For those of you new to Fundations, it was first published in 2002.  Fundations was based on reading reasearch and the Wilson Reading System- a highly structured and intensive program for challenged readers.  Fundations is part of Wilson's three-tiered approach to successful reading and writing instruction.  Fundations provides all students with a foundation for reading and spelling.  The instruction emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics-word study, high frequency word study, fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling.  Optimal learning is facilitated by a gradual release of responsibility model.  The learning activity sequence on a given day or within a week, moves students along toward independence following these steps:

1. "I Do It" --> Teacher Demonstration

2. "We Do It" --> Guided Instruction/Pracitce

3. "You Do It Together" --> Collaborative Learning

4. "You Do It Alone" --> Independent Success