Testimonials:

What Educators Across the Nation are Saying About Failure Free Reading
  • • Failure Free has been a wonderful program for our students at West Lowndes Elementary. We have seen tremendous improvement and growth. Most of our students have increased one to two grade levels. Our students have become more excited about reading. Failure Free has truly made a difference. Katetria Harris, Read 180 Teacher. Columbus, MS
  • • I was flabbergasted at how well it worked. Two of my 5th graders had not progressed much in five years of school. In one year, they moved from DRA 4 to DRA 18, and Guided Reading Level D to K. Tania Fey, Behavior/Resource Teacher, Morningside Elementary, Comal ISD Texas
  • • I see progress in the students’ ability to read more fluently and to utilize contextual guessing as a reading strategy. This has really made a difference in the lives of my students. Special education teacher, Anne Arundel County MD
  • • L.P. is a 4th grade student with a disability of speech and language impaired. After 42 hours of instruction in Failure Free, he had an increase of 30 words correct per minute as measured by DIBELS benchmark assessments. His Sight Word Efficiency increased 19 percentage points on the TOWRE. Special Education Teacher
  • • One of my students, a virtual non-reader, is both ELL and LD. Her parents do not speak English. Prior to FFR she was made fun of because she couldn’t read. Now, she bugs me to get on the computer do FFR. She is very disturbed when she can’t do FFR. She is very motivated and has made great progress. Alexandria, a teacher in Mt. Vernon, NY at the end of a four-week trial evaluation
  • • This is the second year I have taught Failure Free. In the first year, my students demonstrated a 221% increase in their ability to comprehend, as measured by Maze (AIMSweb®) comprehension assessments. Every student has improved in his or her ability to read and comprehend. My students are enthusiastic about reading and eagerly participate in small groups. The stories are age appropriate and all of my students are able to relate to the stories. Above all, my students are more confident about their ability to read. I would recommend Failure Free to any school district that is seeking help for their most challenged readers. Hannah Saland, special education pullout teacher, Clayton Ridge Middle School, Guttenberg, IA
  • • I am writing this letter to inform you how well (our) students… are progressing... The students have developed confidence in their work and their confidence has translated into improvement in their other academic areas… I would recommend Failure Free to other educational institutions where the students are reading two or more levels below grade level. It’s worth the investment. Gloria Boyce, Reading Teacher, Carol and Frank Biondi School, Leake & Watts NY
  • • We began implementing Failure Free Reading about a year ago as a Tier 3 intervention. The program has proven to be effective in helping non-readers when everything else seemed to produce little to no results. Because of (this) success, special education teachers have started asking about… using the program... We have even had parents and community persons request the use of the program... Angel Meeks, Curriculum Director, Holmes County MS
  • • Wow, what a difference it made! I chose three of my lowest fifth grade readers… These kids had almost given up on trying to learn to read. All three students improved on their reading. I saw a complete attitude change in these three students the very first day after they did the first lesson in the program… (they) couldn't wait to come to my class…This is a great intervention for the teacher to use who has used everything else with her non-readers and nothing is working with those students. Sara Jones, Special Education Teacher, Haysville (KS) Public Schools USD 261
  • • Failure Free Reading is an effective reading intervention for our students who have been resistant to phonics-based reading instruction. Within the first week of implementation, the students participating were excited they could read a story. They love to say they can read now. Reading Resource Teacher
  • • The students enrolled in the Failure Free Reading intervention have shown amazing gains. All students have increased their reading level, some as much a three to four grade levels. The students’ attitudes toward reading have improved dramatically as well. Students who first thought of themselves as non-readers, are now more confident in their abilities and view themselves as successful readers. Principal
  • • Oasis Middle School is a Title 1 Charter School. Many of our students are ADD, ADHD, Bipolar... We (implemented) three rigorous programs that take a creative and innovative approach to learning. Failure Free Verbal Master vocabulary instruction is (one of them). By incorporating reading, writing and vocabulary instruction across the curriculum, Oasis Middle School has increased student achievement scores and at the end of our school year, Oasis Middle received a grade of A from the State of Florida. We believe that Failure Free had a part to play in that success… I highly recommend Failure Free to any school that desires to raise student achievement. Edna F. Bailey, Director, Oasis Middle School, Bradenton, FL
