Reading Curricula, Tech, Apps, and More!

In our articles about reading, we highlight the importance of schools using a structured literacy or evidence-based reading curriculum. In this article, we have put together a list of some of the most common curricula and reading programs used in California schools. It is not an exhaustive list, nor is inclusion or exclusion in our list a recommendation.

In a California reading survey for the 2021 school year, more than 80% of districts in California were using three ELA curriculum packages: McGraw Hill’s Wonders, Benchmark’s Advance, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Journeys. Despite publishers’ claims that these were evidence-based, critics found them to have insufficient phonics instruction in their foundational reading instruction. Wonders and Advance have since brought out new editions with added Science of Reading components. Some districts were also using Heinemann’s Units of Study (the subject of Sold a Story) or Fountas & Pinnell’s Classroom, which are considered responsible for the balanced literacy three-cueing approach — prompting students to identify words based on context, sentence structure, and letters.

Education Advocate Cherie Dorreen tells us, “Schools don’t have to provide you with a specific type of program. You as a parent can’t go in there and say, ‘I want you to provide my child with the Barton program because I’ve heard that Barton works,’ or ‘I want my child to get the Orton-Gillingham program.’ We can’t do that as parents. Schools only have to provide a reading service that is evidence-based.”

For general school-wide curriculum, school districts are allowed to choose pre-approved curriculum materials from this 2015 list or show that the package they want is aligned with state standards (in a teacher-involved process). If your district isn't using evidenced based literacy curriculum, you may need to advocate at your school board for a change.

Science of Reading programs:

• Core5 Reading | Research-Proven Reading Program | Lexia is a research-backed program with comprehensive coverage of structured literacy components. It offers individualized learning in a gamelike format but requires a lot of teacher training to properly use all of its features.

• LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) is not a reading program per se but a training course for teachers in evidence-based foundational reading instruction. It provides a scope and sequence for word recognition skills.

• Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum is a foundational reading skills program focused on systematically teaching phonics.

• Imagine Learning EL Education (Grades K–8) is a ‘digital-forward’ core English language arts program. This core language arts program utilizes real-world, compelling texts to engage learners. It emphasizes a content-based approach to literacy, supporting deeper connections to texts and fostering critical thinking skills.

While the Science of Reading is only about phonics, these curricula focus on building background knowledge and vocabulary:

• Wit & Wisdom, a comprehensive K–8 English language arts curriculum.

• Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) (Amplify), a K–5 core literacy program within Amplify’s literacy suite.

• Wonders, an evidence-based K–5 ELA program that empowers students to take an active role in learning and exploration.

For many children who are behind in their foundational reading skills, an intervention program might be implemented, even for a short burst, to catch them up. This doesn't have to be done through an IEP and is often done through Response to Intervention — lets try and see what happens if their reading gets better after the intervention. Reading intervention is usually provided in a small group or one-on-one in a pull out from the larger classroom. Similar strategies can also be built into embedded instruction in an inclusive classroom.

The California Education Code Section 56335(a) recognises that students with dyslexia often need an intervention program based on Orton Gillingham principles, as recommended in The California Dyslexia Guidelines.

Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy programs

These programs could be provided by your school in an IEP, with a trained teacher or reading specialist. Many tutors also offer these programs.

• Wilson Reading System (WRS) is designed to help students in grades 2–12 and adults who struggle with reading and spelling, particularly those with language-based learning disabilities like dyslexia. WRS employs multisensory techniques to teach decoding and encoding skills systematically. The program is often delivered in small group settings or one-on-one sessions, with lessons typically lasting around 60 to 90 minutes.

• Barton Reading & Spelling System is a structured, one-on-one tutoring program designed to improve the reading, spelling, and writing skills of individuals with dyslexia or other learning disabilities. Developed by Susan Barton in 1998, it is influenced by the Orton–Gillingham approach and employs a multisensory, explicit, and systematic phonics methodology. The program consists of 10 levels, each targeting specific literacy skills, and is suitable for school aged children and adults. There is plenty of research to support its effectiveness but some users find the program intensive and time-consuming.

