Really Great Reading is a collection of research-based literacy programs used in kindergarten through third grade to help students develop the foundational skills necessary for successful reading and writing. Grounded in the Science of Reading, these programs provide explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, and fluency.
Bellefonte Area School District utilizes three components of Really Great Reading:
Countdown (Kindergarten): Countdown helps young learners develop phonological and phonemic awareness—the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate sounds in spoken words. Students engage in interactive lessons that build the foundational listening and sound-awareness skills necessary for future reading success.
Blast (Grade 1): Blast introduces students to letter-sound relationships and foundational phonics skills. Through explicit instruction and guided practice, students learn how sounds connect to letters and how those letters work together to form words. Students begin applying these skills to decode and read increasingly complex text.
HD Word (Grades 2 & 3): HD Word builds upon earlier phonics instruction by helping students master more advanced spelling patterns, word structures, and decoding skills. Students learn to analyze words, recognize patterns, improve spelling accuracy, and read with greater fluency and confidence.
Together, these programs provide a carefully sequenced progression of foundational literacy skills that support students as they move from learning about sounds and letters to becoming accurate, fluent, and confident readers.
Why We Use Really Great Reading
Research consistently demonstrates that explicit instruction in foundational reading skills is critical for developing proficient readers. Really Great Reading provides a structured approach to literacy instruction that supports all learners while helping identify and address reading difficulties early.
What Families Can Expect
Students may practice letter sounds, spelling patterns, decoding strategies, and reading fluency activities both in school and at home. Families can support learning by reading regularly with their children and encouraging practice with the skills being taught in class.
Family Resources
Please see the family communication materials below to learn more about Really Great Reading and how foundational literacy skills are developed in our elementary classrooms:
Learn More
We encourage you to explore the following links to learn more about Really Great Reading and its instructional approach: