What are the goals of these programs?

​

These programs are meant to help parents (and other caregivers) create and reinforce positive reading habits in their children.

 

Children will understand that English is read left to right, be able to identify and sound out the most common letter sounds (phonemes), blend those sounds into words, and begin reading complete sentences and stories.

 

Parents will gain a deeper understanding of phonics; practice talking to their child about reading; and learn about tools, games, and assessments to monitor their child's reading progress.

​

The lessons should take no more than 5-10 minutes per day. 

​

Parents report that Read Not Guess emails hold their child's attention and help instill a joy of reading, and that their children make noticeable gains over the course of the program. See more parent testimonials on our home page.

​

Can I sign up for more than one program?

 

Yes, but we don't recommend it. If you sign up for more than one program, you'll receive the daily emails for every program you sign up for.

 

The "Daily(ish) Decodable" and "30-Day Challenge" programs will remain open, so you can join those any time. 

​

Can I sign up an entire class or school?

 

Yes. We'd be happy to work with schools, churches, or other community organizations that are interested in bulk subscriptions. Please send inquiries to chad@readnotguess-dot-com.

 

Will you send me spam or sell my email address?

 

No!

 

What do parents and caregivers have to do?

 

Parents should carve out 5-10 minutes a day to work through the lessons with their child. We recommend carving out a specific time each day to work on the lessons, such as during a meal or right before bed. 

​

The lessons will work on any device with access to email. Both parent and child will need to be able to see the screen.

​

Will I need any extra supplies?

 

No. You will need to be able to access the daily emails, but you will not need any extra materials. The lessons will include sections asking children to sound out letters, words, and sentences. A bigger screen may help, but any iPad, tablet, or computer will work.

 

(The emails may also include suggestions for additional games to play with common household items such as paper and pens.)

 

Will there be pictures, video, or audio files?

 

Some. We may include occasional pictures or links to other resources to help get you started, but children learning to read need to interact with words and text. As such, for these lessons we mainly want your child to focus on the letters and words.

 

Will the content be translated into other languages?

 

So far we're only offering the emails in English, but we're working to build out other resources for non-native speakers.

 

In the meantime, check out a sample lesson to see if Read Not Guess is right for you and your family.

 

What happens if we miss a day (or more)?

 

These programs are meant to be fun. And hopefully this will not be the only opportunity for your child to learn their letters and practice their phonics skills! So when life happens and you miss a day of Read Not Guess, we suggest you forgive yourself and resume the program when you can.

 

What other resources could I use to help my child Read Not Guess?

 

There are a lot of good resources out there! We particularly recommend the free Teach Your Monster online games. The Stories Podcast is fun and helps kids build their vocabulary. 

​

For younger kids (ages 3-5), try the free Play Roly activities. 

​

For older kids (entering 1st through 8th grade) who need more practice, try the ReadWorks free summer printable packets. 

​

And, of course, don't forget to find (and use!) your local free public library.

 

To test or monitor your child's progress at any time, try the very short "Readiness Check" from Learning Heroes. For a more detailed assessment of your child's grade-level performance, check out these age-specific Literacy Assessment Toolkits.

 

For more, try the print-based All About Reading books, or Nessy and Headsprout are good digital reading programs. 

​

For parents who want to do even more, the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is great, but it does require a substantial time commitment from families.