Fitzroy Method Testimonials

PROFESSORS

Our family has benefited greatly from the literacy programme represented by the Fitzroy Readers.

My son, who is otherwise an able learner, was not able to benefit from non-phonic modes of reading education. In a few months exposed to the readers and the method they represent, he was able to read well beyond his chronological age.

My daughter was lucky enough to be taught the Fitzroy Method right from the beginning. She has always been an able and keen reader and we both consider this to be due in no small part to the Fitzroy experience.

In the course of trying to find solutions for my son, I came across none any where as good as the Fitzroy Method. The books are not only an excellent source of reading education, they are also interesting and fun for children and beautifully presented and illustrated. I cannot praise them too highly.
(Cathy Lowy, Senior Fellow, University of Melbourne)

I am pleased to recommend Fitzroy Readers to parents and teachers. The benefits of the Fitzroy Readers include the following:

• Enjoyable stories which appeal to the reader
• A systematic approach to teaching vocabulary and spelling
• A finely graded introduction of new vocabulary and spelling
• A complete program covering all the main spelling patterns of written English

My own daughters have been educated using the Fitzroy Readers and are now achieving excellent academic results at the University of Melbourne and in the senior levels of high school.
(Professor Michael E. Hamel-Green, Victoria University, Melbourne)

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TEACHERS

(Note: Except in rare circumstances, it is general policy in Australia to only publish the initials of a teacher's name.)

Just a quick note to say that the students using the Fitzroy Program are experiencing such success at school and at home with their reading. We are also receiving wonderful feedback from parents regarding their children?s eagerness to read these books.

Thank you.
(S. C., Prescott Primary - Southern, Australia)

Your readers have been an enormous help in my Resource Teaching.
(E.M., Principal, NSW, St. Bede?s)

I have, during my thirteen years association with this school [Fitzroy Community School], seen a one hundred percent success rate in literacy, a high degree of competence and a love of language and literature.

My own first child had a problem with literacy, even though he was attending a highly-regarded fee-paying school. I did not want this situation to occur again with my second son.

I researched literacy methods and discovered the Fitzroy Readers, which I used in my private tutoring business. I subsequently made contact with the Fitzroy Community School, at which the Readers had been developed and tested.

I enrolled my second son at the Fitzroy school. He enjoyed outstanding results. Due to his primary education under the Fitzroy program, he won an academic scholarship to Melbourne Grammar School, one of the top academic schools of Australia.

Having used the Fitzroy Readers over many years, I wish to make the following comments:

• An ideal English method for children of all ages and abilities;
• A very tightly structured program which builds sequentially in small manageable steps, beginning with A Fat Cat - a delightful story for beginner readers;
• The range runs up to Book 60 - a book of suitable complexity for established readers, who will be able to read a newspaper accurately;
• The strict serial nature of the Readers avoids the confusion of presenting material not covered ? apart from the new step being clearly introduced with each Reader.

I have tutored many children and found the Fitzroy Readers a wonderful resource. I recommend this English learning program without hesitation.
(J. H.,Vice Principal of Fitzroy Community School, Melbourne, Australia)

I thought I would write to you, to let you know the books you sent me just before Christmas have been put to very good use.

A bright little boy (9yrs), reading at early grade 1, progressed 1 year in less than 1 week.

Another boy about to repeat grade 3 progressed from early grade 1 to early grade 3 in 3 ? days. He told his grandmother ? ?I think I?ve got it.?

Margaret Paterson, Yambuna, Australia

I have been using your FITZROY READERS with my special children and they love them. I find them very good. Their simplicity is great!
G.A., Support Teacher, St.Bernard's, Australia

A great resource. I enjoy using the program.
(J.M., Brookvale Public School, NSW, Australia)

I find the readers extremely useful. They are integrated into our school curriculum and done at all levels of primary school. I particularly like the fact that they are written on a ?gradient approach? (as far as new sounds and words are concerned).
(C.A., Athena School, NSW, Australia)

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TUTORS

The Fitzroy Programme is really great for my students and I would be lost if I did not have these readers and worksheets. Thanks so much.
(Jenny Starr, Vic., Australia)

The Fitzroy Readers are the most used and valuable resource at our speech pathology service.
(Monique Thompson, Lala Speech Pathology, Bairnsdale, Vic., Australia)

I have found FITZROY READERS a very pleasant and helpful reading resource for my clients and for my own children too.
S.M., NSW, Australia

I have been using your readers with success for the children who come to me after school for private tutoring. As these are children in difficulty, your Fitzroy Readers are very much appreciated by them.

