Introduction to the Curriculum
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Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl, EdD, is a literacy consultant and author who focuses on translating literacy research into practice. Formerly, Dr. Kay Stahl was Clinical Professor of Literacy Education at New York University, where she taught graduate courses and served as Director of the NYU Literacy Clinic. Before entering academia, Dr. Stahl taught in public elementary and middle school classrooms for over 25 years. In addition to publishing articles in academic journals, she is coauthor of Developing Reading Comprehension: Effective Instruction for All Children in PreK–2, Expanding Reading Comprehension in Grades 3–6, Assessment for Reading Instruction (4th Ed.), Reading Assessment in an RTI Framework, and Reading Research at Work: Foundations of Effective Practice. She specializes in reading acquisition, comprehension instruction, reading intervention, and literacy assessment.
Kathleen A. J. Mohr, EdD, is a professor of language and literacy. She taught bilingual Spanish-English kindergarten in California, served as an ESL coordinator in Texas, and taught elementary school students for 15 years before transitioning to higher education. Dr. Kit Mohr has been at Utah State University since 2012, where she has taught at the School of Teacher Education and Leadership graduate literacy courses, instruction and assessment for English learners, and doctoral courses. She currently directs the Ph.D. in Education program. As a developmental cognitivist, her research focuses on accelerating language and literacy acquisition for first and second language learners and beginning readers. She supports teachers in using research to make their instruction more effective and efficient. Recently, she has worked to understand how eye-tracking methods can elucidate myriad processes of the emerging bilingual brain. Dr. Mohr has mentored more than 40 graduate students and published more than 84 articles and book chapters.
Miriam Ortiz, PhD, studied Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University with a focus on Special Education and Response to Intervention. Prior to completing her Ph.D., she worked in Tallahassee, Florida, as a K–12 teacher for students with behavioral and emotional disabilities. She has worked closely with researchers across the country to improve the reading skills and academic achievement of struggling students and students with disabilities. She has taught courses and delivered professional development on the topics of Early Literacy, Behavior Management and Intervention, Assessment, Program Evaluation, and Special Education. Dr. Ortiz is passionate about improving academic outcomes for children with or at risk for disabilities, teacher training and professional development, as well as assisting struggling readers of all ages. She has been co-author on several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on the topic of reading instruction for students with varying disabilities.
Deborah K. Reed, PhD, serves as Senior Literacy Scholar on faculty at the University of Tennessee, where she is also the Director of the Reading 360 Research Center. With funding from state education agencies, private foundations, and the Institute of Education Sciences, she researches methods for improving literacy instruction and assessment, particularly among marginalized populations. Dr. Deborah Reed spent 10 years as an English language arts and reading teacher as well as a preK–12 reading specialist, working primarily with students from diverse backgrounds who were exhibiting serious reading difficulties. Since 2003, she has provided technical assistance on literacy initiatives in several states. Dr. Reed has been published in numerous journals including Exceptional Children, Journal of School Psychology, Reading Research Quarterly, Review of Educational Research, and Scientific Studies of Reading. She also served on the panel of an IES Practice Guide. She previously worked at the Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University and was the director of the Iowa Reading Research Center at the University of Iowa.
Learning Without Tears® is grateful to have the guidance of these literacy experts.
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ is a K–3 supplemental reading program designed to help children achieve the skills they need to become proficient readers. It prioritizes phonics and word study skills that can be difficult to learn but make a difference for children on the path to reading. Lessons focus on rich texts that give decoding and skills practice. All the components work together to provide ample opportunities for children to read, talk, and write.
Lesson Cards
• 20 6-page Lesson Cards
• 1 card to set up each skill, Student Book, and Digital Learning
• Explicit instruction and multimodal practice
• Differentiated models for on, below, and above levels
Read Aloud Cards
• 5 eye-catching 2-sided cards—one to kick off each unit
• Front has photos that motivate children to think, talk, and learn
• Back has a short text to introduce knowledge building words in a before, during, and after reading format for ease of use
Student Books
• 20 intentionally-crafted books with at least 80% decodability, word frequency, and meaning in mind
• Connected text closely aligned to the lesson skills
• Extensive exposure to target patterns
• Fiction texts with diverse characters who solve problems in authentic situations, enhanced with striking illustrations
• Nonfiction texts with compelling topics, valuable vocabulary, varied text features, and lively photos
• Personalized paths based on oral reading powered by SoapBox Labs
• 4 Digital Texts for each lesson on the same skills and topics
• Engaging activities for extra support on key skills
• Tools for teachers to monitor progress, manage groups, extend learning
Sound-Spelling Cards
• 46 colorful, 2-sided cards to teach grapheme-phoneme correspondences
• Exemplar word with a matching picture to be memorable
• Chants, activities, and targeted word lists for extended support
• Ready for display and integration into direct instruction
Letter Tiles
• 3 sets of 100 cards for letter recognition review and word building
• More tiles for high-utility letters, plus digraphs and vowel teams
Mini Books
• 25 copies of small black-and-white versions of the Student Books
• Partner and independent reading, marking up for skills practice
• Perfect for family literacy at home
Reading Response Journal
• Purposeful practice, screener, unit checks, cumulative review, and playful activities
• Phonics and word study pages for encoding practice tied to primary skill of each lesson
• Text response pages with graphic organizers tied to comprehension focus of each lesson
• Signature Handwriting Without Tears® letter formation chart and developmental double lines
Formative Assessment Cards
• 5 clear, research-based 2-sided cards—one for each unit
• Point-of-use teacher tool with If/then supports for common misconceptions and scenarios
• Specific phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and language strategies for individuals and groups
Follow the at-a-glance background on the first page to understand the skills focus, materials needed, text summaries, and unit goals. This page helps you track overarching learning.