• Imagine Sonday System is a reading program that systematically teaches phonics and decoding, recognized by National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). Sonday is designed to help teachers provide multisensory reading instruction to students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Grounded in the Orton-Gillingham approach, it offers systematic, sequential, and cumulative instruction tailored for struggling readers. Sonday comes in three programs for different age levels.

• PowerUp Literacy® | Literacy Acceleration Program | Lexia is a computer-based program designed to accelerate literacy gains for struggling and non-proficient readers in grades 6–12. It combines adaptive online instruction with offline teacher-led lessons to address gaps in fundamental literacy skills while building higher-order thinking abilities. The program features personalized learning paths, allowing each student to begin their learning journey based on individual strengths and needs. It covers Word recognition, foundational reading skills, grammar and comprehension: Develops the ability to understand and engage with complex texts across various genres. The program is multisensory engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses through its online activities and offline manipulative materials. It includes embedded progress monitoring.

Programs for students with intellectual disabilities and Down syndrome

• Early Literacy Skills Builder - ELSB is designed by Dr. Diane Browder to develop foundational literacy skills in students with significant developmental disabilities, including autism. The program is based on research from 128 studies. It is suitable for children aged 5 to 10 and accommodates various communication methods. It covers all components identified by the National Reading Panel, including phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence, conventions of print, and sight word vocabulary, in scripted lessons, prompting strategies, and suggestions for assistive technology to support diverse learning needs. ELSB includes ongoing assessments to monitor student progress and inform instruction. A friendly frog named Moe is used to introduce literacy concepts in an engaging manner.

• Friends on the Block is a comprehensive early literacy curriculum designed to support beginning readers, particularly those facing challenges such as learning disabilities, dyslexia, or intellectual disabilities. Developed by educational experts, the program integrates book reading with corresponding lessons to foster reading skills in a structured yet engaging manner. The package comes with a range of customizable and motivating resources, including a researcher-developed book series, explicit lessons with extensive opportunities for skill integration, and multiple learning games to make practicing skills fun.

• Raising Robust Readers is a phonics-based reading program specifically designed to support children with Down syndrome, dyslexia, and early readers. Raising Robust Readers partnered with GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers to integrate a customized phonics component into their literacy tutoring sessions. The program aligns with best practices recommended by organizations such as the National Reading Panel, the International Dyslexia Association, and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The program addresses all aspects of literacy, including phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. It features explicit, systematic instruction through structured lessons that systematically introduce phonics concepts, ensuring a clear progression of skills. The program also incorporates a multisensory approach using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to enhance engagement. This is a program that could be used by schools or at home, featuring child-centered play and family activities that are enjoyable learning experiences

• The Edmark Reading Program is a well-established, research-based curriculum designed to teach beginning reading skills to students of all ages, particularly those who have not yet mastered foundational reading. It employs a carefully sequenced, highly repetitive word recognition method combined with errorless learning, which eliminates incorrect responses and helps students view themselves as readers. Edmark primarily uses a whole word reading approach using high repetition to solidify word recognition and retention

Learn more about these in our article 11 Resources for Alternate Curriculum in English & Language Arts.

Audiobooks & digital TTS books

Audiobooks are read-aloud books. While some apps such as Audible charge a membership fee, there are plenty of others that provide audiobooks for free.

• Libby is free and only requires a library card to join.

• Storynory offers free audiobooks for young children. Each audiobook includes the digital text of the book. (App is $2.99 to download)

• Lit2Go provides free audiobook versions of books that are no longer protected by copyright laws. Lit2Go offers downloadable PDFs of books so that your child can read along while listening. The site also categorizes books by reading level.

• Project Gutenberg is another option for digital books. (FREE)

• Bookshare has the largest online library of accessible reading materials, and it’s free if you show that your child has a disability that prevents reading traditional print books. One benefit of Bookshare is that it reads text aloud AND leads you through the text, so it’s a good choice for students who need visual and audio supports. (FREE with demonstrated need)

  • Note: Schools and libraries may provide free digital text-to-speech books to students. Many schools will give kids a Bookshare membership if they have a 504 plan or an IEP for reading issues. Talk to the school staff or librarian about which programs are available to your child.

