Mature Reading Instruction Set 4

SET 4

These ten decodable books introduce a further twenty-four Advanced Code letter-sound correspondences.


The Light Brigade charge and Frankenstein takes vengeance on his creator. Julius Caesar is assassinated and Sherlock Holmes fails a client. A cat learns to talk, and love-devouring death claims Romeo and Juliet...


Student progress is transparent as the reluctant reader grows in confidence. Overlearning allows the logic of new material to be understood and, crucially, to become fixed in long-term memory. 


By the end of Set 4 the journey from struggling novice to fluent reader is complete.


MRI: MATURE READING INSTRUCTION SERIES is an innovative reading programme from Piper Books, offering a fresh start for older students and adults who have fallen through the educational net. The complexities of the Alphabetic Code gradually unfold within vibrant, witty stories. Ranging from the tragicomedy of Henry VIII to the doom of an Aztec city, from the antics of Africa’s spider demi-god to the trials of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the five-set series offers a darkly comic take on history, literary masterpieces, myths, and folk tales from around the world.


Each set is fully compatible with Synthetic Phonics, now widely recognised as the most effective instruction for seriously struggling readers. Studies have shown that teaching phonics skills is the single most important predictor of successful reading achievement. The MRI structure was inspired by research and development in a US Regional Education Laboratory involving linguists, psychologists and educationalists. The original programme was trialled with over 100,000 pupils. 


Instruction is consistent, focused, and easy-to-use – ideal for teachers, teaching assistants, adult tutors and home-schooling parents. No additional material is required, though a photocopiable Tutor Guide offers a wealth of additional material.


The books uniquely bridge the gap between vital skills’ acquisition and real reading. The seventy phonics-based tales offer abundant decoding practice as each new sound is drip-fed into each lively new story. Students have the chance to engage with thought-provoking narratives that broaden their cultural capital as well as their vocabularies. 


Struggling readers, students with English as a second language, and people with dyslexic tendencies have a second chance to embrace literacy.