Functional Reading Comprehension Curriculum
Designed exclusively for teens and young adults,
The Functional Reading Comprehension Curriculum
was built for your students —
a ready-to-use curriculum unlike anything else on the market today,
with a depth of structure built around the
real text, real environments, and real moments of student life.
It develops literacy skills that go far beyond the classroom
and transforms functional reading instruction from a lesson into a life skill.
What's out there right now for high school special education reading comprehension instruction:
- Resources targeted to K-6 age groups
- Curriculum designed for a single specific disability
- Reading focused solely on novels, historical passages, or national day narratives
- Groups of worksheets marketed as a ‘curriculum’
- Screen-heavy curriculum that almost completely removes teacher instruction
There's another option now...
The Functional Reading Comprehension Curriculum includes:
- Age-appropriate images, format, and content that reflect the dignity and maturity of teens and young adults
- Reading demands pulled directly from students' real lives, home, work, and community settings
- 19 functional reading topics, from signage and package directions to transportation schedules, web browser AI summaries, employee handbooks, and terms of service
- Customizable and differentiated materials already included
- Everything you need for each day of a lesson, from pre-test through assessment
"You've done it again! These units are a FABULOUS way to help the adults with developmental disabilities that I support realize that they understand more than they think they do! The "What I Think When I Read" sections are such a help!"
Testimonial
Alexandra
You Need…
Reading samples your students are already seeing in their daily lives and need to understand, not a novel they wouldn't willingly open.
Curriculum that lets YOU teach, not one that has you supervising module progress as lesson prep.
Suggested sequence with the flexibility to use materials when and how you want, not a rigid structure that ignores classroom reality.
You Deserve…
Certainty that the strategies you're teaching today are the ones your students will reach for tomorrow in the real world.
Freedom to focus entirely on comprehension because technology supports decoding and students can actually understand what they're reading.
Energy in your classroom with resources that get students talking, moving, and spotting what they just learned outside school.
"This curriculum is amazing! It is so well planned out, organized, and has amazing resources that are also easily adaptable if needed. Love her resources!!!"
Testimonial
Laura R
What’s Included in the Curriculum:
- 170 days worth of material to span a full school year
- Consistent, mature design across all materials
- Age-appropriate graphics, colors, font, and format for teens and young adults
- Relevant high-interest reading samples to naturally motivate all students to engage
- 19 Lesson units spanning reading found in independent living, community, and vocational work settings
- Differentiated versions (Pre-Test, Quick Scan Warm Up, Assessment) to quickly meet students where they are
- Supportive and accessible technology, including Google Slides slide decks and Boom Cards
Everything you need. Every unit. All in one place.
19 lesson units | 170+ days of instruction | 1,000+ pages of resources
Every single unit includes:
-
Lesson Plans so lesson planning takes seconds instead of hours
-
Pretest to quickly assess a baseline of learning across the class
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3 Different Warm-up Activities to get students talking about on-topic reading before diving into the lesson
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Reading Strategy Application to consistently target evidence-based reading comprehension strategies
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Guided Practice to begin applying new skills with examples that pull from daily life
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3 Different Review Games for engaging repetition of skills and broad exposure to various reading passages
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Independent Practice to individually apply reading comprehension strategies with on-topic reading passages
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Boom Cards for whole class or individual review of concepts with instant feedback
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Assessment to easily determine individual student and overall class learning of each topic
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Data Collection to objectively assess learning for each student
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Functional Reading Skill Spiraling Worksheets for consistent review of various reading skills in a quick run-through format
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Scavenger Hunt to transfer learning beyond the classroom
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Answer Keys because you deserve easy grading!
How It Works:
This curriculum is intentionally designed to build reading comprehension skills — not decoding skills.
Students use technology they already have to support word recognition at every stage, freeing them to focus entirely on what matters: understanding what they're reading and how to use that information in real life.
The curriculum moves deliberately from low to high comprehension demand:
Short (phrases to a single sentence)
Low demand. High relevance. Early success. Students build foundational comprehension with the functional texts they encounter most — signs, alerts, and labels in community, retail, dining, and workplace settings.
Medium (2+ sentences to 1–2 paragraphs)
Students apply comprehension strategies to household, vocational, health, and technology-based texts that require inference and interpretation.
Long (3+ paragraphs)
Students tackle the most complex comprehension demands — legal documents, medical forms, personal and academic documents that require synthesis and critical thinking.
19 Lesson Unit Covering the Full Range of Functional Texts:
Short Text Units
- Directional & Informational Signs
- Safety & Warning Signs
- Shopping & Retail Signs
- Dining & Restaurant Signs
- Independent Living & Work
- Media, Technology, & Social Alerts
- Transportation, Travel & Events
Medium Text Units
- Independent Living & Household
- Media & Technology
- Events, Programs, Travel & Transportation
- Shopping & Product Information
- Health & Safety
- Vocational & Work
Long Text Units
- Creative & Informative
- Legal & Contracts
- Health & Medical
- Vocational Documents
- Personal Documents
- Academic Documents
Take a Look Inside...
Age-Appropriate Design
Every unit features mature, clutter-free design — age-appropriate images, fonts, and colors that respect your students' age and dignity.
Real Life, Every Day
Every text, every setting, every environment your students will navigate — at home, in their community, and at work — covered!
Routine That Works
Consistent lesson structure across every unit means less planning time for you and less mental energy spent on what's next for your students.
"Perfect Resource- This is exactly what I was looking for for my students!"
Testimonial
Andrea
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this curriculum grounded in research-based evidence?
Can I see a sample lesson to see if it would be a good fit for my students?
How do I know this will work for my specific students?
Is this really a no-prep curriculum?
I already have a curriculum my district requires. Can I still use this?
What format does the curriclum come in?
Is there a strict sequence or schedule that must be followed?
It’s mid-year. Should I buy a whole curriculum now?
Is there an annual renewal fee?
Is there special District pricing?
Licensing Guide
Thank you for your interest in the Functional Reading Comprehension Curriculum.
Resources are not to be shared amongst colleagues or used by a course grade level, school, or district without purchasing the proper number of licenses.
Use the licensing guide below to determine which licensing option is best for you and your school.