• Learning Ally is a nonprofit organization with a mission to close the reading gap, supporting students with dyslexia and visual impairments, by providing access to a vast library of human-narrated audiobooks. Their collection includes over 80,000 titles, encompassing textbooks, literature, and other educational materials, all available in an accessible audio format. The platform features such as highlighted text synced with audio narration, speed control, bookmarking, highlighting, and note-taking to enhance the learning experience. Audiobooks can be accessed across devices.

Reading comprehension browser extensions

• Google Dictionary — Just by double-clicking any word or phrase, you can view its definition in a small pop-up bubble. Words are automatically translated to your language of choice, and you can store words to practice them later. Note that the pop-up bubble will not work in tabs that were open prior to installation. After installing this extension, either reload your open tabs or restart Chrome. (FREE)

• Lucidchart — For visual learners, this Google Chrome app allows users to organize their thoughts using graphics. The diagramming tool includes hundreds of templates and examples, such as flowcharts, Venn diagrams, graphic organizers, mind maps, organizational charts, and more. (FREE)

• Newsela — This Google Chrome app adapts news articles to your child’s reading level while empowering them to apply reading comprehension strategies like highlighting and annotating digital text. Articles are published at five different reading levels with built-in assessments to engage students K–12. (FREE with registration)

• SMMRY summarizes any online article using the SMMRY website. Using AI, it reduces the text to only the most important sentences. This tool works with any text, including PDFs. Paste the link to the article or upload a file and SMMRY will give you an easy-to-understand synopsis. (FREE)

• Popplet Lite is a mind-mapping tool that can be especially helpful for students who have problems with organization and visual memory. The app allows students to insert words, images, and their own drawings to help students who benefit from visual presentation.

Readability extensions for students with dyslexia and learning disabilities

• Postlight Reader allows you to only view the important content of a site by blocking ads and all other distractions. You can also adjust the text and send articles to a Kindle device. (FREE)

• OpenDyslexic Font for Chrome is an open source font that increases readability for those with dyslexia. This Google Chrome extension overrides all fonts on webpages with the OpenDyslexic font and formats pages to be more easily readable. (FREE)

• Dyslexia Friendly — This Google Chrome extension replaces the font on websites with OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans for easier readability, provides contrast between paragraphs, and includes a highlighted bar to help users stay on the correct line while reading. (FREE)

• ATbar combines many accessibility tools into one toolbar. It is available for most browsers and allows you to change the way you view and interact with webpages. You can change the look and feel, font size, have text read aloud, use colored overlays, and access a dictionary, spell check, and word prediction. (FREE)

• Microsoft OneNote allows students to create and store electronic notes by “jotting down” relevant information of any length and on any subject. The student can later retrieve the information by typing any fragment of the original note.

AAC and text-to-speech tech for readers

There are literally hundreds of text to speech apps available: Speechify and Google’s Read Write are good examples.

• AAC Language Lab provides free resources, lessons, and activities for students of all ages who use an AAC device. Their annual subscription includes full access to all materials including guided lesson plans, an updated activities section and language screener, and more. Their course curriculum includes Literacy Through Unity, which provides accessible lessons on word recognition, decoding, spelling, and icon sequencing.

• Snap&Read from Don Johnston Learning Tools is a multifunctional app that allows students of all ages to have both accessible and inaccessible text read aloud from websites, PDFs, and Google Drive documents. It also levels vocabulary for comprehension and offers translation services. Cost: FREE trial period and then $4.99 a month.

• Storyline Online is an award-winning website that provides videos of celebrities reading children’s books (Grades K–5) along with creative illustrations. Each book is listed with the suggested grade level and includes printable teacher guides with activities and lesson plans to accompany the reading. There is also a free app, available on Android, iOS, and Chrome.

• Tar Heel Reader offers a collection of FREE user-generated books that allow students to implement a variety of alternative access methods. Books can be searched by topic and by rating (such as E/Everybody and C/Caution). Per their description, “The site can be accessed through a mouse, touch screen, alternative pointing devices, AAC devices with serial output, the IntelliKeys, or with switches.” The books are accompanied by pictures that can be used on an AAC device.

• Voice Dream Reader : Utilizing advanced text-to-speech and a highly configured screen layout, this app is designed to suit every reading style from completely audio to completely text. The app lets the user highlight text that is then read to them. Cost: $4.99