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Reading Programs for 3rd Graders

In our 3rd grade reading program, your child will improve fluency and comprehension, build essential long-word decoding skills, and learn new vocabulary, all while cultivating a love of reading.

Reading plays a huge role in your child’s experience in 3rd grade.

Third graders need to learn a lot of important decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills. They’re expected to master new skills throughout the school year and build the confidence and stamina they need to read harder and harder books.

When your child takes one of our reading programs, you can be sure it will be a fun and effective learning experience. Your child will learn key skills to succeed with grade-level reading, develop lots of confidence, and build a lasting love of books that inspires reading for fun.

Each Six-Week Online Program Includes:

  • Age-Appropriate Books tab arrow
  • Engaging Group Activities & Discussions tab arrow
  • Skill Development & Independent Practice tab arrow
  • 1-1 Support tab arrow
  • Progress Report tab arrow
Age-Appropriate Books

Every program features high-quality books filled with timeless, relatable stories. Each book is carefully selected to be both challenging and accessible at your child’s reading level.

Engaging Group Activities & Discussions

Your child will participate in six dynamic, live online group classes led by a teacher who specializes in teaching core skills, facilitating thoughtful discussion, and bringing books to life.

Skill Development & Independent Practice

In between weekly classes, your child will complete reading assignments and interactive activities to build age-appropriate skills and overall confidence in reading.

1-1 Support

Whether your child needs a little extra help, or you’d like to meet with your child’s teacher, one-on-one appointments are available. You’ll also have access to our on-demand Homework Helpline for added individualized reading support.

Progress Report

At the end of the program, you'll receive an overview of the skills your child has learned, along with a certificate of completion.

3rd Grade Sessions

We offer five sessions for 3rd graders throughout the year. Each session features a unique set of books chosen specifically to be both enjoyable and appropriately challenging, ensuring kids have a successful, engaging experience.

  • Summer

  • Early Fall

  • Late Fall

  • Winter

  • Spring

Summer

Summer Program for Entering 3rd Graders

Available to Start in June and July

The Littles
The Tale of a Talented Rat
The Best Bad Idea Ever
Tornado
Marvelous Marvin

Enrollment Opens in February

Summer Program for Incoming 4th Graders >>>
Early Fall

Early Fall Program for 3rd Graders

Available to Start in August and September

The Sword in the Tree
Julian, Dream Doctor
A Fine Day for Watermelon
Encyclopedia Brown

Enrollment Opens in June

Late Fall

Late Fall Program for 3rd Graders

Available to Start in October and November

Clementine
My Father's Dragon
The Minstrel in the Tower
Stories Julian Tells

Enrollment Opens in August

Winter

Winter Program for 3rd Graders

Available to Start in January and February

The Boxcar Children
The Whipping Boy
Snarf Attack
View Winter Schedules
<<< Winter Program for Current 2nd Graders
Spring

Spring Program for 3rd Graders

Available to Start in March, April, and May

Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Charlotte's Web

Enrollment Opens in January

<<< Spring Program for Current 2nd Graders

What Skills Will Your Child Gain in Our 3rd Grade Program?

Fluency

Fluency is the ability to read naturally and smoothly, without having to stop to sound out the words. Achieving fluency is a milestone kids reach by developing strong decoding skills and reading a lot. 3rd graders who can read fluently have stronger comprehension. This helps them as they read third-grade books, which are longer, more difficult, and filled with complex sentences.

In our 3rd grade programs, children get lots of valuable fluency practice in great books. Fluent readers don’t need to spend much time figuring out individual words or piecing sentences together, so they can focus on meaning in the books they read.

Comprehension

Comprehension, or the ability to understand what you read, is the goal of reading. 3rd graders with good comprehension can visualize the characters and setting, identify with characters and how they feel, and anticipate what will happen in stories. They develop the ability to put stories into their own words, retelling them in more detail and expressing a point of view.

In our 3rd grade programs, students build stronger comprehension which makes reading fun and enjoyable. This motivates them to keep reading and provides a big boost in all subjects at school.

Decoding Long Words

By 3rd grade, most children have already mastered basic phonics. As they encounter harder words in their third-grade assignments, they need new strategies for breaking down longer words into parts—including prefixes, suffixes, and syllables—in order to read them.

In our 3rd grade programs, children learn skills and strategies to read long words with confidence and ease. They feel a real sense of accomplishment and motivation to read even more.

