Is this what you
see when it's
see when it's
Is this what you
see when it's
see when it's
time to read?
Is Reading a nightly battle?
Does it seem like he won't even look at the words on the page?
Is her spelling terrible? Does he struggle with sight words you've reviewed a million times?
Does she make random guesses at words that she should be able to read?
Does it take hours instead of minutes to complete assignments?
Do you think that if you were a more patient person, your child wouldn't be struggling?
is reading a battle every night?
Does the mere prospect of reading makes your child mad or frustrated?
When it’s time to read, does he look at the pictures, your face, the band-aid on his thumb… anything except the actual words.
Does she seem anxious or sad when it's time for school? Does she get a lot of stomach aches that would keep her home?
book your freePhonemic Awareness Assessment
If this sounds familiar,
you are not alone.
The research is clear:
- 40–50% of readers require code-based, explicit instruction to become proficient.
- 10–15% need explicit, systematic instruction with many repetitions.
- This is the profile of a dyslexic reader: not only do they need skilled instruction—they need more of it.
- One of the key deficits dyslexic readers struggle with is weak phonemic awareness.
What is Phonemic Awareness? And what is the role it plays in learning to read?
What is
Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic Awareness (often referred to as “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken - as opposed to written - words.
PA is a foundational skill, and if that foundation is weak, reading will not make sense. Because if you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent those words?
PA is also the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable....
once you find the missing link.
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
What is
Phonemic
Awareness?
Awareness?
Scarborough's Reading Rope
Scarborough's Reading Rope is the conceptual framework behind what’s known as The Simple View of Reading, which informs what's often commonly referred to as “The Science of Reading" — a body of research built over more than 30 years, and strengthened by increasingly sophisticated brain-imaging evidence.
The key idea is, (appropriately) simple:
Phonemic Awareness (or “PA”) is the ability to identify, separate and blend individual speech sounds (known as “phonemes”) within spoken (not written) words. If you can't hear and isolate the sounds in spoken words, how are you supposed to connect them to the letters that represent* those words?
PA is the skill most commonly overlooked in early literacy, because it doesn’t look like “reading." It’s not about books, spelling, sight words, or even letters... it's about sound.
While most reading programs emphasize recognizing the first sounds in letters, it's the ability to ability to separate all the sounds in a word that is the foundation to fluent, automatic reading. It's not necessarily hard, but it's definitely all "natural." And it is the foundational skill that is underdeveloped in the dyslexic brain.
Fortunately, it is totally learnable!
*if that connection was never made, you might think that written English is totally illogical and random, and think you have to memorize everything. Can you imagine how exhausting that would be?
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting,
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery,
not on a prescribed curriculum.
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
as it appears in reading materials,
not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
recognition over handwriting and
sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program,
moving on even when gaps remain.
moving on even when gaps remain.
Structured
Literacy
Literacy
Explicit
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
Skills are taught directly
Systematic & Cumulative
The alphabetic code is taught intentionally as a coordinated system
Multisensory
Multisensory
Intentionally links handwriting, pronunciation, and phonology
Diagnostic/Flexible
Diagnostic/Flexible
Instruction is based on the learner’s mastery, not on a prescribed curriculum
VS.
Traditional Reading
Instruction
Instruction
Implicit
Skills are expected to be inferred
Incidental/non-sequential
The alphabetic code is introduced as it appears in reading materials, not in a cumulative sequence
Print-focused
emphasizes whole-word recognition over handwriting and sound–symbol understanding
Curriculum driven
Instruction follows a scripted program, moving on even when gaps remain
The Active Reader Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
Dyslexic kids need different help
Students learn the skills the dyslexic brain struggles to develop on its own, taught by a real human who knows them, and who makes sure they're aleart and engaged.
Passive learning doesn't work.
Designed from the ground-up to be delivered online.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Games that reinforce the
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
specific skills that need to
be developed in your child.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
The
Active Reader
Difference
Active Reader
Difference
Structured
Literacy
(aka "Orton Gillingham")
A research-backed approach endorsed by the IDA, Center for Effective Reading Instruction, and ALTA builds reading from the ground up, step by step.
