The Progressive Phonics program was developed around two bodies of research:
The Dolch Sight-Word list, which was researched and developed by Edward Dolch, PhD. However, rather than presenting the "Dolch words" as lists of sight-words to be memorized, we took on the challenge of presenting the words phonetically and "anti-phonetically" (rule-breakers). For more information, please see our article on "Dolch words."
Our program also complies with the recommendations of the U.S. National Institute for Literacy, especially in regards to guided oral reading (reading out loud with feedback). Please see our article on reading aloud. The U.S. National Institute for Literacy also found compelling evidence linking reading progress with handwriting instruction, which is why we produce matching handwriting worksheets and activity sheets for each of our books. Please see our article on handwriting.
For more information on the U.S. National Institute for Literacy and its study, please follow this link: National Reading Panel Study.
