Foundations
The why behind everything else. How reading develops, what is typical at each age, and how to check where your child is.
How-toExplainerFeaturedIs My Child on Track With Reading?A five-minute check you can do at home tonight, what is typical at each age, and what to do about what you find.Foundations
All foundations resources
ExplainerA plain-English guide for parents: what the research found, why schools are changing, and what it means at home.
ExplainerGuideWhat each kindergarten subtest asks your child to do, what the benchmark goals actually mean and why the test uses made-up words on purpose.
WorksheetsHow-toExplainerWhich letters to start with, how to say each sound, and what to do when they are not sticking.
WorksheetsHow-toExplainerThe whole alphabet in both cases, free to print, plus what to do with it once it is on the table.
How-toExplainerType your child's name and print a sheet with it on. The name stays in your browser.
WorksheetsHow-toExplainerStart with lowercase, form letters from the top down, and expect b and d to get mixed up for longer than you think.
WorksheetsHow-toExplainerWhy a picture beside a letter works, and the free printables that use one.
ExplainerWhat age spelling starts, the five stages it arrives in, and why nite for night is a good sign.
ExplainerGuideWhat they do well, where they fall short, and how to tell if they can help your child.
How-toExplainerThere is no single research-proven order for teaching letters. Here is the sequence we use, why we chose it, and a five-minute way to assess any program.
How-toExplainerThe six stages phonics runs through, what to look for at each one, and how to tell when your child is ready to move on.
GuideThe useful question is not which app is best. It is which one fits your child right now.
WorksheetsHow-toLooking for something to do with your kid this fall that is not a screen? October makes it easy. Pumpkins, costumes, spooky decorations and long dark walks give kids plenty to see, hear and talk about. Most of what is on this page needs no paper at all.
How-toWhere to start, the order the skills come in, what a daily routine looks like, and how to tell whether it is working.
ExplainerWhat happens when you hear your child is behind in reading, what that means, and what you can do about it.
