Reply from Institute of Reading DevelopmentSep 12, 2019
I am disappointed that you were not satisfied with your son’s experience in our program. I've learned that he had the unusual experience of being taught by multiple instructors, which is neither ideal nor representative of the experience most of our students have.
Unfortunately, your characterization of what happens in class is inaccurate.
Lessons for older students do include short periods of independent reading in outstanding, classic books (like Tuck Everlasting and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in your son’s class). During silent reading, the teacher circulates around the classroom, talking to students about the book and asking to them summarize what they’ve been reading.
After reading for a brief time, the teacher leads the entire class in a discussion of what was just read. Frequent discussions reinforce students’ comprehension and help them experience each book more deeply. When they return to reading, they do so with confidence, prepared for whatever comes next in the story. This is a time-tested, proven method of building up students’ fluency, reading comprehension, and enjoyment, and it isn’t something kids get to do often enough.
All lessons for older students also include dedicated time for instruction in textbook reading and study skills. And in your area, they also include writing instruction. Our curriculum is designed to be both enjoyable and effective for participants, and our approach earns us overwhelmingly positive feedback each year from students and parents.
Scheduling issues obviously kept your son from getting the complete experience this summer. That is why, in addition to the partial refund, we offered you a full credit for your son or other child to take another program.
Despite your feelings about the program, I hope that your son continues using the skills taught in class and improving as a reader this school year.
-- John Boyd, Director of Instruction
