Wilson Fundations® is a structured literacy program designed to strengthen students’ foundational reading and spelling skills through explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction. Grounded in the science of reading, Fundations provides a multisensory approach to teaching the essential skills students need to become successful readers and writers.

Fundations instruction focuses on key areas of early literacy development, including:

• Phonemic awareness – identifying, segmenting, blending, and manipulating sounds in spoken words

• Phonics and word study – connecting sounds to letters and applying predictable spelling patterns

• Decoding and encoding – developing strategies for accurately reading and spelling words

• High-frequency word recognition – building automatic recognition of words students encounter frequently

• Fluency – supporting accurate, automatic, and expressive reading

• Handwriting and letter formation – reinforcing efficient and consistent written letter production

• Spelling and language conventions – applying sound-symbol relationships and spelling patterns in writing

Professional Learning Focus

Fundations professional learning supports teachers in understanding both the “why” and the “how” behind structured literacy instruction. Training provides educators with opportunities to strengthen their knowledge of foundational reading development while learning the routines, terminology, instructional practices, and multisensory techniques embedded within Fundations.

Within our district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Fundations can provide targeted support for students who need additional explicit instruction and practice with foundational literacy skills. Effective implementation includes using student data to identify specific areas of need and connecting intervention instruction to the skills students are developing during core ELA instruction.

Connecting Fundations to Classroom Practice

As you engage in Fundations professional learning, consider how the program supports a broader structured literacy approach. The goal is not simply to implement individual Fundations routines, but to understand how phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, encoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension work together to support skilled reading.

Consistent instructional language and practices across classrooms, intervention settings, and grade levels help students transfer their learning and build increasingly independent literacy skills.