With Hanson Reading, you become the teacher.

Everything you need to know and say to teach a child to learn to read is highlighted on each page in the Student Manual, on the Charts, and in the Hanson Phonics Read & See Books. The accompanying audio tracks teach the skills on the Chart so you feel like you have a personal tutor, anywhere you want it, anytime. This program makes you very smart, and your new reader even smarter. 

Thank you for asking questions. 

We are committed to your reading success. We love questions! Please post questions, they help everyone become a better teacher and learner.

​1. What if my child can't remember words?

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2. Where do I start?

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3. How do I evaluate my child's skills to determine my child's needs?

4.  Is Hanson Reading an App? ​

Nothing takes the place of a person interested in your child's learning- devices, apps, and plug-ins aren't as beneficial as a teacher.

What Chart Level is my Child?

What you will need to learn at Chart Level 1 ​
1) NAME
Can your child name the letters on Chart 1 (Upper and Lowercase Letters, 1b (Only Lowercase letters out of order, moving down the columns in: Pre-K :30 seconds, Kindergarten :25 seconds, 1st grade :20 seconds.
2) PRINT
Can your child print the uppercase letters on one line with the letters the same height, all the
“middle” parts at the same height and all sitting on the bottom line.
3) PROMPT
What if your child forgets a letter NAME? Can your child independently find the answer?
On all the Charts in Hanson Reading, students learn what to do if they can’t remember a skill.
For Chart 1 students learn to touch each letter in alphabetical order as they Sing the Alphabet Song until the letter name is identified as it is touched.
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Does your child know the Prompt for Chart 1 and know how to use it?
“Help me. Help me. Be my teacher.”
The Chart 1 Prompt is: “Sing the Alphabet Song.”
Why:
In Hanson Reading, students learn to be teachers to help reinforce the skill they are learning
and to be able to help themselves if they forget. By assuming the role of the teacher, students
are actually empowered to help themselves along with others.
When a student is asked to help another find a letter NAME, we say, “Help me. Help me. Be my
teacher.”
For Chart 1 the student assuming the role of the teacher says, “Sing the ABC Song.”

ChART 1  For older children who know Letter NAMES well

For Chart 1
For older children who know Letter NAMES well, check your child on the requirements for
Chart 1. If your child is proficient, then move on to Chart 2, but teach your child the Prompt for
Chart 1.
​
Prepare for Chart Reviews
As your child progresses through the Charts and learns to apply the Chart skills, Hanson
Reading reinforces the concepts learned on each Chart by reviewing them at the beginning of
each lesson. This is what Hanson Reading calls Chart Reviews.
​
At the Chart 1 Level, there is not much to review, but begin to establish a quick Chart Review by
asking the student:
Chart 1
“What do you learn on Chart 1?” Letter NAMES
“What if I forget a letter’s NAME, what do I do?” Prompt for Chart 1: Sing the ABC Song.
Your child needs to be able to answer these questions for each Chart. By doing a Chart Review
at each lesson, students are learning to file the information being learned in their brains so
they can find it more easily.

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​What you will need to learn at Chart Level 2
1) CONSONANTS SOUNDS
Can your child recite the consonant SOUNDS (Lowercase letters) out of order, moving in 4
different directions:
1st-Reading Road Way (left to right)
2nd-Down-Way
3rd-Up-Way
4th-Snake Way
in: Pre-K :25 seconds, Kindergarten :20 seconds, 1st grade :15 seconds.
2) PRINT
Can your child print the lowercase letters on one line with the “tall” letters the same height, all the
“middle” parts the same height , all “short” letters the same height, all letters that go below
the line with the “tails” the same length.
(Hanson Reading uses the Imaginary Pictures as writing prompts for stroke order.)
3) PROMPT
What if your child forgets a consonant SOUND? Can your child independently find the answer?
On all the Charts in Hanson Reading, students learn what to do if they can’t remember a skill.
For Chart 2, students develop a visual memory of each consonant by learning to picture each
consonant as an individual Imaginary Picture. These visualizations are created by being taught
the Imaginary Picture Story.
Does your child know the Prompt for Chart 2 and know how to use it?
"Help me. Help me. Be my teacher.”
The Chart 2 Prompt is: “It looks like (its Imaginary Picture).”
For example: ( the letter “t”) “It looks like a ‘Telephone Pole.’”
For example: ( the letter “v”) “It looks like a ‘Vase.’”
For example: ( the letter “g”) “It looks like the ‘Goat with its tail hanging below the line.”
4) SPECIAL PROMPT for “b” and “d”
Learn the Prompt, DRIVE AND BUMP.
Why: Direction is a very important for beginning readers to use correctly. Some letters look
very similar. Direction is the distinguishing factor.
For example: ( the letter “b”) “Drive and Bump into the tall Back (of a bear).”
For example: ( the letter “d”) “Drive and Bump into the short, round Dog’s Head.”
In Hanson Reading students learn to be teachers to help reinforce the skill they are learning
and to be able to help themselves if they forget. By assuming the role of the teacher, students
are actually empowered to help themselves along with others.
When a student is asked to help another find a consonant SOUND,
we say, “Help me. Help me. Be my teacher.”
For Chart 2 the student assuming the role of the teachers says, “It looks like (its Imaginary Picture).”

Chart 2  For older children who know consonant SOUNDS well

For older children who know consonant SOUNDS well, check your child on the requirements for
Chart 2. Then move on to Chart 3, but teach your child a quick version of the Imaginary Picture
Story and the Prompt for Chart 2 for reference.
Note:
Children learn the SOUNDS of the consonants numerous ways. It is not necessary to
learn the SOUNDS of the consonants “the Hanson Reading way”, but “the Hanson Reading
way” builds a reference system that is imperative for children who have difficulty with
visual discrimination, letter formation and spatial relations to use as a reference. Without
that reference system, bits of disconnected information “float” around and are not easily
retrieved when needed. That random retrieval and lack of clear focus is very frustrating
for children and is unnecessary. Hanson Reading's reference system works
well for all children, but some need more reinforcement than others. The reference system
is integrated for reading, writing and spelling. If you are sure your student has little or no
difficulty with visual discrimination, letter formation and spatial relations, you do not have
to do as much reinforcement or be as consistent. Mastery Level requirements are to be
met for all children, but some children take longer than others to reach mastery level.
Prepare for Chart Reviews
As your child progresses through the Charts and learns to apply the Chart skills, Hanson
Reading reinforces the concepts learned on each Chart by reviewing them at the beginning of
each lesson. This is what Hanson Reading calls Chart Reviews.
At the Chart 2 Level, there is still not much to review, but it's good practice to begin to establish a quick Chart Review by asking the student:
Chart 1
“What do you learn on Chart 1?” Letter NAMES
“What if I forget a letter’s NAME, what do I do?”
Prompt for Chart 1: "Sing the ABC Song."
Chart 2
“What do you learn on Chart 2?” Consonant SOUNDS
“What if I forget a consonant’s SOUND, what do I do?
Prompt for Chart 2: “It looks like (its Imaginary Picture).”
Your child needs to be able to answer these questions for each Chart. By doing a Chart
Review at each lesson. Students are learning to file the information being learned in their
brains so they can find it more easily.