Recipe for Reading is a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham based phonics curriculum published by EPS Learning. Originally developed for students with dyslexia, it uses systematic, sequential instruction suitable for struggling readers and beginning readers in grades K-6.
What Is Recipe for Reading?
Recipe for Reading is a structured phonics program published by EPS Learning that has helped struggling readers for over 50 years. Created by Frances Bloom and Nina Traub in the 1970s, it was initially developed as a tutorial program for dyslexic students in New York public schools. The curriculum uses Orton-Gillingham methodology—a multisensory approach that engages visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning simultaneously. While designed with struggling readers in mind, it works equally well for any beginning reader who benefits from explicit, systematic phonics instruction.
Key Takeaways
- Based on proven Orton-Gillingham multisensory teaching methods
- Contains 97 lessons covering 67 sounds plus syllabication, prefixes, and suffixes
- Designed for grades K-6, particularly effective for struggling readers
- Teacher-friendly with detailed instructions for parents without phonics training
- More affordable than many other Orton-Gillingham programs
The Orton-Gillingham Approach
Orton-Gillingham instruction is considered the gold standard for teaching reading to students with dyslexia, though it benefits all learners. The approach is multisensory—students see, hear, and physically write letters and sounds. It's systematic, meaning skills build in a logical sequence from simple to complex. And it's explicit, leaving nothing to chance or discovery. Recipe for Reading follows this methodology while remaining accessible to parents who have no special training. You don't need to be a reading specialist to teach it effectively.
Program Components
The Teacher's Manual is the heart of the program, containing all 97 lessons with strategies, kinesthetic handwriting instructions, and mnemonic sentences for phonological awareness. Nine student workbooks (K through 8) provide 4-8 practice pages per skill with encoding, decoding, and comprehension activities. The Alphabet Series includes 39 decodable readers in three volumes, carefully aligned with phonics instruction. Sound cards and sequence charts round out the materials for visual reference and progress tracking.
Who Benefits Most
Recipe for Reading shines brightest with students who haven't succeeded with other reading programs. If your child guesses at words, struggles to sound out unfamiliar text, or has been identified with dyslexia or reading difficulties, this systematic approach addresses gaps that whole-language or sight-word methods may have created. The program also works well for average learners who simply need explicit instruction. However, bright or advanced readers may find the pace too slow—the methodical progression that helps struggling readers can feel tedious for those who pick up reading quickly.
Cost Considerations
Compared to other Orton-Gillingham programs, Recipe for Reading is budget-friendly. The Teacher's Manual runs about $45-60, individual workbooks around $15-20 each. A basic starter set (manual plus first two workbooks) costs under $100. The complete program with all workbooks and readers can total $400-450. Workbooks are consumable, meaning you'll need to repurchase for additional children. Many families start with just the essentials and add components as needed rather than buying everything upfront.
The Bottom Line
Recipe for Reading offers proven Orton-Gillingham instruction at an accessible price point for homeschool families. Its structured, multisensory approach works especially well for struggling readers, students with dyslexia, or children who need explicit phonics instruction. The detailed teacher materials mean you don't need specialized training—just the willingness to follow the systematic lessons. While the pace may feel slow for advanced learners, the program has earned its 50-year reputation by producing confident readers from students who struggled with other approaches.
