Voices from the Field

The SIPPS program is a powerful solution for students who struggle with reading. It is a mastery program that gives students the confidence to read and respond with pride.

Here’s what educators are saying:

Routines Helping Students Learn

I think the routines are what makes it most effective with the kids. They need the routine, they get into the routine, and they actually like the routine. And that’s what actually helps them learn.

Getting Help with Pronunciation

These students have never been exposed to the English language at all. They have trouble with reading and pronunciation. What the SIPPS program does for them is that it allows them to pronounce every word correctly and to understand why those sounds—even though the spellings might be the same—why it could sound differently.

Correctly Leveled Materials

When we have high school students who read at a first- or second-grade level coming into our program, they don’t necessarily want to read first- and second-grade materials. What’s pleased us so much about the SIPPS program is that it makes the high school students confident in their own success because they’re being given materials that are at their level.

Adult Enough for High School Students

Unless we intervene and address these struggling readers, we’re not going to get them reading prior to them graduating. Or they’ll drop out. The SIPPS program is adult enough to work for high schoolers. It gets them reading polysyllabic words, instead of single syllable words, and it builds their confidence. They need that. They need that to be successful American citizens.

Assessment Informing Instruction

SIPPS has assessments built right into the instruction. After ten lessons, there’s a mastery test and I’m testing the sounds and words that I’ve taught. If the kids have them and they have them strong, then I know I can move on. If they don’t, I can slow down or change my groups around. I can make it work.

Decoding Long Words

The impact of using transformations is that they get the thrill of decoding a really difficult word, once it’s broken into syllables. They see a long, unfamiliar word, and they break it into chunks, and they get that click.

Engaging Participation

Choral response is a special part of SIPPS. It keeps them engaged and allows me to see that they all get it.

Here’s what students are saying:

I’ll be a better reader.

When I go to tenth grade, I’m going to be a better reader.

I learned a lot from my SIPPS teacher.

My SIPPS teacher taught me so many things. Like if it was a compound word, she would give us the half, then she’ll give us the other half, and then we will put it together, and then we’ll read it, and there you go!

I really needed the class.

I thought my reading class was for little kids. Little did I know that I really needed the class. I’m glad I was in there. I know that what I learned will help me in the workplace. If I have to answer calls or read, I will understand things just as much as they will.

Now reading is easy for me.

Reading used to be hard in first grade. But my teacher taught me about syllables. Now I can see little pieces of words, and it’s easy for me.

I feel smart.

When I do SIPPS, I feel like I am really smart because I know the words. And when I read my book, I can remember the words.