Level 1 Program Guide
Welcome to
Reading Mountain Level 1
Building a strong foundation through our Orton-Gillingham based multisensory approach.
The Approach
Our approach is rooted in the Orton-Gillingham method, adapted for modern accessibility. In this level, we focus on building a strong foundation by introducing letter sounds, specific vowel and consonant sounds, and high-frequency sight words.
Through systematic, multisensory instruction, students develop the essential skills needed for reading success. Each concept is introduced explicitly and practiced through interactive activities that engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways.
Vowel Sounds & Keywords
Distinguishing between vowels like "e" and "i" can be challenging. We associate each vowel with a memorable keyword to create a mental anchor for the sound.
a
Keyword
apple
e
Keyword
echo
i
Keyword
igloo
o
Keyword
office
u
Keyword
uphill
Watch: Vowel Sounds in Action
Consonant Sounds
Consonant sounds are introduced systematically with reference words to help students connect each sound with a familiar object or concept.
Watch: Consonant Demonstration
Orton-Gillingham Inspired Techniques
Our program incorporates proven methods designed to help students develop strong reading and spelling skills:
Touch, Say, BlendA multisensory technique where students touch tiles, say the sound, and blend them. This breaks the guessing habit.
Finger SpellingStudents segment words into individual sounds on their fingers before writing to reinforce phonemic awareness.
High-Frequency Sight Words
Level 1 introduces words that often break phonetic rules (e.g., "the," "was"). We use repeated exposure through interactive games to build instant recognition.
theiswashavesaid
the
was
Support for Letter Reversals
Many new readers struggle distinguishing b, d, p, and q. We use specific physical strategies and phrases like "Birds Fly Up" to orient these letters.
b/dBirds Fly Up!
pPenguins Dive Down!
Digraphs: Two Letters, One Sound
Unlocking Complex Sounds
Students learn that letters like s and h can combine to make a brand new sound: /sh/.
ch
sh
th
Decodable Books You'll Unlock in Level 1
26 books in Level 1
Unlock books as readers move lesson by lesson.
After each lesson, students unlock a decodable book featuring the decodable and high-frequency words they just learned, with AI support as they read and a few comprehension questions at the end.
Read why decodable books matter
A book from the end of Level 1
Here's a decodable book your student will have the tools to read by the end of this level.
End-of-level sample
Level 1Ready to play
0:00--:--
The Ship in the Fog
The big ship is at the dock.Jack and Meg get on the deck of the ship.Jack has a thick net.Meg has a big sack.The sun is hot on the deck.The ship goes from the dock.The ship goes to a big rock.Jack can dip the thick net.Jack got a fish!The fish goes bop, bop, bop.The fish has a big fin.Meg can tuck the fish in the sack.Jack and Meg got a lot of fish.It is a fun job!A thick fog is on the ship.The fog is bad.The ship hit thick mud and muck.It is a big shock!The ship is in the mud.Meg has a thick rod.Meg can jam the rod in the mud.Meg can mix the mud.The ship goes back from the mud.Jack can check his map.Jack said, "The ship can get back to the dock!"The ship goes back to the dock.Jack and Meg have a sack of fish for the fish shop.The shop has cash for the fish.Jack and Meg are rich!
Tap any word in the program
Level 1When students tap a word, a pop-up appears. See the demo below: tap tiles to hear the sounds, play the blend, and tap the image to hear the meaning.
dock
Ready to Start the Climb?
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