We offer the Stevenson Language Skills Program, a unique phonics-based reading curriculum, developed by Nancy Richardson Stevenson, whose research and knowledge has revolutionized teaching students to read.

Nancy Richardson Stevenson was a pioneering educator who transformed reading instruction for struggling students, recognizing the limitations of traditional methods long before terms like “dyslexia” were common. Nancy was an avid reader, who researched the human brain with regard to language acquisition and its role in developing fundamental reading skills.

One of Nancy’s favorite books, which kept her up reading many nights, was “Higher Cortical Functions In Man” by Aledsandr Romanovich Luria, a well-renowned neuroscientist who developed a theory of brain organization and helping people recover from brain injury. Learn more about Luria’s work in this video by Stroke Educator. With deep intellectual curiosity and compassion, Nancy refined her approach through her research on brain processes and language development, in conjunction with teaching. She intuitively used mnemonic devices, now proven to be an effective tool to aid both learning and memory. Nancy believed in helping students organize information in their brain much like you would organize a file cabinet, one file at a time. The Stevenson Reading Method uses this strategic approach throughout every lesson. Nancy Stevenson’s innovative approach to teaching phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and writing skills, has helped many thousands of students become proficient readers. Her highly refined techniques, supported by research, form the foundation of the Stevenson Program. Though she passed away in 2003, her legacy continues to change lives through the gift of reading.