Science of Reading Momentum Reveals Proven Solutions for Dyslexia and Low Literacy

The Neuro-Development of Words (NOW!) Programs™ logo, a neuroscience-based speech-to-print literacy program supporting reading, spelling, and language development for children with dyslexia and related learning differences.

Bar chart displaying pre- and post-instruction percentile scores for 10 students on the CTOPP-2 Elision subtest. Most students show notable improvement after 60–65 hours of instruction, with average scores rising from the 17th to the 46th percentile and s

Figure 4.2. CTOPP-2 Elision percentile scores improved after 60–65 hours in NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling®, with a mean gain of 28.6 percentile points and a large effect size (1.8).

Bar chart comparing pre- and post-instruction percentile scores for 10 students on the CTOPP-2 Phonological Awareness Composite. Most students demonstrate notable gains after 60–65 hours of instruction, with average scores increasing from about the 22nd t

Figure 4.12. CTOPP-2 Phonological Awareness Composite scores improved after 60–65 hours in NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling®, with a 33-point mean gain and large effect size (1.28).

Instructor, classroom, and research findings support effective speech-to-print instruction

Most impressively, students are now actively applying the program’s principles across the broader curriculum, showing growing confidence and self-assurance throughout the cohort.”

— Emmy Lilholt, Teacher and Compliance Manager

JACKSONVILLE, FL, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- From its Jacksonville headquarters, Dr. Tim Conway, NOW! Programs^® CEO, today released a summary of aggregated instructional findings and educator-reviewed observations, examined during a recent instructor panel focused on student outcomes in literacy, confidence, and academic engagement.

Learn more about NOW! Programs^® at www.NOWprograms.com or contact info@NOWprograms.com for additional information.

Speech-to-Print Instruction Addresses Foundational Literacy Gaps

Rebecca Lareau, Manager of K-12 Educational Services, highlighted educator-reviewed classroom findings:
• Consistent literacy, confidence, and engagement gains in students with dyslexia
• Progress among students previously unresponsive to intervention
• Insights into what works as Science of Reading research advances

“A true speech-to-print model returns students to language foundations and addresses long-standing gaps,” said Lareau. “Students who began far below grade level developed stronger focus, resilience, and willingness to engage as they persisted."

Dr. Tim Conway, a peer-review-published neuropsychology researcher who co-authored three randomized control trials, RCTs, often emphasizes to parents that “competence builds confidence,” noting that when students develop strong foundational literacy skills aligned with their cognitive abilities, improvements in academic performance, engagement, and self-perception commonly follow.

Evidence Supporting NOW! Programs^®

Instructional foundation
• Speech-to-print instruction
• Science of reading and language development

Research base
• Supported by three randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Additional classroom and instructional observations
• 2022 outcome study examining online delivery for students with severe dyslexia
• Researchers: Bowden et al.
• Instructional dosage: 60–65 hours (partial dose, not full program)

Measured Outcomes in Students With Severe Dyslexia (Bowden et al., 2022)

Assessment used
• Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing–Second Edition (CTOPP-2)
• Subtest: Elision (phonological processing)

Pre- to post-intervention results
• Mean percentile (pre): 17.1
• Mean percentile (post): 45.7
• Mean gain: +28.6 percentile points
• Effect size: 1.8

Individual student response
• 5 of 10 students gained ≥30 percentile points

What Measurable Gains Suggest for Students in NOW! Foundations for Speech, Language, Reading and Spelling^®

Students with severe dyslexia showed large, measurable improvements in phonological processing after approximately 60–65 hours of instruction, with gains approaching the average range on a standardized assessment.

Independent Classroom Observations Confirm Transfer of Literacy Skills

Complementing these findings, classroom and instructional observations documented improvements in foundational segmenting skills, including approximately 80% accuracy in single-word segmenting and 100% accuracy in multisyllabic segmenting, alongside increased confidence when students approached complex words. Importantly, the classroom teacher reporting these outcomes did not deliver NOW! Programs^® instruction, but observed changes in students’ reading, spelling, and language application within the general education setting. These independent observations provide meaningful confirmation that skills acquired through the program transferred beyond the intervention environment.

Students who participate in NOW! Programs^® commonly present persistent reading challenges despite prior interventions. Many demonstrate:

• Weak phonological awareness and poor alphabet letter-to-sound learning
• Difficulty saying, reading, and spelling multisyllabic words
• Limited reading fluency and avoidance of grade-level text
• Writing challenges disproportionate to cognitive ability
• Reduced academic confidence or literacy-related emotional fatigue

These learners often include students with poor reading skills, diagnosed dyslexia, suspected dyslexia, or profiles consistent with language-based reading difficulties.

Instructor Observations: Confidence and Engagement Increase as Foundational Skills Strengthen

NOW! Programs^® instructors included in this survey are currently providing online instruction to students in Florida, Iowa, Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama, California, Zimbabwe, and Canada. They consistently reported that as students rebuilt foundational language skills, confidence increased alongside academic engagement. Students who initially avoided reading aloud or writing tasks became increasingly willing to participate, ask questions, and take meaningful academic risks.

These observations align with established research on oral language development and speech-to-print instruction, reinforcing the critical role of foundational language skills in reading acquisition.

NOW! Programs^®, an edtech company launched in 2013, provides online, evidence-based, high-intensity tutoring delivery of instructional methods researched, developed, and implemented over more than 30 years at The Morris Center. Founded by Dr. Tim Conway, PhD, a neuropsychology researcher, NOW! Programs^® is grounded in neuroscience and a speech-to-print instructional framework that improves weaknesses in language systems essential for literacy. The organization provides intensive instruction for children through adults with persistent speech, language, reading, and spelling difficulties, including individuals with dyslexia and related learning challenges. More information is available at www.NOWprograms.com.

Candice Johnson Polowitz
NOW! Programs®
+1 352-870-0898
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.