Wow… congratulations on the two decoding assessments you have created. I just sent them out to many colleagues and Listserv members, after discovering them in my CDL.org newsletter. I am familiar with many Wilson-esque or WRAT-like screenings, and it appears you have culled the best elements of such tests, plus Developmental Spelling Grid Analysis Formats, and created a usable document. Thanks for including the piece about HOW they went about decoding, as well as whether letters were inserted. This shows you know your stuff.
Testimonials
— Kendra, Reading Specialist
This [Diagnostic Decoding Surveys] is the most polished little instrument in existence, and many people are grateful that you have shared it.
— Louisa M., National Reading Expert
I attended your sessions this summer and then again in the fall. I've been using your Advanced Decoding Skills Survey with my 5th–8th grade students, and I really like the way it categorizes the student's deficiencies so that intervention can focus on their needs. It is so much more useful than the typical assessments that are designed more for "sorting" students by ability levels rather than actually addressing their needs.
— Ted, Middle School Teacher
decoding
I'm in RTI training through the local Ed. Service District and our trainer hadn't heard of the RGR Survey… so I gave him a copy I had with me. He was really impressed by it…
RGR has become, for Hoover Elementary, our universal screener. The Grouping Matrix is incredible -- our district has made extensive use of it and I love the curriculum placement that it offers!
— Mari Lyn S., Reading Interventionist
We are just starting in the RtI process and are looking for new assessments to place primary students into the proper programs in tiers…. I used the Beginning Decoding Survey [with] these second grade students and just loved it.
— Karen R., K-2 Literacy Coach
I am amazed at the ease of using the Grouping Matrix! Thanks for making a tool so easy to use and understand and for having it available at no cost.
— Karen R., Literacy Coach
phonics
I wanted to keep you updated on our progress with Blitz implementation. I was at Kendrick Lakes last week for their data team discussion and student progress reporting. In just three weeks of Blitz instruction, their 4th grade groups have doubled their WCPM and increased their accuracy significantly with similar trends in the other grade levels! Stein is reporting similar performance across their building as well... Of course they shared this growth at our last area principal/coach meeting. All of a sudden, the other three schools that have been a tad sluggish in getting after Blitz implementation are now chomping at the bit to do a better job.
— Melody I., Literacy Coordinator
This year my school adopted Phonics Boost and Phonics Blitz to use as our intervention program in grades 3-5. I have absolutely fallen in love with your program! We have experienced so much success. The kids are reading with 98-100% accuracy and their reading rates have also improved.
I have used Scott Foresman ERI, Voyager Passport, Read Well, and the Elements of Reading kits. None have had the level of explicit, direct, and systematic phonics instruction that your program provides.— Elizabeth N., Reading Specialist
We have been using the (Phonics Suite) materials for a few weeks now and it is amazing how much progress the students are making!
— Amy L., Teacher
Last week I began teaching Phonics Boost to a 54-year-old guy who says he got off track with reading when his teacher said there were 5 vowels and then began to name them…. He admits that he never really learned to read, but he did manage to memorize a few words – just enough to get by.
We began the Boost lessons last week and got through Lesson 6 this morning. He is doing great! … This morning [he] told me that this is the first time in his life that he feels proud of himself.
— Karen C., Dyslexia Specialist
During class our students continue to make wonderful progress. Our most ADHD student who is incredibly dyslexic was overheard talking to another student at an assembly saying, “I didn’t really like the idea of getting pulled out from my [old] reading class, but [my new reading class] it’s really making a difference.”
Another of our students, a senior, told adults at an LD Simulation that she finally started getting help in learning to read this year. She wishes that she had gotten this program earlier but is thankful that she’s in it now.
— Linda M., RtI Coach
Phonics Blitz has changed the way we think about our adolescent struggling readers. We must be able to provide an intervention to ensure these children are able to graduate from our schools reading, comprehending, and ready to participate in the 21st century. Phonics Blitz is the tool we have been looking for!