Gold standard for literacy instruction
Expert Instruction
+
Human Connection
No Scripts. No Flashcards
Active Readers learn how our spoken language is translated into text - not through rote memorization, but through understanding. Sessions are dynamic and engaging, designed from the ground up to be delivered online.
Passive learning doesn't work. Engaged learning does.
Hand-picked
Video Games
Customized for your child
Unique games based on over twenty years of experience with real students, designed specifically to target the skills dyslexic students struggle with.
These are skills that are overlooked in almost all literacy programs.
Relationship +
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Deliberate Practice
= Lasting Results
Relationship:
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours
Deliberate Practice:
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Customized video Games
with leaderboards to help your child build automaticity, confidence, and motivation.
Lasting Results
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Lasting results that shape
your child's confidence, learning,
and future opportunities.
Relationship + Deliberate Practice = Lasting Results
Relationship
✅ Weekly one-on-one live sessions
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Opportunities to meet other students
✅ Parent office hours 
Practice
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Custom video games are sequenced intentionally to build understanding layer by layer, building the pattern recognition needed for fluent, automatic reading.
Leaderboards keep things interesting while repetition and variety work together to make reading easier.
Results
Struggling readers fall further and further behind because they don't even want to look at text, in or out of the classroom.
Active Readers naturally engage with the text that's all around.
Learning becomes self-reinforcing as skill and confidence grows.
a full grade level in 12 weeks — guaranteed.
"When you're reading fast and you're understanding, it's like you're flying."
Sam, aged 10
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
Dyslexia Doesn't Fix Itself
Without the right support, difficulties can compound over time, undermining confidence and self-image
Insufficient
school support
school support
Reading difficulties
intensify over time
intensify over time
Emotional and psychological consequences
It's not too late!
Wherever your child is right now, there’s still time to help.
What's Right for My Child?
What's right for my child?
Lexercise® Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia:
Advanced Vocabulary Development and Comprehension
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Lexercise®
Professional Therapy
Professional Therapy
Lexercise Professional Therapy is a structured, research-based intervention designed for students with dyslexia and related reading difficulties.
Sessions follow an IDA credentialed Structured Literacy Program, and each session is integrated with a customizable, gamefied suite of games that allows for independent daily practice, complete with points, streaks, and goals.
Morphophonemia
English isn’t purely phonetic, but it isn’t random either — it’s morphophonetic. Students learn to spot the Greek and Latin pieces inside words so they can understand meaning, pronunciation, and structure at a deeper level.
Vocabulary that used to feel out of reach becomes a secret strength.
Kim's Story
This is conversation I had with parent (who happens to be an attorney) talking about how she learned dyslexia was at the root of her son's behavior struggles. I asked to record it because I knew how much other parents would appreciate hearing her story.
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher. I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
With the right support,
real progress is possible.
real progress is possible.
Hear from parents like you:
Hi! I'm Kate.
I’m The Active Reader.
I like big words, small dogs (well, my small dog), and punctuation.
I’ve been teaching reading for over twenty-five years, to
students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. I’m a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Therapist, trained
through IDA-accredited programs including Lexercise, Lindamood-Bell, Words in Color, and F.A.S.T. Phonics.
After graduating from Smith College and spending some years writing screenplays, waiting tables, touring with a pop band, and generally being convinced I was going to “change the world,” I found myself teaching English in a failing middle school in Compton. To my surprise, I discovered that while I could talk about books, stories, and word origins 'til the cows came home, what I couldn’t do was teach a classroom full of kids how to actually read when they were already behind.
I get how hard it is to be a classroom teacher.
I’m also a certified yoga instructor, and while I’m a terrible meditator, I’m an excellent breather. I've used that training to help my students manage their anxiety, settle down, and perk up. (I have yet to find anything more energizing than doing a headstand, and believe it or not, I often do them with my student, even over Zoom.)
Someday, I want to start a middle school where all academic content is taught through the science and business of food and cooking.
But for now, I just want to teach kids how to read.
As many as possible.
