The Wilson Reading Program

•  The Wilson Reading Program is a structured literacy program based on phonological-coding research and Orton-Gillingham principals. The program directly and systematically teaches the structure of the English language. Through the program, students learn fluent decoding and encoding skills to the level of mastery. Acacia Academy students receive individualized instruction from our Certified Wilson Reading Specialists.

Word recognition, word attack, decoding/phonetic analysis, and phonology instruction:

• Students that find it difficult to analyze the unknown word may often be presented with a multisensory, step-by-step structured phonetic approach. Programs such as those presented via an Orton-Gillingham methodology are utilized. These programs may include but certainly are not limited to The Wilson Reading Program, The Slant Reading Program, and/or Project Read.
• Lindamood-Bell educational programs are also used to further develop word recognition, word attack, decoding/phonetic analysis, phonological processing. These programs also improve auditory memory, auditory analysis, synthesis and discrimination.

Vocabulary development:

• In addition to the study of word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, word analogies, context clues, and etymology, students learn to visualize the term and discuss the meaning.
• Lindamood-Bell materials and computer programs such as: Visualizing and Verbalizing are used to further vocabulary development and concept imagery.

Reading comprehension and comprehension recall:

• Reading comprehension is taught using a variety of materials that help the student not only understand what s/he is learning but also remember what is read. To improve reading comprehension, students may be taught:

Metacognition or metacomprehension skills to develop the ability to concentrate on what is read. The student should be taught to:

• • Read the title, boldface headings, and hypothesize what might happen.
  • Read the first page or paragraph and hypothesize what might happen next.
  • Continually question what will happen. Learn to generate questions as the material is read and guess what might happen.
  • Summarize context as it is read. Reevaluate personal predictions at the end of each section or chapter.
  • Obtaining literal meanings: understand details, ways to secure main ideas, recall sequence, and follow written directions.
• Understand implied meanings: understand characterization and setting, sense relationships, predict outcomes, draw conclusions, and make generalizations.
• Creative reading (going beyond author’s message): such as the ability to use the author’s and reader’s ideas to solve a problem and the ability to use author’s ideas as a springboard to new ideas.