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Reading By Design
Reading by Design is a structured literacy program designed for students who need targeted support in decoding, spelling, and word analysis.
Why reading by design works
Reading by Design is a structured literacy program designed for students in grades K–12 and aligned with the Science of Reading and the principles of Orton Gillingham instruction.
Through explicit, systematic lessons, students learn how sounds, letters, syllables, and word patterns work together. Instruction focuses on phonology, sound–symbol relationships, syllable patterns, morphology, and reading fluency.
The program includes 199 carefully sequenced lessons across five instructional volumes, allowing students to build skills gradually while receiving consistent review and progress monitoring.
Students actively engage with sounds, letters, and words using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic pathways. This multisensory approach strengthens memory and deepens understanding of phonics patterns.
Every sound, spelling pattern, and rule is taught directly and in logical order. Students learn how the structure of English works rather than relying on guessing or memorizing whole words.
Lessons build gradually from foundational phonics to more complex word patterns, syllable structures, and morphology. Students master each concept before moving forward.
Students strengthen their ability to hear, analyze, and manipulate sounds while connecting those sounds to letters and spelling patterns. These skills support accurate decoding and spelling.
Concepts are introduced in manageable steps with frequent review. Students build confidence as they master new skills and apply them in reading and writing. Evidence Based Instruction
Reading by Design is grounded in structured literacy research and aligns with best practices recommended for students with dyslexia and reading difficulties.
What your child will learn
Reading by Design strengthens the foundational skills students need to become accurate and confident readers. Through explicit, systematic instruction, students develop stronger phonological awareness, decoding, spelling, and word analysis skills. These skills help students understand how words are structured so they can read unfamiliar words without guessing.
Students strengthen their ability to hear, analyze, and manipulate sounds within words.
- Blending sounds to form words
- Segmenting words into individual phonemes
- Manipulating sounds within words
- Connecting sounds to letters
Strong phonological awareness supports both decoding and spelling development.
Students learn how written words are organized so they can decode unfamiliar words independently.
- Sound–symbol relationships
- Vowel patterns and spelling rules
- Consonant blends and digraphs
- Multisyllabic word reading
Students begin applying these strategies when reading connected text.
As decoding improves, students build smoother and more confident reading.
- Reading sentences and passages accurately
- Improving reading fluency and expression
- Strengthening spelling and encoding
- Building vocabulary through word analysis
Students develop the skills needed to become more independent readers.
Reading by Design focuses heavily on phonological awareness and sound–symbol relationships. Students learn how sounds connect to letters and how words are built so they can decode unfamiliar words with confidence.
Provided materials
All Reading by Design instructional materials are provided by DysConnections. These tools support structured, multisensory learning and help students actively engage with sounds, letters, and word patterns during each lesson.
Our therapists monitor student progress throughout the program so families can see how decoding, spelling, and reading skills are developing.
Materials included
- Student workbooks aligned with the Reading by Design curriculum
- Blue alphabet letters and letter line for word building and spelling practice
- Sound counters used to segment and manipulate sounds within words
- Dry erase board and marker for interactive reading and spelling activities
- Structured reading passages and practice materials
These tools allow students to see, hear, and manipulate the structure of language, reinforcing the multisensory learning approach used throughout the program.
Progress we track
Reading by Design uses regular mastery checks to monitor student progress and ensure each concept is fully understood before new skills are introduced.
These progress checks measure skills that have been explicitly taught in the lessons, allowing therapists to confirm that students are applying new phonics patterns, spelling rules, and decoding strategies accurately.
Students demonstrate their ability to hear and manipulate sounds within words, including blending, segmenting, and identifying phonemes.
Students show mastery of how sounds connect to letters and spelling patterns taught in the program.
Students read words and passages that include previously taught phonics patterns to demonstrate accurate decoding.
Students spell words using the phonics patterns and spelling rules they have learned, reinforcing the connection between reading and spelling.
As decoding becomes more automatic, students practice reading connected text to build smoother and more confident reading.
Reading by Design includes regular mastery checks throughout the program. These checks ensure that students have a solid understanding of each concept before progressing to new learning.
Families receive ongoing updates showing how their child’s reading and spelling skills are developing.
Is Reading By Design right for your child?
Reading by Design supports students who are struggling to develop strong decoding and spelling skills. The program strengthens phonological awareness and teaches students how the structure of the English language works so they can read unfamiliar words with confidence.
The earlier reading challenges are addressed, the easier it becomes for students to build strong and confident reading skills.
Your child can read some words but often guesses at unfamiliar words or struggles to sound them out.
Reading by Design teaches students how sounds, letters, and word patterns work together so they can decode new words accurately.
Your child has difficulty spelling even common words or spelling patterns they have learned.
Reading by Design strengthens the connection between reading and spelling so students learn how words are built and how patterns transfer across both skills.
Your child reads slowly, skips words, or struggles to read smoothly.
As decoding improves, students build reading fluency and confidence through structured reading practice.
Reading by Design supports students across a wide age range and is often used for struggling readers in grades K-12 who need structured literacy instruction to strengthen foundational reading skills.