Again thanks for your effort in producing the Readers, as I will continue to use them and to recommend them to Remedial Teachers.
(Mrs Helen Dempsey, Topline Video Productions, Australia)

I love your readers. In my private practice as tutor, your readers have brought virtually instant success in beginning reading to almost all of the failing students that have been referred to me. I shall never forget the time they unwittingly helped me to cause a worried mum to cry.

Her daughter spent over two years in one of our modern state funded ?community? schools. The mother had never heard her daughter read, and there had always been stress and rebellion at the suggestion of a ?hearing reading time? at home.

Within forty five minutes Alicia read A Fat Cat out loud and almost unaided?the first unstressed success experience in reading in her short life. Her mum could scarcely believe her eyes and ears but she had to. She cried. Within weeks, and under mum?s supervision alone, Alica had devoured all your readers and was looking round for more.

Congratulations!
(Chris Nugent, Nugent Literacy Testing)

Fitzroy Readers are the best system I know of. Even if you don?t know the system you will get results. It?s fantastic.?
(Bryan Edwards, Sydney, Australia)

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PARENTS

I have a 7 ? year old girl now in her 3rd year of schooling. She began to have tutoring in the Lindamood-Bell system Sept. 93 which is a sound/phonic system. I purchased your books approximately 2 months ago and they have provided an excellent match to this program. She is making steady progress, now starting on your Level 1 books. The gain in her confidence and interest is amazing - she makes words with letters on the fridge etc. just for fun - before she wasn?t interested or able to do this. There are still letter reversal problems to overcome but she is improving.

Thank you.
(Mrs R Faiers, Tamworth, Australia)

I have ordered the Fitzroy Programs for my school recently. I have found them OUTSTANDING. Some years ago I taught my son to read, using them before he began school. Now my grandaughter has been put into the remedial reading group at her school. I have been using the old books I had for her and she has made more progress in 6 weeks with me and the Fitzroy Program than she did in the 12 months of year 1. Would you please send me an order form for my personal use - she is progressing so fast, I need to order more books to keep up with her. She is also enjoying (LOVING) the readers and has regained her self confidence.

Thank you and congratulations on your program!
(Ms Maitina Millard, Australia)

I thought you may appreciate feedback from a home educator using your Readers and Worksheets as a first year literacy program. During my initial search for a good first year program, it took me some time to locate a Reader series that was a good blend of phonic teaching priciples as well as memorizing new words in a progressive way. Many programs I encountered seemed to polarize in one direction or the other. Eventually I found just what I had in mind, a complete set of the Fitzroy Readers in our local library.

These Readers are very popular with children and parents. I say this because I have never yet been able to just get what I want off the shelf. The Readers are always ?out?. Invariably to get what I want I need to put them on order. The library is thinking of getting another set I believe.

Anyway, my five year old, Andrew is up to Reader No. 19 ? Mark and Mars. I know very little about what to expect as normal development, however I can say that Andrew started this year unable to read. We had laid the groundwork of course with the alphabet and some sounds. Andrew himself, has always set the pace. Now he is reading ?Mark and Mars? with fluency. I attribute part of this success to your very well written Readers and progressive work sheets. We look forward to continuing the program next year.
(Janet Achilleos, Australia)

Thank you for presenting readers which deal so effectively with the base blocks of reading.
(Mrs M. Kennett, Australia)

As a parent I find your books a wonderful resource.
(Dianne Hilton, Treasurer, Tambelin Independent School Inc., Australia)

I have found the Fitzroy Program to be a most effective resource in helping my 9-year old daughter cope with dyslexia. She was tested by a psychologist both before and after reading your books and her comprehension was found to have improved markedly.

I plan to use the program with other dyslexic children. Thanks again.
(Suzanne, Australia)

I am delighted with the results achieved from these readers. I was very concerned with the progress being made by my 6 year old granddaughter in reading skills. Her confidence and ability has increased enormously. She now wants to read to everybody. And she is happy to go to school!
(J.C., Grandparent, VIC, Australia)

Our beautiful grandson ? was a bright and quick learner and loved us to read to him. He started school and was doing well at everything except reading ? which we just couldn't understand.

Then one day the children's librarian mentioned Fitzroy Readers. I sent away for them and we started working on them immediately. All I can say is that it was like a switch turned on in Josh's brain almost immediately and from then on he read everything.

This year he is 21 and has finished his Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne Uni and has just started his Honours year. I would say this is a success story, wouldn't you?

I had reason to look up your website again because my daughter ? has just found out that her 5 year old is having trouble with learning his alphabet and reading words so I ? have sent her your site and will wait for her to tell me what she needs.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do,

Best Regards,
Merle K