When invited by elementary school principals, expert Reading Reform Foundation teaching consultants travel to public schools to train regular education primary grade teachers in the teaching of reading, writing and spelling.

Reading Reform Foundation consultants demonstrate in the classroom structured, multisensory methods of teaching reading, help the classroom teachers practice these methods with their classes, and plan lessons with the teachers for the days the consultant is not present.  Training takes place on a weekly basis.

Reading Reform Foundation requires collaborating classroom teachers to enroll in Reading Reform Foundation courses prior to classroom training.  Courses provide a thorough and practical immersion in the techniques taught and a broad perspective of the scope and sequence of the methodology.

The best results occur when a teacher takes a course and uses the methods in the classroom for a year under the guidance of an experienced Reading Reform Foundation teaching consultant, and then takes at least one other course following the year of classroom training.

The School and Reading Reform Foundation: An Effective Partnership

Increasingly, schools are consulting with Reading Reform Foundation as they develop strategies for utilizing multisensory approaches in their reading programs.  This integration of structured course work with practice in the classroom is at the heart of Reading Reform Foundation's mission of teaching ways to teach reading, writing and spelling.

Reading Reform Foundation believes that learning to use these methods effectively in a continuing process, and that training in these methods must be standardized.  Schools make a two- to three-year commitment with Reading Reform Foundation as teachers build strength through practice and additional course participation.

Nurtured, supported and encouraged in this way, many of the classroom teachers become superb practicioners, and some go on to train other teachers.

The principal and Reading Reform Foundation work together to support the program's use with the children in the target classrooms and then to build on the teachers' first year's training with additional training in subsequent years.

Reading Reform Foundation asks the principal and/or district staff to select those teachers for the program who are motivated, willing and able to participate fully in all the training has to offer.

Scheduling Training in the Classroom

Reading Reform Foundation teaching consultants usually work in the classroom during the morning.  To help ensure good work, Reading Reform Foundation relies on the principal to provide uninterrupted time for classroom training as well as a private setting for the consultant and the classroom teacher to discuss, practice and plan for future lessons.  The training program generally begins in the fall term, and can continue into the spring term.  Two to four classroom teachers participate in each school.

Fees for Program Services

Because of the constraints of education budgets, Reading Reform Foundation tries to keep the charges for teacher training reasonable. Payment for training in the classroom can come from the school, the district, or from outside funding.  Reading Reform Foundation charges approximately ten per cent of the total costs of the training.

Reading Reform Foundation endeavors to raise the considerably higher total cost by soliciting funds from foundations, corporations and individuals.  A yearly benefit event provides a portion of the money needed.