GoalsHome Practice
In order for the skills taught in class to become habits, students must practice both in class and at home. Between class meetings, students complete four weekly home practice sessions to reinforce the skills they learned in class. The Institute of Reading Development provides each student with a Program Guide, which provides clear instructions for individual home practice sessions.
At every level, students’ home practice includes:
- Independent reading practice in age-appropriate books.
- Practice in a phonics, long-word decoding, or vocabulary workbook.
- Reading-related enrichment activities, such as written responses to reading assignments or phonics games.
Depending on the reader's age, parents either supervise or actively participate in home practice sessions. Home practice gives parents and teachers a foundation for productive conversations about students' progress and individual needs. Five weeks of practicing under the guidance and support of an Institute teacher further serves as a model structure for students to continue reading beyond the duration of the program. At the end of the summer reading programs for our preschool and elementary school students, we offer parents the opportunity to order a book kit that provides their child with books at the right level of difficulty as well as other materials. Teachers describe the book kit and distribute flyers to parents in a five-minute meeting during the fourth lesson.
This was the right program for us. It kept us reading 4-5 days a week this summer. I didn't have to fight with Trace about reading. He saw himself improve. Thanks! 
— Level 2 parent