Sing, Spell, Read & Write

Sing, Spell, Read & Write is a song-based phonics program whose kits are out of print.

Last updated: 2026-04-24 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Traditional phonics; subject-specialist (reading)
Worldview	Faith-neutral
Grades	PreK-2
Formats	Print workbooks, audio CDs/downloads, readers, games
Cost tier	Standard
Parent intensity	4
ESA-common	No (current distribution is direct-sales; most major ESA marketplaces list current in-print programs)
Accredited	No
Established	Most recently distributed by Songs That Teach
Website	songsthatteachus.com (archived March 2025; offline when checked in October 2026)

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	4	Systematic, explicit 36-step phonics sequence with strong decoding outcomes
Ease of teaching	3	Parent-led, multi-component; straightforward once rhythm is established
Content quality	4	Award-winning phonics songs; durable production values
Flexibility	3	Designed as a whole kit; pieces can be used a la carte but work better together
Value for money	3	Higher per-grade spend than a single trade paperback; includes audio and readers
Worldview scope	5	Secular-neutral content, usable across every family
Visual/design	3	Bright but dated; the aesthetic is unmistakably 1980s–90s elementary
Support resources	3	Author's own site and support network; no large publisher community

Who the publisher is

Sing, Spell, Read & Write was created by Sue Dickson. The program's defining feature is a sequence of thirty-six phonics songs, one for each letter sound and blend, paired with readers, workbooks, and classroom games.

As of June 2026, Rainbow Resource's listing for the program states that the kits are out of print, that the author may reprint them in the future, and that several of the workbooks have been reprinted and are available separately. Dickson's Songs That Teach site listed each level of the program as "Inquire for Pricing" in March 2025; that site did not load when checked in October 2026.

The Off We Go program, a preschool-readiness edition that precedes the main Level 1 kit, is also available through Dickson's site. For homeschool families, the practical implication is that purchasing the full curriculum requires buying from Dickson's site directly, with some components available used through secondary markets.

The core pedagogy

Sing, Spell, Read & Write is explicit, synthetic phonics organized as a thirty-six-step sequence. Each step introduces a letter or blend through a dedicated song, reinforces it through a workbook page, applies it through a decodable reader, and games reinforce the sound-symbol connection. The method is multisensory in the common meaning of the word, students hear the song, speak the sound, trace the letter, and read text containing the target phoneme.

The program is linear and cumulative. A kindergartener begins at step one (the short-a sound, typically), moves sequentially, and finishes first grade at approximately step thirty-six having decoded increasingly complex patterns along the way. Unlike programs that teach letter names before sounds, Dickson's method teaches sounds first and letter names as a secondary fact. This is consistent with a large body of contemporary research on early reading, and it places Sing, Spell, Read & Write in the same methodological family as Orton-Gillingham and its descendants.

Signature mechanics: (1) Thirty-six phonics songs, each song targets a specific phoneme and is repeated until the child can sing the sound on demand. (2) Daily workbook + reader pairing, every lesson has a workbook page and a corresponding decodable reading passage, so the child sees the target sound in isolation and in text the same day. (3) Classroom-style "Raceway" chart, a visual progress tracker that moves the student from step to step through the sequence, shipped with the main kits.

What they do exceptionally well

A research-aligned phonics sequence with genuine staying power. The thirty-six-step scope and sequence reflects decades of phoneme-frequency research and has aged well. A student who completes Level 1 and Level 2 has systematically encountered every major English phoneme, blend, and common spelling pattern, and can typically decode unfamiliar words at a late-first-grade level or better.

Songs that children actually remember. The phonics songs are the program's signature. For a five-year-old, a memorable song is a more reliable retrieval cue than a flashcard.

Low-pressure pacing for a first reader. The linear step sequence and the Raceway chart give a very young child concrete visible progress. A kindergartener can count the stickers on the chart and see how many steps they've conquered, which supports motivation in a domain where motivation is most of the battle.

What they do poorly

Component fragmentation and print-run uncertainty. With the kits out of print and Dickson's imprint handling direct sales, the purchasing experience is less tidy than with programs where a parent can buy a complete kit from a single mainstream retailer.

Dated aesthetic. The art and production values are unmistakably a generation old. This is not a defect in the instruction, but for a parent accustomed to the contemporary polish of All About Reading or Logic of English, the visual contrast is immediate.

Parent-led daily lessons. Sing, Spell, Read & Write asks a parent to be present for thirty to forty-five minutes a day, leading the songs, managing audio playback, and correcting the workbook. Families seeking a self-directed digital option should look elsewhere.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Sing, Spell, Read & Write if: you want an explicit, research-aligned phonics program for kindergarten and first grade; your child responds well to music as a memory aid; you're comfortable sourcing materials from a direct-sales site and occasionally the used market; you want a faith-neutral option that works across worldview backgrounds.

• Skip Sing, Spell, Read & Write if: you want an actively maintained major-publisher program with current print runs and stocked retail channels; you prefer a digital-first or self-directed program; you dislike song-based instruction and would rather drill phonograms; you want a program that extends into spelling and composition beyond the second-grade reading mark.

Cost honest assessment

No current price for the kits can be cited. Rainbow Resource's listing states that the kits are out of print and not currently available, with several workbooks reprinted and sold separately, and the Songs That Teach program page listed each level as "Inquire for Pricing" in March 2025 before that site went offline. Families should confirm availability and price with the retailer before planning a purchase.

ESA eligibility notes

Because the kits are out of print and current distribution runs through Dickson's direct-sales site, Sing, Spell, Read & Write is not a commonly listed ESA marketplace vendor. Families should verify with their state program administrator that a direct-sales purchase from a small publisher qualifies for reimbursement before buying, and save the invoice with a clear line-item description.

Alternatives

• All About Reading, a family would pick All About Reading over Sing, Spell, Read & Write because AAR is actively maintained, has a strong support community, and uses a scripted Orton-Gillingham-aligned scope without relying on song-memory as the primary retention mechanism.
• Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, a family would pick the Engelmann book over Sing, Spell, Read & Write because it's a single trade paperback under $25, gets a non-reader to comfortable decoding in a hundred scripted lessons, and requires no component assembly.
• Logic of English Foundations, a family would pick LOE Foundations over Sing, Spell, Read & Write because it integrates phonics, spelling, and handwriting in a single multi-year sequence with current print runs and modern production values.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed archived copies of Sue Dickson's publisher site at songsthatteachus.com and the author's biographical site at suedickson.com (neither site loaded when checked in October 2026), and the retail listings for component workbooks at Rainbow Resource and Lamp Post Homeschool, which list the kits as out of print. Availability statements checked October 2026.