Welcome to the free preview of the course "Unlocking The Roadmap to Literacy" from Renewal of Literacy® School. It is the support course for the book The Roadmap to Literacy (both editions).



The Roadmap to Literacy combines the best of Steiner-Waldorf education with best practices from mainstream education. It presents a roadmap to literacy, or five phases of learning to read and spell.

It combines aspects from four different reading methodologies, all organized by phase of learning to read and spell, including:

1. Phonics
2. Whole Language
3. Look/Say
4. Spelling Method

Bringing the right method at the right time is key to ending the reading wars. All methodologies have something important to add. The phases of learning to read and spell help teachers know when to teach which method.

This course is recommended for the following:

1. Teachers/Homeschool parents in grades 1-3
2. Teachers/Homeschool parents teaching remedial reading or spelling

Learning to read is not a natural part of child development. It depends on changes to the brain that are secondary to education. Students in one grade will likely be in different phases of learning to read and spell. The teacher must meet all the students where they are at and then help them meet benchmarks/learning goals for the grade. Check out the next lesson to see what can happen when teachers do not meet students where they are at.