About Our Program
The McGrath Reading Program is built to do three things:
- Bring the student’s reading to grade level as quickly as possible.
- Change reading from an effortful chore to an enjoyable activity.
- Provide students with the skills and strategies they need to continue to grow and make progress as readers over the years without outside instruction, the way typical readers do.
Background
Our approach is for students who have not responded to traditional reading instruction, reading interventions and/or dyslexia interventions and continue to struggle with reading. It is appropriate for students in third grade and above who continue to read below grade level for any reason.
Our intervention is comprehensive, effective, and fun.
The program is different in several significant ways:
First, it provides meaningful progress for those who have been struggling with reading for years.
Most of our students reach grade level in 8 - 12 months with one online session per week.
This includes students who have struggled with reading and have had intervention for years without closing the gap, those who were diagnosed too late for early intervention, those who have struggled with reading for years and have not made adequate progress, those with co-existing learning disabilities, and those who are English language learners.
The difference is that we individualize instruction to optimize progress. We strengthen phonics skills, increase automaticity which results in gains in fluency, and expose students to interesting, stories that are engaging and well written. Students learn habits needed to become good, fluent readers and understand how to continue to grow as a reader after they reach grade level and intervention stops.
As our students gain reading skills, their progress is visible in the classroom, and to parents. And over the course of instruction, hopelessness turns into hope and hope turns into confidence.
Second, it is not more of the same.
Students do not get a 'double dose' of what has not worked before. Our approach uses tools grounded in research specifically to help individual students reach grade level as quickly as possible for them.
Our students develop a strong phonics foundation, build automaticity, and gain reading fluency. We work on vocabulary and read interesting, well written stories to develop a love of reading for their individual needs.
It is a dynamic, individualized program that is geared to moving your child’s reading progress forward as quickly as possible for them. Each session incorporates phonics, automaticity and reading interesting books (not 'decodable texts'). At the beginning of the program, our major focus is phonics and phonics strategies. Over time the focus turns to automaticity and eventually the emphasis is on reading and understanding grade level texts. Throughout, the program is continuously adapted to delivering the best next steps for your child.
Third, it is motivating and fun.
We believe success is highly motivating. The lessons are designed to be a ‘reach’ for students – difficult, but doable. Our lessons incorporate research on how people learn, mindset and motivation, and the the sessions are engaging and fun.
Students see improvement quickly. This enables them to read texts that open the door to the world of books and the pleasure of reading.
As our students begin to realize they are making progress toward their goal, that success is motivating and carries over to the classroom. As their reading improves, so does their confidence that shows up in the classroom.