Renee Magnusson

Bridgerland Literacy is a nonprofit organization located in Logan, Utah. Each year, we help over 100 students to improve their reading and writing skills.

Many of our adult literacy students have weak decoding skills. While reading, they guess at unfamiliar words instead of sounding them out. Most of these students can benefit from systematic phonics instruction.

Our tutors, however, are all volunteers. Most of them are not experienced reading teachers, and most of them are not familiar with the rules of phonics.

This is where the Reading Horizons computer courseware helps us. It teaches students the rules of phonics in a clear, systematic way. The tutors sit in on the lessons, and they learn the phonics rules along with their students. Then, the tutors are able to help their students apply these rules as they read books together.

The Reading Horizons program allows the tutors to give their students quality phonics instruction.

Reading Horizons is one of the uncommon phonics programs geared toward adults. It never talks down to adults or makes them feel that they are doing the work of a child. It presents concepts clearly, and it provides opportunities for drill and practice. It has helped our students to become more confident readers, able to sound out many unfamiliar words instead of guessing what they might be.

Grade Level: Adult Ed