SPIRE Reading Program: A GREAT Tool for Overcoming Dyslexia

vThe SPIRE Reading Program was introduced to me during my Orton-Gillingham training. As parent, not a classroom teacher, I truly appreciated the clarity of the program and it’s solid, step-by-step explanations.

The SPIRE Reading Program uses a proven scope and sequence. It is time-tested, and it’s a program that has been carefully developed over time.

SPIRE (Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence) is written by an Orton-Gillingham Fellow. It is a high quality, Orton-Gillingham reading program specifically for teaching children with diagnosable dyslexia how to read.

The Teacher’s Guides are scripted to provide good teaching support, so the program is usable by most people. Preparation for each lesson is simplified because the procedures are very consistent from one lesson to the next. This makes it a good homeschooling curriculum for teaching reading to dyslexic children.

Spire Level 3 Reader

~~$24.24~~ $20.25 (as of 12 May 2025 03:19 GMT -04:00 - )

The S.P.I.R.E. reading system uses all of the sensory channels. Thus, if you need training in Orton-Gillingham or multisensory instruction, be sure to visit the Learning Abled Kids’ Multisensory Instruction Tutorial.

You’ll want to understanding multisensory instruction because it is the heart of the SPIRE reading program. (Understanding this type of teaching will help you know how to work with your child using any Orton-Gillingham reading program for dyslexia.)

SPIRE Reading Program’s Scripted Teacher Guides

If you have no training in Orton-Gillingham methods, it’s essential for you to get and follow the instructions in the SPIRE Reading Program Teacher’s Guides. Using the Teacher’s Guide for the Sounds Sensible Kit (Pre-Level 1) and each of the 8 levels will help you teach more easily. You won’t have to think up multi-sensory activities every day.

You must be sure to incorporate the multi-sensory aspects of the lessons into your teaching. If you don’t incorporate the multisensory activities into your teaching, the program is not likely to work. The key in any Orton-Gillingham reading program, is in how well you use the multi-sensory elements within the program.

Reading Skill Mastery is Essential

Teaching your child to a point of mastery for each phoneme is also essential. Mastery means your child can immediately and automatically respond to prompts without hesitating to think about their response. Mastery exists when your child automatically responds without hesitation.

As mentioned above, there is a consistent lesson format from lesson-to-lesson within the SPIRE reading system. If you look at the S.P.I.R.E. 10-Step Lesson Format, you can see the types of activities used in the multi-sensory teaching. It’ll give you a good idea of the amount of time you’ll be spending with each activity.

SPIRE Reading Program and Your Child’s Learning Style

You will find the SPIRE Reading Program is more Auditory than Visual. And large-movement Kinesthetic elements are the least in number within the S.P.I.R.E. program. Moving a tile or flipping through cards are kinesthetic, but not in a way that reinforces the learned element.

Tracing phonemes ON the card with a finger, tracing with a big toe on carpet or a bare finger on velvet are more effective as kinesthetic activities. You can add these on to the program.

If your child is a kinesthetic learner, this program would not be the most effective program if you use it “as is” for your child. When practicing the writing elements in the program, I recommend making modifications to those activities to incorporate more effective kinesthetic activities. Most notably, add on large writing on a chalkboard mounted on a wall.

The SPIRE Reading Program is great for a child who is primarily an auditory learner.

Reader (S.P.I.R.E. A Specialized Program Individualizing Reading Excellence, 2)

$33.28 (as of 12 May 2025 03:19 GMT -04:00 - )

Used Book in Good Condition

It’s a great program for any child if you are aware of your child’s primary learning style. All you need to incorporate are additional activities based upon your child’s needs. 😉

Overall, the SPIRE Reading Program is a great program. It is easily modifiable to include additional elements for a tactile or kinesthetic learner. It includes Visual elements in the student textbooks and may be sufficient to meet the needs of a visual learner. By incorporating additional tactile and kinesthetic activities into the program, this program can become virtually the “perfect” Orton-Gillingham reading program.
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If your child is primarily a tactile or kinesthetic learner, and adding kinesthetic and tactile activities isn’t something you want to do, I’d recommend against using this program.

If you aren’t sure of your child’s learning style, you can assess your child’s primary learning style by using the tools suggested in the short tutorial at: ../multi_sensory_training/page01-welcome.htm — It is free online and generally takes about 20-30 minutes to go through.

The SPIRE Reading Program scope and sequence is as follows:

Spire Student Reader Level 1

~~$138.90~~ $138.81 (as of 12 May 2025 03:15 GMT -04:00 - )

Used Book in Good Condition

Sounds Sensible Kit (Pre-Level 1) – covers mastery of 20 consonants and short a.

1st Level – Short vowels i, o, u, e, ch, th, wh, ing, ong, ung, ank, ink, onk, unk.
2nd Level – ff, ll, ss, al, wa, qu, ck, tch, magic e, vowel+consonant+e.
3rd Level – so, he, fly, ild, old, ind, ost, oll, ay, -ed, suffixes, consonant syllable division, ou, prefix a-.
4th Level – ea, oa, ai, ee, -le, oo, igh, ie.
5th Level – soft c and g, er, ur, it, ear, wor, dge, s sounding like z, ow, oe, kn, or, ar.
6th Level – a-, -a, -able, ph, ought, aught, ue, ew, tu, oi, oy, aw, au, ey, kn, wr, mb, gh, gu, -age, open syllables.
7th Level – ct, ei, eigh, open sllable i, -tion, -sion, -ci, -ti, tu, -ture, -sure, -ous, -ence, -ent, -ance, -ant, -cy, -ency, -ancy, ui, eu, -er, -or, -ar, -ard.
8th Level – ar, arr, ir, er, err, ur, dis-, mis-, pre-, pro-, re-, de-, ex-, -al, -en, -on, -an, -ain, -ine, -et, -ite, -ate, -ic, -ive, -ary, in-, im-, il-, ir-, un-, under-, sub-, con-, com-, cor-, col-, ab-, ad-, ac-, af-, ap-, per-, i sounding like y, ch sounding like k or sh, que sounding like k.

The S.P.I.R.E. scope and sequence builds in complexity and requires diligence to follow the whole program.

When shopping for an Orton-Gillingham reading program for YOUR child, you have to know your child’s needs and your abilities before you can find the “right” program. Before continuing here, if you haven’t already, you might find it helpful to look at “How to find ‘Effective’ Orton-Gillingham Programs” to learn more about selecting a program.

SPIRE Reading Program Summary

I don’t know if that helps with your actual decision making about whether to use the SPIRE Reading Program, but it is what I know. 😉 S.P.I.R.E. is a solid Orton-Gillingham reading program, well worth using.

To consider other possible curriculum for dyslexic students, check out other Orton-Gillingham based reading programs here.

Best Wishes!
Sandy