The POSSUM Approach

Supporting literacy gains through a Multi-componential approach

RAVE-O is the only program to simulate the multiple component processes in the developing reading brain by integrating phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax, the alphabetic principle, and morphology (POSSUM). These components are then connect to connected text forming a true system of instruction.

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Diagram of the POSSUM model showing the word "bat" at the center surrounded by its six components: phonology, orthography, semantics, syntax, understanding of the alphabetic principle, and morphology, illustrated with images of the word's different meanings.

POSSUM APPROACH

Explore the multiple components of a word. Take a single word like bat.

In RAVE-O, most words in each lesson exemplify multiple components of the reading brain simultaneously. Students explore the many facets of the Core Word bat: sounds, letter patterns, meanings, and its grammatical function and changes with morphemes.

The more a child knows about a word, its sounds, its spellings, its many meanings, the faster and more automatically it’s read. That is the central idea behind RAVE-O's expanded foundational skills.

Six components, one program

What makes POSSUM different.

Most programs teach these skills in sequence. RAVE-O integrates them together in every lesson.

Phonology

Sounds of words, letter-sound relationships, and spelling patterns taught explicitly. Phoneme awareness is taught in conjunction with letters.

Orthography

Letter patterns and spelling conventions unique to written English.

Semantics

Multiple word meanings (polysemy) and connections, built through rich vocabulary instruction.

Syntax

Grammatical function taught through memorable characters: Nina Noun, Victor Verb, and Pepe Preposition.

Understanding the Alphabetic Principle

The foundational link between letters and sounds that decoding depends on.

Morphology

Prefixes, suffixes, and word parts that unlock meaning at scale.

Why it matters

The more you know about a word, the faster and better it’s read and understood.

This is especially true for multilingual readers, who benefit enormously from explicit vocabulary and meaning work. This builds the inference, empathy, and critical analysis skills every reader needs.

The only program

That simulates all multiple component processes of the developing reading brain at once.

Word-level to text-level

Skills learned at the word level transfer directly into connected reading.

Generalizes to new words

Data show gains generalize to new polysemous words, sustained a year later.

Multilingual learners

Deep vocabulary work gives multilingual readers an especially strong foundation.

Letters from the Author

“One Letter gives background about how morphemes can be the secret sauce to fluent word recognition. Other Letters detail the research background for a particular strategy like our T-LEX approach to deep reading.”

— Dr. Maryanne Wolf, on the Letters from the Author included in every RAVE-O unit

Built into every unit

Embedded Professional Development: expanding teacher knowledge, not just student skills.

Every unit includes a Letter from Dr. Wolf that expands teachers’ own understanding of the reading brain — plus Office Hours with Nido staff for ongoing support.

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Evidence backed

NICHD-funded research proves the approach.

Six independent studies over two decades back RAVE-O's multi-component approach.

Effect size .99

Avg. Effect size across 14 dimensions (Lovett et al, 2017). Children in the multicomponent treatment made significantly more gains in reading compared to the control group.

Fluency & comprehension

Measured via the Gray Oral Reading Test-3 across all treatment groups.

Sustained vocabulary gains

Short term and long term gains in vocabulary knowledge and semantic flexibility.