Wilson Reading System

Wilson Reading System is a remedial reading program based on the principals of Orton-Gillingham methodology. It is a systematic, sequential, multisensory method of teaching reading and writing skills to students who struggle, including those with a language learning disability or dyslexia. The Wilson Reading System is an intensive program for the more challenged readers. It was first published in 1988.

Wilson Reading System Scope and Sequence - 12 Steps

Step 1 – Closed Syllables (3 sounds)
Blending two and three sounds, Digraphs, Practice with above sounds, Double consonants, f, s, l, and –all, am, -an, Adding suffix ‘s’ to closed syllable words with three sounds (bugs, chills)

Step 2 – Closed Syllables (4-6 Sounds)
Glued sounds: ang, ing, ong, ung, ank, ink, onk, unk (bang, pink), Closed syllables with blends (4 sounds) + suffix ‘s’, Closed Syllable exceptions: ild, ind, old, ost, olt, Five sounds in a closed syllable + suffix ‘s’, Three letter blends and up to six sounds in a closed syllable (sprint, scrap)

Step 3 – Closed Syllables (Multisyllabic Words)
Two syllable words with 2 closed syllables combined (no blends), schwa (catnip, wagon), Two syllable words with two closed syllables, including blends (disrupt, fragment), Words with two closed syllables ending in ct blend (contract, district), Multisyllabic words, combining only closed syllables (Wisconsin, establish), Suffixes ed, ing added to unchanging basewords with closed syllables (slashing, blended)

Step 4 – Vowel-Consonant E Syllable
Vowel-consonant e syllable in one syllable words (hope, cave), Vowel-consonant e syllable combined with closed syllables (combine, reptile), Multisyllabic words combining two syllable types (compensate, illustrate), –ive exception: no word ends in v (olive, pensive)

Step 5 – Open Syllable
Open syllable in one syllable words, y as a vowel (he, hi, shy), Open syllables combined with vowel-consonant-e and closed syllables in two-syllable words (protect, decline), y as a vowel at the end of two-syllable words when combined with a closed syllable or another open syllable (handy, puppy), Multisyllabic words, combining 3 syllable types: open, closed, vowel-consonant-e (instrument, amputate), 'a’ and ‘I’ in unaccented, open syllables (Alaska, indicate)

Step 6 – Suffix Endings (unchanged basewords) and Consonant-le Syllable
Suffix endings –er, est, en, es, able, ish, y, ive, ly, ty, less, ness, ment, ful added to unchanging basewords (thankful, classy), Suffix ending ed: /d/, /t/ added to unchanging basewords (thrilled, punished), Combining 2 suffixes to an unchanging baseword (constructively, helpfulness), Stable final syllable: consonant –le, stle exception (dribble, whistle)

Step 7 – Introduction to Sound Options, Contractions
Sound Options: c (e,i,y)  (concentrate, concede) g (e,i,y) (gentle, pungent), ge, ce, dge (lunge, indulgence, fudge), new trigraph and digraph: tch, ph (fetch, ph),  – tion, sion (subtraction, expansion), contractions (we’ve, I’ll)

Step 8 – R-Controlled Syllable
R-Controlled syllable: ar, er, ir, or, ur in one syllable words (firm, turn, barn), ar, or in multisyllabic words (market, cortex), er,ir,ur in multisyllabic words (skirmish, surgery), Exceptions: vowel rr (hurry, barren), para, Exceptions: ar, or in final syllable (beggar, doctor) ard, ward (blizzard, onward)

Step 9 – Vowel Digraphs/Diphthong “D” Syllable
Vowel Teams: ai,ay (plain, display), ee,ey (tweezer, valley), oa,oe,ue (croak, toe, revenue), oi,oy,au,aw (thyroid, employ, saucer, squawk), ou, ow, oo (trousers, drowsy, spoon),  ea (eat, bread, steak), eu, ew, ui (Europe, few, suit)

Step 10 – Adding Suffixes to Changing Basewords
V-e exceptions: ice, ace, ate, ile, ite, ine, Spelling Rule: Adding a suffix to a baseword ending in e (taping, lately), Spelling Rule: Adding a suffix to a one-syllable closed or r-controlled baseword (starred or saddest), Spelling Rule: Adding a suffix toa  multisyllabic baseword when the final consonant must double (regretting, controlled), Additional suffixes: -ic, -al, -ible, -ous, -ist, -ism, -ity, -ize, -ary, -ery, -ory, -ent, -ence, -ant, -ance

Step 11 – Additional I, E, Y Vowel Work 
'y' in open, closed, v-e syllables (reply, gym, type), the y spelling rule (enjoyable, player), 'i' in an open syllable /e/ (orient), 'i' pronounced as /y/ (genius, million), ie/ei (piece, ceiling, vein), igh, eigh (light, eight)

Step 12 – Advanced Concepts
Split vowels: vowel team exceptions (create, violin), silent letters: rh, gh, mb, mn, kn, gn, wr (rhyme, ghost, lamb, column, knife, gnat, wrist), w affecting vowels (water, worship), ch, que, /k/ (chorus, clique), ti, ci, tu, ture (patient, official, actual, nature), chameleon prefixes (correct, accent)