— Jack W., Superintendent
I’m using Boost in some of my 2nd and 3rd grade interventions, and we’re having fantastic results! The vast majority of our kids are reading with at least 97% accuracy
— Stacey B., Content Leader
In a short period of time, we have improved outcomes for children and have the data to prove it! Phonics Blitz is closing the achievement gap in our district. Our children are reading and being successful. The training provided my teachers with a solid foundation – they were able to come back the very next day and begin implementing this program successfully to change the lives of children…
We are a Phonics Blitz school!
— Rick H., Superintendent
I would like to give great applause to…all the staff that is working with all the students in the Phonics Boost program at Dundee Crown Highs School. My oldest son has a form of Dyslexia. He had gotten to a point in school that he couldn't compensate on his own. The Special Ed. team suggested putting him in a remedial reading program to fill in the gaps he missed along the way of his earlier education. Now, he has mentioned to me how much he noticed that reading and comprehension have gotten easier for him and are not such a struggle.
— Carla M., parent of a student receiving Boost lessons
The atmosphere was so safe. Students had difficulty reading and the other students were very encouraging and patient. Of course, that is a credit to the teacher, but still – the students must be seeing success to work so hard at something. These are some pretty tough, normally ‘unsuccessful’ students and you would think they were being paid to behave so well. They were fighting over being the reader, everyone participating and engaged in the lesson, taking notes – high school kids.
— Linda H., Curriculum and Instruction Director
I am doing Boost with a 3rd grader…. At first his accuracy scores flat lined below 90%. Now they are usually in the Way to Go section. [I] showed his mom the history of his chart. [It] was powerful....right around September you could see a huge jump. They had parent conferences in November. For the first time ever, she had wonderful reports of how well [her son] is doing. [We] were high fiving each other and "dancing round the kitchen."
His reading teacher came to observe me the other week and was amazed at the difficulty of the words he was decoding. She said she would have to think about this as she now believed that she hasn't been challenging him enough.
— Sue G.
My granddaughter is a student at Dundee Crown and a participant in the special reading program. This program at your school has changed my granddaughter’s life… and we cannot thank you and those that created the program enough for that… I can not only see the difference in [her] reading ability, but confidence and happiness as well. I always believed [she] was an intelligent girl with numerous talents and now she believes it too. [We] finally understand that [she] has a disability, as do many students, but she can overcome it with the right guidance and encouragement that she receives with this special reading program.
Our only disappointment with this program is that we didn’t discover it early in [her] academic career.
— Tina D., grandmother of a student receiving Boost lessons
phonics blitz
The atmosphere was so safe. Students had difficulty reading and the other students were very encouraging and patient. Of course, that is a credit to the teacher, but still – the students must be seeing success to work so hard at something. These are some pretty tough, normally ‘unsuccessful’ students and you would think they were being paid to behave so well. They were fighting over being the reader, everyone participating and engaged in the lesson, taking notes – high school kids.
— Linda H., Curriculum and Instruction Director
I wanted to keep you updated on our progress with Blitz implementation. I was at Kendrick Lakes last week for their data team discussion and student progress reporting. In just three weeks of Blitz instruction, their 4th grade groups have doubled their WCPM and increased their accuracy significantly with similar trends in the other grade levels! Stein is reporting similar performance across their building as well... Of course they shared this growth at our last area principal/coach meeting. All of a sudden, the other three schools that have been a tad sluggish in getting after Blitz implementation are now chomping at the bit to do a better job.
— Melody I., Literacy Coordinator
Phonics Blitz has changed the way we think about our adolescent struggling readers. We must be able to provide an intervention to ensure these children are able to graduate from our schools reading, comprehending, and ready to participate in the 21st century. Phonics Blitz is the tool we have been looking for!
— Jack W., Superintendent
We have been using the (Phonics Suite) materials for a few weeks now and it is amazing how much progress the students are making!
— Amy L., Teacher
In a short period of time, we have improved outcomes for children and have the data to prove it! Phonics Blitz is closing the achievement gap in our district. Our children are reading and being successful. The training provided my teachers with a solid foundation – they were able to come back the very next day and begin implementing this program successfully to change the lives of children…
We are a Phonics Blitz school!
— Rick H., Superintendent
This year my school adopted Phonics Boost and Phonics Blitz to use as our intervention program in grades 3-5. I have absolutely fallen in love with your program! We have experienced so much success. The kids are reading with 98-100% accuracy and their reading rates have also improved.
