Teacher-Directed PALS (Paths to Achieving Literacy Success)

Patricia G. Mathes PhD; Jill Howard Allor EdD; Joseph K. Torgesen PhD; Shelley H. Allen PhD

Grades PreK–K and Intervention Pre K–1

Teacher-Directed PALS is specifically designed to address the need for systematic and explicit instruction in phonological decoding and comprehension practice with high-interest children's literature. The program increases phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary and has been chosen as the curriculum for America Reads, a U.S. Department of Education reading initiative. It's a logical next step for students who are below benchmark in the key DIBELS fluencies.

In small group activities led by the instructor, students:

• Identify phonemes within words and phonetically analyze new words in text to build phonemic awareness and phonics skills
• Integrate alphabetic knowledge with meaningful text to increase fluency
• Apply a strategic approach to reading storybooks to ensure text comprehension and enhance vocabulary

K-PALS (Kindergarten Peer-Assisted Literacy Strategies)

Patricia G. Mathes PhD; Jeannine Clancy-Menchetti MA; Joseph K. Torgesen PhD

Grades PreK–K

The only research-based, peer tutoring program for kindergarten students, K-PALS uses literacy activities to improve early reading skills—especially for students who are below benchmark in phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. The 20-week K-PALS program easily complements existing lesson plans.

First Grade PALS (First Grade Peer-Assisted Literacy Strategies)

Patricia G. Mathes PhD; Joseph K. Torgesen PhD; Shelley H. Allen PhD; Jill Howard Allor EdD

Grades K–1

First Grade PALS provides systematic, explicit instruction and activities proven to dramatically increase phonemic awareness, phonics skills, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. First Grade PALS uses pair work, a motivational point-earning system, and direct instruction principles to improve the reading achievement of even the lowest-performing students.