With many states adopting new legislation on reading programs in schools, many parents may be wondering:
How does Funnix align with the new reading requirements for schools?
New state mandates regarding in-school reading instruction are based on explicit instruction methods informed by The Science of Reading. While no single definition of The Science of Reading exists, it is broadly accepted as a reference to the growing amount of research concerning how children learn to read. Programs that follow The Science of Reading generally focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- Phonemic Awareness: Identification of the sounds that make up words
- Phonics: Matching sounds to letters and letter groups
- Fluency: The ability to gain meaning from a text as a whole
- Vocabulary: Knowledge of diverse words
- Comprehension: The ability to convert words into broader ideas
The Science of Reading moves away from memorization crutches that grew in popularity over the past decade or two, such as the “3 Cues” method. These methods ended up undermining overall reading outcomes. The “new” Science of Reading approach actually harkens back to older methods established by Direct Instruction (DI) and its proponents. Decades of reading success in classrooms using DI have shown that strategically introducing letters and how they form words through associated sounds is the most consistent road to creating fluent readers.
Funnix ensures children have all the tools they need to translate letters and words into meaningful ideas. It is built on Direct Instruction methods that fully align with The Science of Reading and meet new legislative standards from many states revising their reading programs.
Using Funnix’s proven reading program, children learn to associate letters directly with sounds. Using systematic and sequential introduction to phonics-based reading tools, Funnix helps children move from learning letter sounds to full literacy.
Funnix’s lesson design helps students overcome bad reading habits by providing a solid foundation of literacy skills, rather than trying to lean on clues that are neither consistent nor reliable, such as nearby images and guessing at unknown words based on nearby words they do know.
With Funnix, children truly learn how to read, finishing the program with a vocabulary of over two thousand words and the ability to figure out any new word on their own. Funnix is more than simply learning how to read — Funnix helps children become better lifelong learners.
Legislative Adoption of The Science of Reading
Many states have adopted new mandates regarding in-school reading instruction based on explicit instruction methods informed by The Science of Reading. According to Education Week, 31 states and the District of Columbia have passed new reading laws that use The Science of Reading-based methodology.