Edmark Reading Program Functional Words Series

Edmark Reading Program Functional Words Series (Second Edition) teaches 400 everyday sight words to support real-world reading success.

The Functional Words Series, now in its second edition, offers a research-based, multisensory approach to teaching 400 high-frequency functional sight words. This comprehensive reading program is ideal for students with autism, intellectual disabilities, learning delays, or those learning English as a second language. By focusing on vocabulary relevant to everyday settings (fast food, grocery stores, workplaces, and community signage), this series helps students build real-world literacy, independence, and confidence.

What makes this reading program so effective?

This structured word recognition program builds vocabulary through repetition, real-life context, and interactive learning:

• Covers 400 functional sight words across four core themes: Fast Food/Restaurant, Grocery, Job/Work, and Signs Around You.
• Introduces 100 new words per theme using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning activities.
• Stories and illustrated activities strengthen comprehension and contextual understanding.
• Social skills games promote vocabulary use in meaningful interactions.
• Teacher's Guide and reproducible materials support flexible, goal-driven instruction.
• Updated content includes full-colour photo cards, word cards, and printable story character illustrations.

Why this learning approach works so well:

Functional reading skills give students the tools they need to navigate their environment and engage with their community. This program uses repetition, visual supports, and contextual learning to ensure students recognize new words and how to use them in real-life settings. Engaging games and social interaction reinforce vocabulary while supporting communication and confidence.

Who is the Edmark Reading Program Functional Words Series helpful for?

This program targets functional reading development in students in grades kindergarten through adult, at a reading level of K-3. The Functional Words Series is an educational resource for Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs), special educators, teachers, and parents. Its versatility makes this program great for various learning environments, including small or large groups in the classroom, in one-on-one sessions, or at home.

The Edmark Reading Program Functional Words Series kits include:

• Teacher’s Guide: This detailed program guide addresses the research supporting the program and fully describes the program components and how to implement them. The Teacher’s Guide also includes answer keys for the Stories Activities and the Reading and Social Skills Games lesson plans.
  
• Lesson Plan/Record: This reproducible guide for lesson planning also provides for continuous progress monitoring for the individual student. The Lesson Plan/Record is useful in adjusting the pace of instruction to meet the needs of individual students.
  
• Word Recognition: Two spiral-bound books contain the target words in order of presentation. Target words are first introduced within the Word Recognition activity.
  
• Post Tests. The Post tests measure retention of each group of 10 words and are included in the Word Recognition books.
  
• Vocabulary Exercises: Vocabulary Exercises reinforce recognition and understanding of the meaning of the target words through matching words to illustrations. These 300 reproducible activities are presented in a variety of formats.
  
• Stories and Stories Activities: Five storybooks containing 50 stories allow students to practice using the newly learned target words while listening to, reading, and discussing the stories. Character Illustrations aid in comprehension. Stories Activities provide pre-reading and post-reading exercises to strengthen comprehension at the sentence, paragraph, and story level.
  
• Reading and Social Skills Games: Games reinforce the functional vocabulary and promote generalization by requiring students to use reading skills in a social setting. Students also develop social skills and a basic understanding of various game-playing procedures. The Games include a full-colour game board, playing pieces, and dice.
  
• Photo Cards: 100 full-colour photo cards reinforce vocabulary, comprehension, and extend students’ understanding of the newly learned words.
  
• Word Cards: 100 word cards are included in each kit. The lesson numbers are in the upper right corner. Preview the word list.
  
• Online access to reproducible e-materials:
  
  • Lesson plan/record
    
  • Vocabulary exercises (300 reproducible pages per kit)
    
  • Stories, activities and character illustrations
    
  • Reading and social skills games, lessons, and materials
    
  • Word lists
    
• Sturdy Storage Box: To organize all program components.

What’s New in the Second Edition:

• The addition of Stories and Stories Activities represents a significant enhancement to the Functional Words Series. Students can experience stories with carefully controlled vocabulary words used in real-world contexts. The Stories are in a standard paperback format. Each of the five Stories books contains 10 stories, one story for every two words taught. Additional sets may be purchased for use with multiple students. The stories throughout the series include a common cast of characters, with a few other characters introduced to facilitate various story lines. Character Illustrations are included as printable PDFs. Students may use the illustrations of the story characters to follow the various people they read about and as an aid to comprehending the stories.
• The Lesson Plan/Record is revised and expanded to provide simplified continuous progress monitoring combined with an easy-to-use lesson planning format. Posttests are included following every 10 words taught in the Word Recognition books.
• Reading and Social Skills Games with student learning objectives have been added to provide opportunities to practice reading and to learn word meanings in an interactive context.
• Photo Cards, featuring 100 four-colour photographs with target words printed beneath the images, are included in each kit and can be used to introduce students to each new word. The photos reinforce the target words in a realistic way and aid in vocabulary development.
• Word Cards feature 100 words taught in the program in a handy playing card format.
• Online access to reproducible e-materials, including Lesson Plan/Record, Vocabulary Exercises, Stories Activities, Character Illustrations, and files to use with the games (see Appendix D).