Tattum Reading is a reading program...not just a phonics program
Tattum Reading (aka F.A.S.T. Reading in Michigan) is an evidence-based systematic phonics program that prioritizes reading over concepts. We believe that mastering letter sounds isn't what makes a good reader. We whole-heartedly believe in phonics but, unlike other programs, we don't spend 95% of our lessons in flipbooks and flashcards barely allotting anytime to actual reading at all. We dedicate an entire half of every lesson to reading in a book from one of our twelve patented (and fun!) phonetically-controlled book series. And we do this with every student from the very first day. The other half of the lesson is spent on our fun and engaging phonics board:
Learning how to swim...
We liken this to learning how to swim. We don't teach our students how to swim outside of the pool for two years before letting them dive in. We put them in the water immediately and have them implement what they've learned on day one.
This shouldn't be such a revolutionary concept but unfortunately it is. The most popular reading programs are weighted down with tedious letter mastery lessons and bloated manuals that unnecessarily slow down progress to a frustrating crawl. The 'amazingly fast' results we see are only because we move as fast as we can with every student, tailoring our program to each individual based on their unique strengths, cleaning up ALL of the consonants and short vowels on the first day, and making sure to dedicate an entire half of every lesson to reading in a book. It's not rocket science...but it is brain science.
This shouldn't be such a revolutionary concept but unfortunately it is. The most popular reading programs are weighted down with tedious letter mastery lessons and bloated manuals that unnecessarily slow down progress to a frustrating crawl. The 'amazingly fast' results we see are only because we move as fast as we can with every student, tailoring our program to each individual based on their unique strengths, cleaning up ALL of the consonants and short vowels on the first day, and making sure to dedicate an entire half of every lesson to reading in a book. It's not rocket science...but it is brain science.
The science behind Tattum Reading
While creating the Tattum Reading program, our founder traveled across the country to study the brain at Harvard University. What he discovered has influenced every step of the Tattum Reading lesson plan...and continues to influence it. We keep up with the latest research on reading & the brain and continuously update and improve our program accordingly. A Tattum Reading lesson moves quickly incorporating different areas of the student's brain in each section in order to keep them fresh and engaged. We get students involved visually, auditorily, and kinesthetically. We strategically and continuously target the specific areas in the brain that are otherwise dormant in non-readers. Stimulating these areas and getting them firing on their own is what occurs naturally in fluent readers and what makes reading come easily.