses will include much more independent work, making it easier for parents to work with multiple children on different levels.
–The lessons will include more literature and reading without increasing lesson times, as reading a lot of high-quality material is one of the best ways to create strong writers, spellers, and editors.
–New illustrations will be added to the courses, and the inside of the courses are being improved visually (the covers will remain the same).
–Each new edition will be divided into 5 sections with an assessment at the end of each section. If children do not pass the assessment, they are encouraged to do work for the corresponding unit in a supplement (purchased separately) that will be available for each level. Many children will not need the supplement. For others, the supplement offers engaging, self-directed practice of concepts that should be mastered for a solid reading foundation.
–An answer key will be included for Levels 1 and 2 (not Level K). Current editions of Levels 1 and K do not come with an answer key.
–There will be other changes, such as more review of concepts and more practice with homophones, all without increasing lesson times.

Will the new editions use the same phonics cards, mini books, and readers?

Phonics cards, mini books, and readers are the same for the new edition of Level K. All of the content in each section of the reader has remained the same. The only adjustment is the lesson numbers that indicate when to begin each section of the reader. This will be updated for future printings. Section one will be started after completing Lesson 54, Section 2 will be started after completing Lesson 78, and Section 3 will be started after Lesson 107. All readers purchased after the new Level K Course Book release will have a sticker included on the back of the front cover with these directions. The new course book will prompt you when to begin each section as well.

In the new Level 1 Edition, to reduce the number of moving parts the mini books are no longer used (they are still used in Level K with no changes). Many, but not all, of the Level 1 mini books are now incorporated into the Level 1 Reader, which is now an integrated part of the course. The books in the Level 1 reader have been modified (shortened, many words changed, etc.) and moved around (and some deleted) to better match the progression of the course. The old edition of the Level 1 reader will not work with the new edition of the course book. We understand how nice it would be for those who previously bought the reader for one child to be able to use it with the next child, so this is not a change we took lightly. In the end, we felt the course needed to function as effectively as possible for the tens of thousands of future students who would complete the course, and that resulted in these major changes. Please remember, the PDF of Level 1 is FREE! If you do not want to buy the new edition of the reader for your next child, you can just use the PDF. We appreciate your understanding of this change.

For Level 2, the readers have changed. This level still includes the phonics cards which have not changed. Previously, the reader for Level 2 was an optional resource. There are now two readers integrated with the lessons: the Personal Reader and Shared Reader. Each reader is perfect bound rather than spiral bound. The new Personal Reader contains the same stories as the original Level 2 Reader, but it has updated illustrations. The old edition of the reader may be used to complete the course, although the page numbers will vary, which will make it difficult for the child to know what section to read for each lesson.

The new Level 3 course is composed of a newly designed course book; a hard-bound book of children’s poetry with beautiful, original illustrations; a personal reader; and a PDF answer key. The challenging word flashcards are replaced with a “Challenging Word Climb” right in the course book where children “climb” fun illustrated mountains and draw a flag on top of each mountain after mastering its words. The current version of the Level 3 Language Arts Course Set, which has been beloved by many thousands of people, is now 40% off (while supplies last; no coupon code needed).

Will the new editions of levels 1 and 2 be offered as free PDFs?

Yes, levels 1-5 will remain free.

What if I don’t like the new edition as much as the old edition? Can I still access the old edition?

That is not likely to happen. The new editions are going through reviewers who have used the old editions so they can compare, and the reviewers are ecstatic about the new editions. Once the new editions release, the old editions will no longer be made available as PDF or physical product. It is illegal to post or share PDFs of the old versions.