What is FOG Readers?
FOG Readers is a program for students in Grades 1–4 who are reading below grade level.
FOG stands for Free Orton-Gillingham: the program is offered free of charge, and is based on the Orton-Gillingham reading method, which breaks reading down into small, clear steps using sight, sound, and touch to help kids learn one step at a time.
How does FOG Readers Help?
FOG Readers helps kids build strong reading skills, including:
- Phonemic awareness – hearing the smallest sounds in words—called phonemes. For example, recognizing that the word cat has three sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/.
- Phonics – matching phonemes (sounds) to letters
- Decoding – sounding out words
- Encoding – spelling words
- Fluency – reading smoothly and confidently
Students learn the sounds of English, spelling rules, and syllable types—so they can figure out words on their own.
⚠️ Note: FOG Readers focuses on reading skills. It does not cover reading comprehension, writing or grammar.
How Does FOG Readers Work?
- Every student starts at the beginning of Level One, to make sure any gaps in the basics are filled in.
- They build skills step by step, mastering one before moving on to the next step, in a set order.
- Tutors follow lesson plans that include multisensory activities (sight, sound, and touch). For example, a student might say a sound out loud while writing the letter in sand or tracing the shape with their finger.
Student Enrollment
Enrolled students are matched with a trained FOG Readers tutor. Tutoring sessions are held once a week for 45 minutes to 1 hour. These sessions may take place in person at a San Francisco Public Library or virtually.
Become a Tutor
Our tutors are making a tremendous impact!
As a tutor, you will receive 8 hours of training and undergo a one-time fingerprinting process, all at no cost to you. We will equip you with the skills to be an effective literacy tutor and provide ongoing support along the way.
Join us in making a difference!