Learning to Read Before children can learn to read, they must first recognize letters and know their sounds. Then learning to read means breaking the alphabetic code. Our weekly booklets provide a step-by-step program allowing the student to combine phonetic sounds to decode words. Research concludes that students who are skilled decoders are shown to have increased fluency and improved comprehension. Comprehension Our reading program includes an early comprehension series designed to promote reading for meaning. These beginning comprehension booklets provide a variety of exercises while developing new vocabulary. The curriculum continues with more advanced comprehension that contains great variety in subject matter. Vocabulary The vocabulary program, beginning in first grade, creates challenging activities to advance and strengthen basic language skills. Working with a list of words and their definitions, the student engages in a variety of exercises. Sentence writing using these vocabulary words is included. Grammar We believe in a direct approach to grammar beginning with first grade work. This early start will help to build a strong foundation and simplify grammar concepts.