  • • Failure Free Reading has worked for our students. The students who are not phonemic learners have benefited greatly with this program. We have had several success stories and would like to expand our program to 2nd and 3rd grade next year. Camita Nobles, Principal, Otken Elementary, McComb, MS
  • • K.S. received 92 hours of 1:1 instruction with a special education teaching assistant. She began the intervention at the 3rd grade level of instruction and progressed rapidly to the 4th grade level, often skipping lessons. K.S. had an increase of 21 correct words per minute as measured by the DIBELS oral reading fluency benchmark assessment, and a 20% increase in phonemic decoding efficiency as measured by the Test of Word Reading Efficiency. Special Education Teacher
  • • C.B. has had 45 hours of instruction. He attained a 40% increase in reading comprehension as measured by the internal program assessment. He has mastered the task of writing complete sentences independently and will use audible grunts when reading aloud to indicate the number of syllables in a word. C.B. is now eager to come to school, no longer cries or participates in self-destructive behavior. Teacher
  • • In my eight years here, I have seen the greatest student progress with Failure Free Reading. I would highly recommend this program for any child that is struggling with reading and has little self-confidence. All of my students loved to work on Failure Free! Teaching Assistant
  • • Failure Free Reading has helped out student participants develop tremendous confidence in their independent reading abilities. It is quite evident through their increased active participation in the regular classroom setting, that their self esteem and belief that they can be successful in school seems to be a direct link to their successful experiences with Failure Free. The carryover of skills and confidence levels from the Failure Free setting to the general classroom setting is incredible. Principal
  • • One of my 2nd grade students could read only a few sight words and exhibited low self-esteem. She now loves to read and wants to read to others. She wants to write her own chapter book using the words she has learned. Teacher
  • • M.J., a 5th grade student was reading at a Primer level at the beginning of September. His post-testing on the QRI-4 placed him at the 3rd grade instructional level in May. His self-confidence has improved greatly. Teacher, Baltimore City Schools
  • • Students need to know they are capable of the tasks we put before them. One little boy who became increasingly sad and frustrated as the year progressed and the work load became more difficult, turned back into a happy, up-beat child after beginning Failure Free Reading. Principal, Anne Arundel County, MD
  • • This is a great intervention for the teacher to use who has used everything else with her non-readers and nothing is working with those students. Failure Free will work and those failing students will succeed. Sarah Jones, Special Education Teacher, Haysville, KS
  • • Failure Free Reading has been successful for all of the students. It’s kind of amazing how [the program] really does boost their confidence. Tammy Burks, Special Education Teacher
  • • The students do not fail when they are working on the books and that is why I like the program. It has been wonderful to see the confidence levels in crease and the desire to learn growing in each student. Nikki Oakes, Special Education Lifeskills Teacher, Lorenzo ISD.
  • • I would recommend the Failure Free Reading program to other educational institutions where the students are reading two or more levels below grade level. It’s worth the investment. Gloria Boyce, Reading Teacher
  • • Oasis Middle School highly recommends Failure Free to any school that desires to raise student achievement. Edna Bailey, Director, Oasis Middle School
Comments Made by Teachers Field-Testing Failure Free Reading (FFR) with their Most Difficult to Reach Students in Mt. Vernon, NY.
  • • He is now raising his hand to read in the class room. He never did this before…. Even his parents are seeing changes at home. They are noticing that he is now wanting to read. Annabell, Inclusion Teacher, Mt. Vernon, NY (Used Failure Free with one student)
  • • [I am] working with one General Ed student and seeing significant progress in his confidence and vocabulary growth. He really enjoys the program. Sharon, Teacher, Mt. Vernon, NY
  • • They are learning many more new words and are much more comfortable reading. Dellisa, Teacher, Mt. Vernon, NY, (working with one 4th grader and one 5th grader)
  • • He really enjoys his Failure Free Reading lessons. He is excited about it. His fluency has really improved. Alsia, Teacher, Mt. Vernon, NY (worked with a 6th grader in a self-contained classroom)
General Comments
  • • They all have seen great progress with the students they couldn’t reach. Many said more than once “I wish I had Failure Free Reading before we put these students into special education.”
  • • When asked to rate the overall value of Failure Free Reading on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being of little or no value), these veteran teachers unanimously gave Failure Free Reading a ranking of between 9 and 10!
  • • They liked the structure and routine of the program as well as the independence and self-worth it gave these students.
  • • They felt they needed to have more training and assistance in scheduling and time management.