Published by HEC Reading Horizons
Developed by Charlotte Lockhart
To Order Call: 800-333-0054

HEC Reading Horizons offers reading instruction for both beginning readers and adult remediation. Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself is a K — 3 reading instruction program developed by Charlotte Lockhart in the early 70s in response to students’ poor reading performance in her school’s reading programs. With daily tutoring in her office using Orton-Gillingham based techniques that incorporated multi-sensory, kinesthetic/verbal/visual learning cues, students learned quickly how sound and letter relationships create words. Young students learned to read and to spell, and lives were changed.

HEC Reading Horizons (HEC) first became affiliated with Charlotte in 1983 when they received a license from her to publish software to accompany her direct instruction printed materials for children. In the late 80s they began to recognize the tremendous need for low level reading materials designed for older students and adults with poor reading skills, and thus Reading Horizons was born. In 2001 HEC Reading Horizons purchased the manual copyrights from the Lockhart family and became the sole publisher of all materials relating to the Discover Intensive Phonics (DIP) system.

(AGES 10+) Reading Horizons software is sold to Middle/High Schools, Adult Ed Centers, Correctional Facilities, Libraries, Workplace Literacy Programs, etc. It allows students to receive individualized reading instruction at their own pace. Teacher training is highly encouraged and the software package includes a DIP Teacher’s kit.

(AGES 4-9) In the elementary market teachers receive 2 — 3 days of training and are provided with Teacher’s kits that contain no consumable material. Software reinforces the direct instruction and includes free technical assistance for the life of the program, one free upgrade, and free access to their internet training tutorial.

Following are excerpts of letters from successful teachers and users of both the Discover Intensive Phonics and Reading Horizons programs.

Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself—Elementary Program Support Letters

"I absolutely love the Intensive Phonics program. I’ve been a teacher for 27 years in first through fourth grades, and I’ve never used a better phonics program. It is simple in content and easy to use by students and teachers alike. I especially like its chalkboard method. Also, it can be adapted to other programs I’ve encountered."

Treca Smith, 1st-4th Grade, Clark Elementary, Franklin, IN

"Several years ago we began using the Intensive Phonics chalkboard program from primary through eighth grade and were thrilled with the improvement in reading scores and especially in the students’ reading fluency. Before we had the courseware, we could not find time to meet the individual needs of our high-risk students. I am very impressed with the management system which tracks the student’s progress, the ease of student use and the visual-auditory presentation. The student involvement in listening, observing, sounding, and writing makes this one of our most complete multi-sensory programs."

Jan Storms, Resource Director, Glenwood School for Boys, Glenwood, IL

"I have become an avid fan of the Discover Intensive Phonics and would never go back to anything I taught before. I have seen such an impressive improvement of reading skills this year more than I have ever seen from years past."

Joan Parrish, 1st Grade, Perrine Elementary, Twin Falls, ID

"Over the years I have used Discover Intensive Phonics in the 1st grade classroom and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade resource setting. I continue to see astonishing results. The most exhilarating moments are when my students say, ‘Mrs. Wright, did you know I can read now?’ Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a tremendous program. It really helps keep me going to use something that works!"

Deborah F. Wright, P.R.S.E.

"I’ve used your program with students who have exited High School but couldn’t read. I worked with a gentleman who was told by his school psychologist he would never read. After using Reading Horizons for six months, he passed his state exams and received a high school diploma. Thanks again for providing a structured reading environment for adult learners."

Patricia Dufley-Renow, MS, CRC, East Tennessee Technology Access Center, Knoxville, TN

"We have had great success using the Reading Horizons programs with many of the youth in our open entry/exit program who are struggling readers. A notable example is of a 14 year old student who tested at the third grade level. After using the program intermittently, and completing the 30 lessons, this student was able to decode at a high school level. After completing the program, his comprehension increased remarkably, as did his self-esteem. When asked at an IEP meeting what his favorite subject was, he replied, ‘reading’!"

Rowena Donelson, Whatcom County Detention, Bellingham, WA

"Teaching students to read helps them get ‘out of jail’, literally. Our students are incarcerated at this site. For the most part they are reading and writing at the mid-fifth grade level. My students are greatly benefiting from Reading Horizons because they are being productive by learning skills that will help them to read and write. This gets them out of the literacy jail. This is happening in each class they have. They do not miss out on the regular lessons because they are still in the classroom where they still know what is being assigned and what the teacher is requiring. They might spend 20 minutes on the computer in a 90-minute class. This time is a great investment into their future. By the time they are ready to leave this facility, I imagine each of these students grow in ability a year or more during an average month with us."

Laurie Fedorsin, Instructional Aide, Kernville, CA

What a priceless legacy Charlotte Lockhart has left to the children of America, and thanks to the vision and expertise of HEC Reading Horizons, it has been expanded to reach adults also, taking advantage of the technological advances of the 21st century through its supplemental software program.

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