We started using this curriculum after a month or so in another strictly-phonics based program My son has a good grasp of phonics so the other was not challenging enough A Reason For Spelling is based on high-frequency used words with a minor emphasis on phonics (words with similar sounds grouped together) The 1st thing I love about this curriculum is that there is a placement test which you can access on the publisher's website to help determine which level your child should use - great for homeschoolers! The 2nd thing I love is the variety of activities to practice the spelling list - way beyond just writing & saying it like our other curriculum The activities incorporate other language art skills like dictation word shapes proofreading etc There are so many activities that you can tailor the lesson to fit your needs The 3rd thing I love is that each list includes a review activity for each of the 4 main learning styles You can choose your child's strength or mix it up for variety Lastly it is Bible based with a key verse and character story each week These themes correspond with the A Reason for Handwriting lessons on the same level I found the teacher's manual helpful and would recommend it as it contains additional material like the key verse emphasis stories as well as answer keys There is little teacher prep each week; I just choose which activities my son will do for the week [Source: Rainbow Resource, January 25, 2013]