Why we wrote this programme

As we have taught our students over the years, using many different resources that seldom lined up, we realised the need for a single comprehensive programme. Our goal was to develop a programme based on Orton-Gillingham principles, the Science of Reading, and the Science of Writing that would combine these different aspects of literacy in an integrated and easy-to-use resource with sufficient opportunities for practice and reinforcement in each step.

Reading Components

Over the past 40 years the research on reading acquisition identified 5 crucial components for reading success: phonological awareness, phonics (cumulative and progressive, taught in an explicit and direct way, maintaining focus on the specific objectives of each lesson), fluency (accuracy, flow, proper speed, and meaningful expression), vocabulary and comprehension. We therefore built on these pillars in each lesson. David Kilpatrick defines these components as follows:

Phonological awareness: Having an awareness of sound properties in words (rhyming and alliteration, manipulating sounds within words).

Phonics: A system for approaching reading that focusses on the relationship between the printed forms and oral forms of words.

Fluency: Being fluent means fast and accurate reading that includes proper expression.

Vocabulary: Oral vocabulary is a key component in reading comprehension.

Comprehension: Understanding of the text is our goal, and the most direct route to good reading comprehension is to make the word recognition process automatic so a student can focus all of his/her mental energy on the meaning.

Reading Stages

Other components in literacy acquisition

Besides the above-mentioned reading components and stages, encoding (spelling and dictation), orthographic mapping, morphology, editing, grammar and writing skills as well as the ability to read high frequency words automatically also need to be addressed; therefore, exercises on these aspects are included.