Helping children learn to read:
Evaluating the programs from Essential Skills Software in the context of current research

June 10, 2005

Algonquin School is very happy with the Essential Skills Programs we�ve been using since February. The students I see for resource assistance are always so keen to join me in the computer lab to work on the Sight Words lists.

One small group of grade two students have been using the Sight Words program 3 days a week for 25 minutes a day. I see significant gains made in their recognition of sight words. All three were reading at a 2nd term grade 1 reading level and recognized about 1/2 of the sight words on a Grade 1 sight word list and very few of the words on the Grade 2 list.

Alan tripled the number of sight words he recognized back in February. Steve and Kyle more than doubled their number of words. Tim doubled his number of sight words.

All three students now recognize all or most of the grade 2 sight word list and even a number of words on the grade 3 sight word list.

Margot Snow
Special Education Resource Teacher
Algonquin Public School