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The Science of Reading at TLC
The Science of Reading is a research-based approach to teaching children how to read. TLC for Kids has built every lesson around it since 2002.
American schools changed how they teach reading.
In 2000, the National Reading Panel reviewed the research on how children learn to read. Its findings pushed schools toward teaching the connection between sounds and letters explicitly and in order. Today, many U.S. states require reading instruction grounded in this research.
In 2002, TLC switched from teaching children to memorize whole words to teaching reading in this systematic order. We have taught this way for more than 20 years — first in our Honolulu classroom, and now online.
Phonics and sight words work together.
Phonics gives children the rules. Sight words cover the common words that don’t follow them. Children need both.
Phonics
The code that links letters and sounds. Once a child can read “at,” they can read hat, bat and mat, too.
Sight words
Frequent words that don’t follow the usual rules. A large share of everyday English text is made of them, so children learn to recognize them instantly.
Five stages of reading
Reading develops in stages, not by age. Whenever a child starts, we begin at stage 1 and build up in order.
Hear the sounds
Spoken English is built from small sounds. Children first learn to hear them.
Songs and rhythm games help children hear words that begin or end with the same sound.
Link letters to sounds
Children learn to say a letter’s sound the moment they see it. Lessons are taught entirely in English.
The teacher points to a letter and says only its sound. Later, children say the letter name and its sound together.
Read words
Short words are read in chunks, not one letter at a time. Children also practice high-frequency sight words.
Children swap the first sound to read a whole family of words.
Read sentences
When known words connect, children read their first sentences on their own.
Children read aloud short sentences made only of the sounds and sight words they have learned.
Read lots of easy books
Reading many books at the right level builds smooth, confident reading. Children who can read start choosing books for themselves.
We check each child’s reading level and choose books to match. After listening to a model, children reread the same page aloud.
Especially for children learning English as a second language
The academic English used at school is hard for parents to teach at home. That is why a child’s own reading ability matters so much.
In my classroom, children who learn phonics and sight words become able to read easy books. When I then introduce books that match their interests, they pick up books and read on their own — without being told.
— Toru Funatsu, founder
How our classes follow the stages
Stages 1–4
Phonemic awareness, phonics and sight words build the foundation for reading English books independently. Mother Goose and seasonal songs teach the rhythm of English.
Stage 5 and comprehension
Children read widely at their level, building fluency and understanding.
Our Japanese class is reading-centered, too
The same principles guide our Japanese class: Japanese alphabet songs for sound awareness → hiragana from あいうえお → two- and three-character words made of known kana → sentences → books and kanji, just like phonics in English. Ideal for families abroad who worry about their child’s Japanese.
Start with a free consultation.
We’ll find your child’s current stage and recommend the right class.