Many instructional programs have been created to assist young, struggling readers become effective and efficient readers. The Wilson Reading System (WRS) is one of those developmental programs and continues to help struggling readers as young as second-grade students. 

The WRS makes use of the Orton-Gillingham approach, which is designed to use visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile senses to help learners make a connection between the sounds and the words to help them read more effectively. This program is especially directed towards learners from second grade to high school.

Focus Of the Program

The WRS can be distinguished from other programs because it uses the multisensory approach to help students read better and effectively. The learners can effectively recognize the sounds and syllables used in different words through the simple and direct methodology employed by the WRS.

For instance, the WRS uses far fewer visual cues than the rest of the programs based on Orton-Gillingham or other reading instructional programs. Without the visual cues, the students can focus mainly on decoding different words without any help from the pictures. 

The WRS may use specific pictures, but they are occasional and basic used for only some activities. This program’s agenda remains the same; however, the activity level varies from student to student. For example, a ninth-grader would be encouraged to spell and read words that are up to their level – not the level of a third-grader.

Where To Find the Wilson Reading System

The WRS can be found in both public and private schools. This program can be a part of a response to an intervention program or a special education reading classroom.

It offers training and a certification program that many private tutors use with their students. You can ask those tutors if they have been certified to provide students with the necessary tools to help them read better. The certification will give the assurance of effective teaching to the students.

Who Can Be a Part Of the System?

The WRS is primarily encouraged to be taken by slow learners who face difficulty in reading. Children who are not able to develop a strong reading foundation struggle to pronounce a lot of words. The difficulty in reading is recognized in students as early as second grade.

Concluding Thoughts

The WRS is an effective instructional program that helps students read better and grow into successful students. High schoolers who use this system earlier in their middle school can perform a lot better in high school and have higher grades than otherwise.