WHAT IS “STEP 1”?
STEP 1 is two years of secular, religion-friendly curriculum, designed for use by two kinds of students: 
- Students ages 5-6    
- Students who are preliterate, meaning they do not read at all, or very little.
This step contains studies in History, Science, Study & Life Skills, and Creative Writing (yes, Creative Writing for preliterate students!).  The studies in this step develop early literacy.  We do not provide Math.

IS STEP 1 FOR HOMESCHOOLING?  OR THE CLASSROOM?
STEP 1 is independent study for homeschoolers, but works best when two or more students work (and play) together.

ARE STEPS 1 COURSES BOOKS?  HOW DO I GET THEM?           
STEPS courses come as PDFs, online downloads.  When you purchase courses on our site, they are immediately sent to the email address you give us.

HOW DOES STEP 1 WORK?
STEP 1 courses are like “scripts”, used by the teacher.  Like all STEPS studies, STEP 1 courses are broken into daily lesson plans.  Each lesson plan is made up of small things to be done, in sequence.  The teacher/parent uses each lesson plan like a script, doing what the lesson plan asks.  Sometimes, the parent is asked to read to the student. What is read is right there in the lesson plan, no guess work, “writing” by the teacher, or hunting for materials needed.   Much of the teaching at this level is done this way.  Sometimes, the teacher is requested to show students some art work, video, or photography – all found in sequence, in the lesson plan.  And in every lesson plan, the student uses what has been taught and does things, sometimes in the form of games, but there are always activities. 

Gradually, STEP 1 courses asks the student to read, at first in very small amounts, using an approach to reading called WHOLE WORD IDENTIFICATION, a much simpler and more direct approach than phonics.   Over a period of two years, the duration of STEP 1 studies, students develop reading and literacy skills, but on an easy gradient that respects their age and their intelligence.  Each student moves at their own pace in developing literacy, as in all their studies.

SO STEP 1 WILL GET MY STUDENT READING?
Yes, that is what STEP 1 studies are largely all about.  If you use the lesson plans as written, your student will gradually develop reading skills.  These will be much further developed in STEP 2.

BUT DOES STEP 1 JUST TEACH READING, OR DOES IT ALSO “TEACH” THE SUBJECTS?
STEP 1 teaches its subjects with far more clarity and depth than most studies for this age group.  So yes, the student learns essentials of each subject, and begins to receive an actual education which deepens with every lesson plan, every day.

CAN I PURCHASE INDIVIDUAL COURSES TO FILL NEEDS IN MY CHILD’S EDUCATION?
Yes.  Each STEPS course is a free-standing, independent study.  We provide courses in history, science, creative writing, literature studies, civics, educational basics like reading and spelling, current events, and the arts.

CAN I PURCHASE A FULL SEMESTER OF STUDIES IN STEPS ALL AT ONCE, OR A YEAR'S WORTH OF A CERTAIN SUBJECT?
Yes, as “bundles” on our site.  Bundles are the least expensive way to purchase STEPS courses.  

HOW QUICKLY COULD I START USING STEPS 1?
Start now.  You can start STEPS at any time of the year, 24/7/365.   Everything you need is pretty much included in the courses you will download, for STEP 1

HOW MUCH DO I, THE TEACHER OR PARENT, NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EACH SUBJECT IN ORDER TO USE STEPS?  HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO DO?
You (teacher/tutor/parent) do not need any expertise in subjects your student is studying, using STEPS.   Not as a teacher, or in the subjects being taught.  You do not need a degree, or experience as a teacher.  Each course does the “teaching”.   Just follow the lesson plans, and keep your eyes open for fun opportunities related to whatever the student is studying now.   The course does the teaching – YOU, the teacher, “deliver” the course, one action at a time, lesson plan by lesson plan.  With students this young, particularly as they do not read yet, constant supervision is required, so we call STEP 1 our “Teacher Intensive” level.

HOW QUICKLY CAN I MOVE MY STUDENT UP STEPS?
A student can move up at any time he has the literacy skills and maturity for the next level.  The student does not need to “complete” a lower level of curriculum to move up.  The student just needs to be able to successfully do the next higher level of curriculum as far as difficulty and literacy.  With STEPS, a student is never “behind” or “ahead” – each student moves at the pace they’re comfortable with, every step in every lesson plan, every course, and every level. 

SUCCESS STORIES ABOUT STEP 1 STUDIES!
We started STEPS 1 as an experiment, to see how it would work, with my own two children and several of their friends.  We used STEPS 1 History 1.  We started out planning to do one hour only, as suggested.  But at the end of an hour, the children demanded more.  We ended up doing 4 hours, and had more fun than I can say.  The second day – same thing.  L.S., Homeschool Dad
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I want to thank you. I have been using STEPS with my four kids for over a year now and have been so impressed with all of it. But I especially want to thank you for the STEP 1 "What is Fair?" (Study & Life Skills) course that I've recently begun with my son. He is adopted and came to us with a lot of well-earned, but often destructive, anger and grief. This course has allowed messages about fairness and how we treat other people to come from a voice other than my own or my husband's and that has been incredibly powerful. The messages contained within it are all things he needs to practice and understand and it has been a true blessing to read through this with him as part of school as opposed to delivering it like a lecture after an infraction. Thank you!!! A.R., Homeschool Mom
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I did STEP 1 Study & Life Skills 1 with my four year old daughter. It was simply fantastic and she really enjoyed it. Steps Study & Life Skills course is such a refreshing course to do with little ones. My daughter is probably sick to death of going over letters and numbers and this offered her a fun distraction while she learned important safety information. Looking forward to doing more of the series with her!  J.V., Homeschool Mom
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My almost six year-olds love the Starter Creative Writing course. They started writing out sentences to go with their pictures instead of just words. They write short "stories" all day long on any scrap of paper they can. They still can't write their letters correctly and they are sounding out since spelling is still a long way off, but their creativity is just exploding!  A.D., Homeschool Mom

STEP 1 - The answer to the problem of education for ages 5-6, and for preliterate students!