Hi, I'm Haley, founder of The Reading Railroad™

I'm a reading intervention teacher, curriculum creator, and mom of 3 who believes every child deserves to experience the joy and confidence that comes with learning to read.

For more than a decade, I've worked directly with struggling readers, beginning readers, kindergarten students, first graders, second graders, and children who simply needed a clearer path to reading success. Throughout my teaching career, I've helped hundreds of students build strong phonics foundations, develop reading confidence, and discover that reading can be enjoyable rather than frustrating.

Like many teachers, I spent years searching for reading resources that were effective, engaging, and easy for parents and educators to use. I often found myself creating my own materials because I couldn't find exactly what my students needed.

That journey eventually led to the creation of The Reading Railroad™.

Why I Created The Reading Railroad™

One of the biggest challenges I saw as a reading intervention teacher was that parents often didn't know where their child was on their reading journey.

Many families would ask questions like:

• Is my child behind in reading?

• What phonics skills should my child learn first?

• What comes after CVC words?

• When should my child learn blends, digraphs, and long vowels?

• What reading level should my kindergartener or first grader be at?

These are great questions, but finding clear answers can be difficult.

That's why I developed The Reading Railroad Method™—a step-by-step phonics roadmap designed to help parents and teachers identify where a child is currently performing and determine exactly what skill should be taught next.

Instead of guessing, families can follow a structured path that builds reading skills in a logical sequence.

What Is The Reading Railroad Method™?

The Reading Railroad Method™ is a systematic phonics progression that helps children progress through:

• Letter recognition

• Letter sounds

• Phonological awareness

• CVC words

• Blends

• Digraphs

• Sight words

• Long vowels

• Silent E

• Vowel teams

• Diphthongs

• R-controlled vowels

• Complex phonics

• Fluent reading

• Reading Comprehension

Each skill builds upon the previous one, helping children develop strong decoding skills and reading confidence.

I created this framework based on years of classroom experience working with students who struggled with reading, needed intervention support, or simply benefited from explicit phonics instruction.

The goal is simple:

Help children stay on track and become confident readers.

My Teaching Philosophy

I believe reading instruction should be:

Systematic - Children learn best when skills are taught in a clear sequence.

Explicit - Students should never be expected to "figure out" phonics patterns on their own.

Engaging - Learning to read should feel rewarding and enjoyable.

Developmentally Appropriate - Every child learns at a different pace, and reading instruction should meet students where they are.

Encouraging - Confidence matters. Children who believe they can learn to read are more likely to persevere when reading becomes challenging.

Resources for Parents and Teachers

At The Reading Railroad™, you'll find resources designed to support both home and classroom learning.

Popular resources include:

• Phonics assessments

• Reading readiness checklists

• Alphabet activities

• Letter recognition resources

• CVC word activities

• Phonics worksheets

• Reading intervention materials

• Decodable readers

• Reading comprehension activities

• Kindergarten reading resources

• First grade phonics resources

• Reading fluency materials

• Literacy centers

• Printable reading activities

Whether you're a parent helping your child learn to read at home or a teacher supporting struggling readers in the classroom, my goal is to provide practical tools that save time and produce results.

A Little About Me

I'm a credentialed educator with over ten years of classroom and reading intervention experience. Throughout my career, I've worked with students across a wide range of reading abilities—from children learning their first letter sounds, to special needs and dyslexic students needing intensive reading intervention.

Outside of teaching, I'm also a mom, which gives me a unique perspective on the challenges parents face when supporting reading development at home.

I understand how overwhelming it can feel to know your child needs help but not know where to start.

That's one reason I'm passionate about creating resources that simplify the process and give families a clear plan.

My Mission

My mission is simple:

To help children become confident, capable readers through systematic phonics instruction, engaging learning experiences, and clear guidance for parents and teachers.

Reading opens doors.

It creates opportunities, builds confidence, and lays the foundation for lifelong learning.

Through The Reading Railroad™, I hope to help more children discover the joy of reading and give families the tools they need to support that journey.

Let's Stay Connected

If you're a parent, teacher, homeschool educator, reading specialist, or interventionist looking for practical reading resources, I'd love to connect with you.

Be sure to explore the Reading Railroad Phonics Mastery Tracker, browse the resource library, and join my email list for free reading activities, phonics tips, and literacy resources.

🚂 Climb Aboard the Reading Railroad™ — Learning to read should be a joyful journey.