Babies Can Read by Usborne - Reviews?

[J2]

Has anyone used the Babies Can Read program by Usborne books? What did you think about it? I just came across it online but my sounds isn't working so I can't listen to the videos, can only see them.

[Lillian J]

I hadn't heard that Usborne had jumped onto the early reading bandwagon - quite a money maker right now - but here's a page on preschool/kindergarten which includes links to a number of interesting articles by professional educators and researchers who really discourage such programs.

Note: I'm not saying a child who's asking to learn to read should be discouraged - just that there's no advantage in trying to teach a baby to read or trying to teach any young child to read who isn't actively seeking it out. - Lillian

[mags]

I am an usborne consultant, and have sold a few of these dvd sets. I have a set myself, but I don't really use it for my kids, I got it b/c I was curious and b/c I sometimes put the dvds in, when doing a homeshow for ppl who are interested. They recommend you have your kids watch it 1-2 times a day, preferably 2 times. To me, that is a lot. There are many days, my kids don't watch any tv at all, since we are not a big tv household. However, if your kids watch a lot of tv anyway, I feel that this would be a nice program, there is no commercialization, like when you watch noggin and the disney channel, kwim?

Some ppl do have luck with the program. A few consultants posted on the consultant website about how well it has worked for their children and grandchildren. I believe they were being honest and not just tooting their own horn, b/c they had nothing to gain by telling ppl that they had a positive outcome from the program. I also heard that it works particularly well for children with down's syndrome and when I had a client whose son has down's, I mentioned this program to her and she said that from the sound of it, yes it would work, b/c the repetition and having only one word on each page seems to be something that a lot of down's syndrome children are very receptive to. Other consultants have also mentioned that they have had a lot of parents of down syndrome children rave about the success they have had from this program.