Reading Reform Foundation of New York has adhered to its original mission: to improve reading instruction for all children.

Our Programs

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Reading Reform Foundation-trained teachers help New York City and Metropolitan-area students become better readers, writers and spellers.

For over 34 years Reading Reform Foundation of New York has been training New York City public-school teachers in proven, phonic-based methods, improving their students’ ability to read, write and spell. The goal: to leave teachers able to use this new integrated method for the rest of their teaching careers.

Our programs provide teacher-training directly in the schools as well as graduate-level courses for teachers, administrators and parents in the teaching of an Orton-Gillingham or other Orton-based, phonics approaches to teaching reading, writing, spelling and comprehension. 

Watch an Overview

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Watch an Overview about the Reading Reform Foundation in-school teacher training program. Watch Video

See a Classroom

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This video illustrates classroom instruction for teachers and students in an Orton-Gillingham-based method Reading Reform Foundation provides in New York City public-school classrooms. The instructor is RRF Education Director Esther Morgan Sands. Watch Video

Programs in the Schools

Superintendents and public elementary school principals invite Reading Reform Foundation to send skilled teaching consultants into their schools to provide teachers, after they have taken a Reading Reform Foundation course, with 60 hours of training directly in the classroom and 60 hours of individual planning sessions on the teaching of reading writing, spelling and comprehension. Reading Reform Foundation is the only organization in the country that gives 120 hours of training in the schools in addition to a 40-45 hour course that provides the underpinning for the in-school training.

Reading Reform Foundation's in-school teacher training program is available only in:

  • New York City and nearby counties
  • Public-school elementary-level classrooms, grades K to 3.

This school year:

  • Over 1,000 students are benefiting from Reading Reform Foundation-trained teachers
  • 41 teachers are receiving Reading Reform Foundation training, in 13 New York City public schools in all five boroughs.
  • 300 teachers are taking Reading Reform Foundation courses

Since Reading Reform Foundation's founding:

  • More than 33,320 students have been taught, using Reading Reform Foundation methodology
  • More than 20,000 teachers have attended Reading Reform Foundation's annual conference and taken graduate-level courses
  • More than 1,344 teachers have been part of the in-school teacher-training program

The cost: It costs Reading Reform Foundation over $35,000 for a consultant to work with two teachers in their classrooms for an entire school year. We charge a school $3,000 per classroom, with a minimum of two classrooms per school, for a total of $6,000. This fee includes books and materials for implementing the lessons with the children. We raise the remaining funds from generous contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, as well as public sources.

Outcomes and Responses: Reading Reform Foundation training gets results. Teachers and students succeed and principals report eager students, vibrant classrooms and raised test scores.

For further information on this program, please Contact Us Today.

Informative Courses

Reading Reform Foundation offers courses year-round in its offices on West 58th Street in New York City. All Reading Reform Foundation courses provide a phonics-based, multisensory approach to teaching reading, writing, spelling and comprehension. These methods are based on seventy years of research.

Find out more about our courses

Testimonials

My first-graders had such confidence that it brought tears to my eyes because my class is considered low-functioning readers. Reading Reform is helping my students become confident readers and writers and it is only October! I can see their progression every day.

—First-grade teacher


M. spoke only Arabic so no one was able to communicate with him. He would walk around the room, scribble on any paper given to him and then rip up the paper. At some point, M. made a complete turnaround. He now sits still, takes part in class work and attempts to do the work. M. told me that he now wants to pay attention and learn, and he has been doing just that.

—First-grade teacher


You know, I have been teaching for over 20 years. What have I been doing up until now?

—Third-grade teacher


Our Handbook

Sunday Is for the Sun, Monday Is for the Moon:

Teaching Reading, One Teacher & Thirty Children at a Time


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What People Are Saying

"I can state with conviction that this program has assisted our lower grade children to excel in their reading tasks. Our classroom teachers rave about the merits of the program when I visit their classrooms. The evidence has been in the growth of the children as they transition from the lower to the upper grades. I strongly recommend the Reading Reform program to every principal. They will see immediate results."

—Collaborating Principal

Upcoming Courses

Reading Reform Foundation offers courses all year round which model the techniques of our approach to teaching. Participants may be certified teachers, administrators or parents. Classes are held in our conveniently located headquarters, one half-block west of Columbus Circle.

Find out more about upcoming courses