Riggs
A Key for Unlocking
the Literacy Code
Welcome!
By the end of the evening, parents will be able
to answer the following questions:
 What is Riggs?
 Who ‘invented’ Riggs?
 Why have we chosen the Riggs program?
 Who learns Riggs here at The Academy?
 How is Riggs taught at The Academy?
 How can I help my child at home?
What is Riggs?
Riggs is a phonics program built upon:
 26 letters used to form the…
 42 sounds of the English language.
 71 letter combinations (phonograms) are
commonly needed to represent these sounds
on paper
 The 71 phonograms are the key to reading,
and writing!
Who ‘invented’ Riggs?
 Founded in 1979 by administrator Myrna
McCulloch after her staff was trained by Oma
Riggs
 When Ms. McCulloch saw the profound impact
Oma Riggs’ method had on her students’ SRA
reading scores, the Riggs Institute was born!
 The Riggs program derives from the research and
work of several master teachers, as well as
neuropathologist and brain surgeon Dr. Samuel T.
Orton.
Why Riggs?
The Riggs program is…
 Research-based
 Brain-compatible
 Multi-sensory: listening, speaking, writing,
reading
 Direct, explicit phonics instruction
 Rigorous, with high expectations for student
achievement.
Who learns Riggs at The
Academy?
 All grade levels utilize Riggs in some way.
 Our goals:
Students mastery of all phonograms by the end
of 2nd grade
Continued application of phonograms at upper
grade levels
Kindergarten
 Students learn to read, write and apply the
phonograms.
 Focus:
– 26 letters of the English alphabet,
– 10 “Power Phonograms:” sh, ch, th, ay, ow, er,
ed, ar, oo, wh.
– Exposure to all 71 phonograms as they begin to
need them for reading and writing
1st Grade
 Review of the 36 phonograms taught in
kindergarten
 Builds on 25 addtional phonograms, for a
total of 61
 Exposure to the remaining 10 phonograms
2nd Grade
 Continued practice of the 71 phonograms
 Our goal is that all students will read, write
and apply all 71 phonograms by the end of
the year
3rd – 6th Grades
 Students will continue to apply the 71
phonograms in reading and writing.
 As their vocabulary becomes more
complex, the 71 phonograms assist in
decoding multisyllabic words.
 Phonogram knowledge will assist students
as they complete many of the Sitton
Spelling activities.
How is Riggs taught at The
Academy?
K, 1 & 2 students learn to:
 Read the phonograms in isolation (flash
cards!)
 Write the phonograms in isolation
(phonogram tests!)
 Apply the phonograms in their reading and
writing
How can I help my child at
home?
1. Set aside the time and place for your child
to complete their homework each day.
2. Make sure your K or 1st grade child is
voicing the sound each phonogram makes
as they write it on their homework.
3. Point out the phonograms when you see
them in other print, and use them to help
your child read new words.
Turn and talk to a neighbor…
Can you answer these questions?
 What is Riggs?
 Who ‘invented’ Riggs?
 Why do we use Riggs?
 Who learns Riggs here at The Academy?
 How is Riggs taught at The Academy?
 How can I help my child at home?
Thank you for coming this
evening!!!
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