Vocabulary

Having a rich, robust vocabulary is the key to strong reading comprehension. It’s also essential for academic success in all subjects, for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The most effective way for kids to build vocabulary is through a combination of vocabulary instruction and doing a lot of reading for pleasure.

In our 3rd grade programs, students expand their vocabulary through interactive online lessons that provide instruction and practice with new words. They also get a boost from reading in great books every week throughout the program.

Building a Lifelong Love of Reading

A positive attitude and love of books motivates students to power through the challenges that come with reading.

Our programs give students positive experiences with books that inspire confidence and enthusiasm about reading. Your son or daughter will want to read even more and will develop the habit of reading for pleasure that leads to a lifetime of academic and personal benefits.

Learn more about how a love of reading makes all the difference.

Now Enrolling Winter Programs

View Schedules

Trust Our Reading Expertise

  • 50+ Years of Experience tab arrow
  • Dedicated Focus on Reading tab arrow
  • High-Quality Teachers tab arrow
  • Integrated Approach tab arrow
  • Outstanding Book Selections tab arrow
  • Assessment Without Tests tab arrow
50+ Years of Experience

The Institute of Reading Development was founded in 1970. Since then, we’ve been endorsed by more than 200 of the country’s most well-respected universities and helped more than three million students succeed with reading.

Dedicated Focus on Reading

Unlike organizations that teach too many subjects and specialize in none, we’ve remained focused on what we excel at and love to do: teaching reading.

High-Quality Teachers

We are extremely selective in the teachers we hire. They must be intelligent, dynamic, and warm in their communication, with a knack for nurturing participation. Above all, they must have a personal passion for reading.

Integrated Approach

We provide a truly all-encompassing learning experience that combines group discussion with independent practice and one-on-one support. No other organization integrates skills instruction and guided book discussions the way we do.

Outstanding Book Selections

We're known for curating the best books for every age. The books in our programs are not only written at the appropriate difficulty level, but also tell exciting and relatable stories that students genuinely love to read.

Assessment Without Tests

Tests are often the antithesis of fun. Instead of focusing heavily on testing, we assess students' progress through their work with the teacher and performance on grade-specific reading exercises and activities.

Endorsed by Leading Colleges and Universities

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North Florida logo
Binghamton Logo
Santa Clara Logo
IUPUI logo
UCF logo
LMU logo

We Excel at Teaching in an Online Environment

  • Virtual Program Pioneer tab arrow
  • Specialized Training tab arrow
  • Maximum Participation tab arrow
  • Varied Perspectives tab arrow
  • Small Class Sizes tab arrow
Virtual Program Pioneer

We introduced our online offering in 2014, making us one of the first educational organizations to offer live online programs for kids. To date, we’ve taught more than 150,000 students online.

Specialized Training

Our teachers understand every stage of reading development. They go through intensive training to ensure they are well-prepared to teach core reading skills in a virtual classroom - across all grade levels.

Maximum Participation

We structure our classes to ensure that everyone's voice is heard. Our teachers track participation and call on every student, making sure each child is comfortable and confident reading aloud and sharing their thoughts.

Varied Perspectives

Our programs bring together students from across the country, each with unique backgrounds. It’s a dynamic mix of perspectives you won’t find in any traditional classroom.

Small Class Sizes

We’ve found that the most engaging and effective classes have a max of 15 students. Our average class size is about 13 students, ensuring optimal participation opportunities and individualized attention.

We Make It Easy for Parents

Not only are our programs engaging and enriching for kids, we also strive to make the entire process as stress-free as possible for parents, providing robust support throughout the entire program.

View Parent Resources

From the blog

The Powerful Impact of Achieving Fluency

When reading feels effortless, captivating, and enjoyable, it’s not a chore. It’s just fun—page after page, chapter after chapter. Without fluency, this experience isn’t possible.

Read More about The Powerful Impact of Achieving Fluency

Reviews

Read What Parents Have to Say

“Class went well. I liked that the instructor gave the students the opportunity to hear where other kids lived. Emory thought it was neat to know that kids are learning together across the country from different cities.”

- Towanda, Parent

Read More Reviews

Let the Adventure Begin!

Enroll your child in our 3rd grade reading program today.

Only $249
Plus $39 Materials & Shipping

Enroll Now

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Questions?
Call 1-800-470-2891

Our knowledgeable advisors can answer questions and help find a schedule that works for your family.

Questions? Contact Us!

  • (800) 470-2891
  • contact@readingprograms.org
Enroll Now

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