• Home
  • About
  • Featured Reviews
  • Request a Review
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe

The Curriculum Choice

Making homeschool decisions easy

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Blog
  • How To Homeschool
    • By Review Team
    • Encouragement
    • New to Homeschooling
    • Organization
  • Reviews by Grade
    • Elementary
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Preschool
  • Reviews by Subject
    • Bible
    • Economics
    • Fine Arts
      • Art
      • Music
    • Foreign Language
    • Highschool
    • History & Geography
      • Geography
      • History
    • Home Economics
    • Language Arts
      • Grammar
      • Handwriting
      • Literature
      • Phonics
      • Reading
      • Spelling
      • Vocabulary
      • Writing
    • Logic
    • Math
    • Science & Technology
      • Science
      • Technology
        • Apps

in Junior High Language Arts· Language Arts

Reading Detective Review

Some children are natural readers.  They analyze, synthesize, understanding inferences, cause and affect and other advanced reading comprehension issues in a natural manner.  However, other children will struggle with one or more of these issues for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps they simply need more experience with reading, or maybe, as with my own high school student, they are in the process of overcoming a learning disability.

In my search to find tools to help my son overcome his challenges, Reading Detective Rx was recommended. It is a program geared toward 6th-12th graders who need extra help in reading comprehension.  The program is divided into eleven main units:

  • Main Idea and Supporting Statements
  • Conclusions and Inferences
  • Story Elements
  • Literary Devices
  • Theme
  • Vocabulary
  • Figurative Language
  • Cause and Effect
  • Prediction
  • Fact and Opinion
  • Mixed Skills

Within each unit are both fiction and non-fiction genres written in a fourth to fifth grade level to facilitate focus on learning the basic skills within reading comprehension.  The students are asked to analyze each selection by answering a variety of questions (multiple choice, short written responses) while providing supporting evidence.  Requiring students to provide evidence to support an answer, gives them another avenue to hone their skills.

A full answer key is provided, along with a copy of the reading text.  Although the answer key provides a recommended answer, all answers should be discussed with the student.  Discussion provides yet another way that comprehenion can be sharpened.    A few pre-tests are provided at the beginning of the program to help the teacher determine skill level.  Once the student is finished with the book, there are two post tests included to help the teacher ascertain skill improvement.

The program is designed to be used in an independent manner, however, discussion with a teacher is foundational in determining strengths/weaknesses and gives the teacher opportunity to further guide and direct their student.

Because the book is written at a 4th to 5th grade level, I would recommend alternating this resource with a more appropriate grade level reading comprehension program to provide ample practice for standardardized tests.  The students can take the skills they develop in Reading Detective Rx and apply them into more difficult material.  All in all, Reading Detective Rx is an excellent resource for those who need to sharpen basic reading comprehension skills.

Written by Yvonne Ferlita, homeschooling mother of four, ages six to eighteen.   Having home educated for more than twelve years, her purpose is to learn Jesus everyday using an eclectic, yet Christ centered, learning approach.  She blogs about homeschooling and life at Gr8tful4grace.

Filed Under: Junior High Language Arts, Language Arts Tagged With: Reading, written by yvonne

Previous Post: « Language Skills: It’s all a game!
Next Post: Our Mother Tongue »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

We are a veteran group of home educators with a mission – to spread the word about our favorite curricula and help YOU make informed decisions for your homeschool. Meet the review authors and browse the homeschooling tips they share!

Subscribe For Free Choosing Homeschool Curriculum Guide

Success! Please check your email and confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Sponsors and Affiliates

Homeschoolinghomeschool

Our Sister Websites

 


Follow Curriculum Choice's board Homeschool Reviews by The Curriculum Choice on Pinterest.

Recent Comments

  • Heidi Ciravola on Psychology: A Christian Perspective
  • Heidi Ciravola on Magic Tree House Curriculum
  • Dawn on Psychology: A Christian Perspective
  • Terry on Magic Tree House Curriculum
  • Thara on How To Make An Overall Plan for The Year
  • Advertising
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Philosophies
  • Request a Review

Copyright © 2025 · The Curriculum Choice, a Southern Hodgepodge, L.L.C. site.