For Parents

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Here’s how easy it is to use the
Open Reading Program

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1. Watch

Watch and participate with each Fletcher’s Place episode.

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2. Play

Use the Game Book to play games and do activities for that episode with your child.

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3. Learn

Experience the magic of your child making connections and learning to read.

"Amanda's reading improved so dramatically that she graduated from Special Resource and was put into a regular reading class. Her life has done a 180-degree turn from fear of school to love of it."

Parent

Amanda was told she would never read above the 2nd grade level

"Before finding Fletcher’s Place we tried six other reading programs, including several months at two different clinics. The methods demonstrated in Fletcher’s Place are the only ones that made a difference."

Single Mother

of Linda, age 10

"Scott's teacher thought Special Education is where Scott belonged. Now we received a letter saying, 'Congratulations, your son has tested well enough to participate in the gifted classes!' Open Reading has put the fun back into Learning. Scott loved the Treasure Hunts. He thought he had died and gone to heaven!"

Parent

of Scott

Tips For
Parents

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1. Watch the episodes with your children

The more they watch, the quicker your children will learn the skills.

See the Curiculum in action
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2. Play the games with your children

The more fun you have, the more excited children get about learning to read. Try them all or use the ones your children like best. Embrace your mistakes 🙂 You’re not expected to be a trained reading teacher. Your child will love to see you make mistakes; it actually helps them enjoy learning (especially if they get to correct you)!

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3. Keep the Episode Overviews

In the Game Book there are Episode Overviews for you to tear out and keep handy as quick reference guides.

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4. Fill a bucket with materials

Some games need supplies

  • Pen, colored pencils or crayons
  • Glue stick
  • A ball, beanbag or crumpled paper
  • Two buckets, cartons or pots

For parents

  • Scissors
  • Stapler
  • 10 envelopes for game pieces
  • A wrapped prize to put at the end of each treasure hunt (a trinket, snack or coin)
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5. Superpowers of this program

The following strategies make an enormous difference.

  • Practice one skill at a time
    • As seen on the episodes, so children feel successful from the start
  • Always call letters by their common sound, not letter names.
    • This cuts learning time in half and cuts out the confusion if a child tries to sound out a word using letter names. They will learn letter names in Episode 10. Tip: We provide a Sound Guide on each Episode Overview page as a reminder of a letter’s common sound. The common sound is underlined in the example word.
  • Use the sound movements to help children quickly learn and remember the letter sounds and shapes.
    • They also help them spell words and blend letter sounds to read words. Children are physically active learners so give it a shot-it works. Note: These sound movements have been revolutionary in helping all children learn to read. They are open source to all curriculum developers to advance the entire industry of learn-to-read solutions.

Methodology
How Open Reading Teaches Reading

The core idea behind Open Reading is that children learn best through play that includes games and moving their body. Reluctant and struggling readers especially benefit from this unique approach, because traditional programs haven’t worked for them.

Step 1

Pre-reading skills

We start with pre-reading skills like understanding reading vocabulary (i.e. first/last, left to right directionality, before/after, in-between) relaxed eye movement, being able to hear initial and last sounds.

Step 2

Attach sounds to motions

We help them remember individual letter sounds by connecting them to a hand movement.

Step 3

Attach sounds and motions to letter shapes

We help them connect the sounds and movements they’ve learned to the letters' shapes and letter combinations.

Step 4

Connect sounds to create words

We help them blend sounds together smoothly to sound out words. We help them attach meaning and show understanding of words through actions.

Step 5

Sound out words in your mind

We teach them to slide their finger to the end of a whole word before reading it aloud to hold a picture of the letters in their mind.

Step 6

Connect words to create phrases

We help them read whole phrases aloud, connecting words together by sliding their finger under the text.