The Child1st SnapWords® System

The SnapWords® System explicitly teaches essential reading skills within a comprehensive system that is neurodiverse in order to meet the needs of children across the Learning Spectrum. Within the System, elements are leveled by difficulty with each level building on the previous one, no skill is taught in isolation, and essential skills are taught explicitly and systematically.

What is the SnapWords® System?

The SnapWords® System seamlessly integrates sight word acquisition with explicit phonics instruction, ensuring that children simultaneously learn the sounds (phonemes) and spellings (graphemes) present in high-frequency words. By expanding their vocabulary with words related to sight words through shared sounds and spelling patterns, children engage in a holistic learning process. Our approach embraces non-traditional methods, catering to the 60% of learners who process information differently. Our goal is to provide resources that align with their natural learning preferences, thus ensuring all children have equitable opportunities for success in their learning journey.
In Summary

The SnapWords® System inextricably binds sight word acquisition with explicit phonics instruction.

Leveling the playing field

The SnapWords® System was designed to reach the approximately 60% of students who are failing to thrive under traditional systems of teaching reading. Because children are neurodiverse, they don't all take in, process, and remember new information in the same ways. In fact, the 60% process in ways we tend to view as non-traditional. It is our desire to provide resources that honor their natural wiring so that all our children have equal access to success in learning.

Who Is It For?

The SnapWords® System was crafted with the aim of reaching the approximately 60% of students who struggle within traditional reading instruction paradigms. Recognizing the neurodiversity among children, we understand that not all learners absorb, process, and retain new information in conventional ways. Indeed, this 60% of learners often exhibit non-traditional learning processes. Our mission is to offer resources that respect and align with their natural cognitive tendencies, ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities for learning success.

How Does it Work?

As each Level of SnapWords® is introduced, SnapWords® Mini-Lessons serve as comprehensive sessions covering word recognition, related phonics concepts, spelling, writing, decoding unknown words, and comprehension. Through correlated decodable children's readers, students practice their newly acquired skills within context. Following reading practice, engaging game-based activities further reinforce learning and facilitate fluency development. Below, we outline the System's structure, the diverse student population it serves, its operational mechanics, and the underlying principles driving its effectiveness.

SnapWords®

Introduce & learn words by engaging the visual, kinesthetic, & auditory senses.

SnapWords® Mini-Lessons

Teach multisensory lessons for each and every SnapWord®.

Easy-for-Me™ Decodable Sight Words & Phonics Readers

Practice reading sight words in context with follow-up assessments.

Beyond Sight Words Activities

Cement the learning with hands-on, ready-to-use tactile games and activities so you can get started right away.

How Do I Teach the SnapWords® System?

  • Select a level for your child or group of children
  • Display those 10-12 words in a pocket chart
  • Follow SnapWords® Mini-Lessons as you teach each word
  • As soon as children recognize the image side, turn the cards over
  • Use the related Children’s Readers to practice new concepts
  • Provide students with the tactile activities from Beyond Sight Words Activities
  • Display the new words on the word wall
  • Select a new Level to teach and repeat.
“These cards have been so helpful for my students. So many times they "blank" on a sight word and often a simple cue from me about the picture, or part of the sentence, is all they need to recall the word "independently". I now have Lists A-D, as my students are making such wonderful progress”
Joanne E.
“This is a wonderful addition to my classroom as it will help everyone, especially the visual learners.”
Rebecca M.
“These cards are a wonderful addition to our literacy program! Thank you for designing child friendly learning materials that engage and stick!”
Alex P.