I have used Scott Foresman ERI, Voyager Passport, Read Well, and the Elements of Reading kits. None have had the level of explicit, direct, and systematic phonics instruction that your program provides.— Elizabeth N., Reading Specialist
phonics blitz and boost
We have been using the (Phonics Suite) materials for a few weeks now and it is amazing how much progress the students are making!
— Amy L., Teacher
This year my school adopted Phonics Boost and Phonics Blitz to use as our intervention program in grades 3-5. I have absolutely fallen in love with your program! We have experienced so much success. The kids are reading with 98-100% accuracy and their reading rates have also improved.
I have used Scott Foresman ERI, Voyager Passport, Read Well, and the Elements of Reading kits. None have had the level of explicit, direct, and systematic phonics instruction that your program provides.— Elizabeth N., Reading Specialist
phonics boost
I would like to give great applause to…all the staff that is working with all the students in the Phonics Boost program at Dundee Crown Highs School. My oldest son has a form of Dyslexia. He had gotten to a point in school that he couldn't compensate on his own. The Special Ed. team suggested putting him in a remedial reading program to fill in the gaps he missed along the way of his earlier education. Now, he has mentioned to me how much he noticed that reading and comprehension have gotten easier for him and are not such a struggle.
— Carla M., parent of a student receiving Boost lessons
During class our students continue to make wonderful progress. Our most ADHD student who is incredibly dyslexic was overheard talking to another student at an assembly saying, “I didn’t really like the idea of getting pulled out from my [old] reading class, but [my new reading class] it’s really making a difference.”
Another of our students, a senior, told adults at an LD Simulation that she finally started getting help in learning to read this year. She wishes that she had gotten this program earlier but is thankful that she’s in it now.
— Linda M., RtI Coach
I’m using Boost in some of my 2nd and 3rd grade interventions, and we’re having fantastic results! The vast majority of our kids are reading with at least 97% accuracy
— Stacey B., Content Leader
We have been using the (Phonics Suite) materials for a few weeks now and it is amazing how much progress the students are making!
— Amy L., Teacher
My granddaughter is a student at Dundee Crown and a participant in the special reading program. This program at your school has changed my granddaughter’s life… and we cannot thank you and those that created the program enough for that… I can not only see the difference in [her] reading ability, but confidence and happiness as well. I always believed [she] was an intelligent girl with numerous talents and now she believes it too. [We] finally understand that [she] has a disability, as do many students, but she can overcome it with the right guidance and encouragement that she receives with this special reading program.
Our only disappointment with this program is that we didn’t discover it early in [her] academic career.
— Tina D., grandmother of a student receiving Boost lessons
I am doing Boost with a 3rd grader…. At first his accuracy scores flat lined below 90%. Now they are usually in the Way to Go section. [I] showed his mom the history of his chart. [It] was powerful....right around September you could see a huge jump. They had parent conferences in November. For the first time ever, she had wonderful reports of how well [her son] is doing. [We] were high fiving each other and "dancing round the kitchen."
His reading teacher came to observe me the other week and was amazed at the difficulty of the words he was decoding. She said she would have to think about this as she now believed that she hasn't been challenging him enough.
— Sue G.
This year my school adopted Phonics Boost and Phonics Blitz to use as our intervention program in grades 3-5. I have absolutely fallen in love with your program! We have experienced so much success. The kids are reading with 98-100% accuracy and their reading rates have also improved.
I have used Scott Foresman ERI, Voyager Passport, Read Well, and the Elements of Reading kits. None have had the level of explicit, direct, and systematic phonics instruction that your program provides.— Elizabeth N., Reading Specialist
Last week I began teaching Phonics Boost to a 54-year-old guy who says he got off track with reading when his teacher said there were 5 vowels and then began to name them…. He admits that he never really learned to read, but he did manage to memorize a few words – just enough to get by.
We began the Boost lessons last week and got through Lesson 6 this morning. He is doing great! … This morning [he] told me that this is the first time in his life that he feels proud of himself.
— Karen C., Dyslexia Specialist