We take the guesswork out of teaching students to become proficient readers!

Our Goal

We believe that our unique, phonics-based, reading program changes the lives of students who otherwise would not learn to read. Our goal is to fulfill the immense need for every school, teacher and tutor to have access to our incredible reading curriculum to help students who struggle with reading. We are building a community for those who share our goal of improving literacy for all students. Our platform will continue to grow, and provide resources and training to assist instructors who want to make a difference in the lives of their students.

Inspired by Stevenson

The Need to Read was started by experienced teachers who have witnessed first hand what the Stevenson Reading program can do to change students’ lives. We are carrying on Nancy Richardson Stevenson's brilliant reading program, and bringing it to a whole new level! We are building a community for those who are passionate about changing the lives of struggling readers. Join our email list for important updates!

Enjoyable

We offer streamlined curriculum that is fun and easy to implement. Our lessons come with clearly marked scripts and activities that guide each lesson. Students stay engaged and gain confidence with each subsequent lesson. One lesson builds upon the next, to ensure retention and reduce frustration. No more wasting your time and money on hundreds of hours of instruction and prep work. Just sit back, relax and enjoy teaching!

Affordable

You will love our affordable programs! We provide teacher and student materials at a reasonable cost. We believe that all teachers and tutors who would like to use our program should have access to our materials and training. See our Decision Guide page to see how to get started!

Evidence based

The Need to Read combines the science of reading and evidence based techniques with a special scope and sequence. Our method works differently than others. We integrate concrete visual aids and mnemonics into each lesson. Much like how you remember that Italy is shaped like a boot, students see a familiar visual, such as a sandwich, that is already stored in their long term memory, and attach a new concept to it, such as a vowel pattern.

Personalized support

We support educators and students because we know that excellent reading instruction is the greatest gift you can give a child. Call us with any questions that should arise and we will be happy to assist! We also offer live question and answer virtual sessions! Join our small facebook community for ideas and peer support.