Twenty‑five forgotten recordings from the Osmond family’s early years are restored and transformed into a modern literacy resource for young readers.

CLOVERDALE CA 95425, CA, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A remarkable piece of Osmond family history has resurfaced — and it is now helping children learn to read. They Sing Into Reading, a newly released literacy program, originates from a long‑forgotten collection of twenty‑five children’s songs recorded by Donny and Marie Osmond when they were still teenagers at the height of their weekly television fame.

In the late 1970s, Marie was 18 and Donny just 20 — America’s sweethearts with a national audience and a demanding production schedule. Behind the scenes, their mother, Olive Osmond, encouraged her children to use their talents to help others, continuing the family’s long tradition of service and charitable outreach. At the time, educator and reading specialist Matthew Glavach, Ph.D. had created a successful reading program for older struggling readers built around popular songs. Olive wondered if something similar could be created for younger children.

Working around the Osmonds’ busy performance schedule, Glavach wrote children’s song lyrics using a controlled reading word list — the same vocabulary found in early storybooks, still foundational in beginning reading instruction today. Every word a child sings is also a word that strengthens reading. Donny and Marie recorded twenty‑five original songs, with their brothers contributing to the music, making the project a true family collaboration.

Circumstances prevented the program from reaching the market, and the recordings were quietly set aside.

Decades later, Glavach — founder of StrugglingReaders.com, a reading research company dedicated to helping struggling learners — rediscovered the original cassettes. “I realized I wasn’t just holding old tapes,” he said. “I was holding a missing piece of the Osmond legacy — a project created to help children that never had the chance to fulfill its purpose.”

Glavach rebuilt the entire program using modern reading science, including rhythmic timing activities shown in research to strengthen fluency, processing speed, and phonemic awareness — key skills for dyslexic learners. The result is They Sing Into Reading, a literacy resource that blends rhythm, melody, controlled vocabulary, and fluency practice — all rooted in the original Osmond recordings.

“This began as an act of service from America’s favorite musical family,” Glavach said. “Now, after decades, it can finally do what it was created to do — help children learn to read.”

They Sing Into Reading is now available through StrugglingReaders.com, honoring both the Osmond family’s legacy and the enduring power of music in learning.

About StrugglingReaders.com
StrugglingReaders.com is a reading research and development company founded by Matthew Glavach, Ph.D., specializing in innovative literacy solutions for struggling readers. Its programs have been used by educators, specialists, and families worldwide.

Matthew Glavach
Glavach & Associates, StrugglingReaders.com
+1 707-894-5047
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