Modulo

Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons

Recommended Ages

Preschool and up

Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a classic, scripted phonics program based on the Direct Instruction (DISTAR) method. Written by Siegfried Engelmann and colleagues, it walks parents step-by-step through short daily lessons that systematically build decoding, blending, and early fluency—no prior teaching experience required. Families like that one inexpensive book can carry most kids from pre-reading through roughly early 2nd-grade level, with clear pronunciation cues and built-in review. Some children (and adults) find the script and special markings a bit dry or odd at first, but for many reluctant or struggling readers, its highly structured, incremental approach is remarkably effective and budget-friendly.

Best for younger kids (roughly ages 4–7) who haven’t had prior formal reading instruction, have the attention span for short table sessions, and whose caregivers appreciate being told exactly what to say and do.

Pros

Many secular homeschoolers appreciate that this inexpensive, all‑in‑one phonics program is fully scripted, heavily research‑based, and has a strong track record of getting 4‑7‑year‑olds reading with just 15–20 minutes a day. 

Cons

Common complaints are that the layout feels dense, the special markings and unusual orthography are visually confusing, and the lessons can seem monotonous or too long for wiggly or neurodivergent kids, especially if parents push to finish a whole lesson every day.

Because it’s a standard secular reading curriculum in book form, some ESAs and charters will reimburse it under literacy or ELA when purchased through approved vendors. Eligibility and price caps vary by program.

Approximately $14.25

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Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons
$14.00 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
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Reading
Reading
ELA
ELA

Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons Mission

The mission of Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is to give parents a clear, step-by-step script for teaching early reading at home using the research-backed Direct Instruction approach. In about twenty minutes a day, it systematically builds phonemic awareness, decoding, and fluency so most children reach a solid second-grade reading level by the end of the program.

Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons Story

The book is an adaptation of the SRA DISTAR/Direct Instruction reading programs that Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann and colleagues originally designed for classrooms and validated in large federal studies. After seeing how effective the scripted lessons were for beginning readers, Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox, and Elaine Bruner reworked the approach into a single parent-friendly volume, complete with color-coded prompts and a 100-lesson sequence. Decades later, the book continues to sell steadily as families discover that a consistent, no-frills routine can unlock reading for many children who might otherwise struggle.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons

A typical session finds you side-by-side on the couch, the book open between you. You say the scripted prompts, tap under letters, and your child responds, slowly blending sounds into words and then reading short stories. It feels very focused and methodical, often with a final sense of pride as kids realize they just “read a whole story themselves.”

This book is a fully scripted, step-by-step phonics program. Parents sit with their child and follow each 15–25 minute lesson exactly as written, introducing sounds, blending practice, and guided reading in a highly structured sequence. Completing one lesson most days moves a child from non-reader to early chapter-book level over the course of the program.

Parent or caregiver involvement is essential; this is not a self-teaching program. Adults read every line of the script, provide immediate correction, and set a calm, encouraging tone. Kids simply follow along and respond.

No prior reading ability is required, but children should be able to speak clearly, sit with you for about 15 minutes, and recognize a few basic shapes. Many families start between ages 4 and 7, adjusting the pace to attention span.

This highly scripted phonics program can be successful for many kids, including some with dyslexia or ADHD, because it is systematic and requires little preparation. Its pace and tone can feel tedious or harsh to sensitive or autistic children, so families often slow down, skip “funny voices,” and soften expectations.

Refunds depend on the bookseller. Most allow returns of unused print books within their normal window; digital versions, if purchased, may have more limited refund options.

It’s not recommended for already‑reading kids, older struggling readers who might do better with a more multi-sensory approach, or families who strongly dislike scripted teaching or tightly structured phonics.

Alternatives include All About Reading, The Reading Lesson, Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading, and pairing decodable readers with free apps like Teach Your Monster to Read.

The book has been reprinted many times in the same core format, and families often pair it with decodable readers or library books once children reach the later lessons to extend their new skills.

Go by your child’s stamina, not the lesson numbers—stop while they’re still happy, bookmark your place, and aim for steady, bite‑sized progress instead of racing to “finish all 100.”

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Meet Siegfried, Phyllis and Elaine

Siegfried Engelmann was a pioneering educational researcher and co-developer of Direct Instruction, authoring more than 100 curricula and serving as a professor at the University of Oregon and director of the National Institute for Direct Instruction. Phyllis Haddox and Elaine Bruner coauthored Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons and other DI programs with Engelmann; Haddox has worked as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and trainer, while Bruner helped design early DI reading programs and trained teachers in their use. A fun fact: Phyllis later created an entire website of free training videos and supplementary materials so that parents using this book at home could get extra support.