Use the Lesson Card to quickly familiarize yourself with the content and suggestions for how to teach small groups.
• Be clear on the learning goals to understand what success looks like for teaching and practicing every skill.
Every Lesson Card shows how to offer children extensive practice in phonics and word study skills via varied forms. This section of the lesson gives you details on how to support each child in:
• Digital reading and skills practice activities
• Familiar and partner reading
• Word Depth
• Responsive Writing
• Phonics and Word Study
• Carry the card with you from the groups you lead to the other areas where children are working in pairs or on their own.
• Use the plans for before, during, and after reading.
The Lesson Card has everything you need to lead quality explicit reading instruction and set up successful practice. Get to know the features, which are replicated and tailored for each skill and Text Set in each of the 20 Lesson Cards in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ Set B. The lessons are designed to support your small-group rotation with models to follow.
• Each lesson begins with a phonemic awareness warm-up to prime children for decoding.
• Directly, explicitly teach the phonics skill, using clear steps.
• See how to use a Sound-Spelling Card and model words.
• Prepare for the variety of words, structures, and concepts in the text.
• Support blending and articulation.
During Reading (8–10 minutes)
First Read
Below Level On Level Above Level Mode Echo Read Choral Read Whisper Read Set the Purpose Listen to me read. Then, echo me. Let’s watch for and say all the long e words. As we read together, we’re going to say /ē/ each time we see ee or ea in a word. As you read quietly, say /ē/ when you read words with ee or ea Skills Prompts p. 1 Shout with me: Whee! Neat! pp. 4–5 Which word do you see two times? (beach) pp. 8–9 see beep This word has ee How do you say it? p. 16 will be the first sheep: Bleat! Now you’re the other sheep. (Bleat!)
After Reading (4–6 minutes)
Review the Phonics Skill: Long ee, ea Say: Remember, we can read long e words that are spelled with ee or ea Go back to a few pages of the book to find ee and ea words. Point to individual words, and have children read them. Lead cloze reading where you begin a sentence and have children say the word with the target skill.
Example: On p. 2, say: It is a ___ tube. (green)
Reflect on the Book
Talk about the meaning of the story. Discuss the questions in the back of the Student Book. Continue the conversation.
Ask:
• In the beginning, how does the sheep feel about going to the beach? How can you tell? (He’s excited. There are exclamation points. He says what he will do when he gets to the beach.)
p. 1 There are two long e words on this page. Which has an ee? (whee) Which has an ea? (neat) p. 7 What ee and ea words are there? (green, sheep; please, neat, beach) p. 11 Make sheep sounds with me: Bleat! Bleat!
Check for Comprehension: What does one character want to do and the other doesn’t want to? (go to the beach)
Second Read
p. 1 Find two words that have long e sounds and show the sheep is excited. (whee, neat) pp. 4–5 Find which character says, “Sheep do not go to the beach!” pp. 8–9 After your read, count how many ee and ea words you see. Below Level On Level Above Level Mode Partner Read Whisper Read Group
• What happens that shows the beach is different than the sheep expected? (He says, “My feet!” and “I am hot!”)
• Lead children through two reads of each book.
• What makes the sheep happy at the end? (swimming with his tube)
Prepare for Practice
Prepare the small group to work on the digital app, reread, or practice.
• See p. 48 of the Program Guide for implementation options and classroom management ideas.
• The First Read and Second Read tables provide modes of reading to use, based on group needs.
FIGURING OUT FEELINGS
• Review the habit of Belonging with children. See p. 36 of the Program Guide for a definition. Discuss the Figuring Out Feelings questions in the back of the Student Book. Then, continue the conversation.
p. 1 Do a pretend shout for exclamations like Whee! pp. 8–9 Notice ey in the word key What sound do you hear? (long ) p. 16 Find three words that rhyme. (feet, neat, meet)
p. 7 First sheep, give your best Please! Second sheep, stomp your feet as you read your line. p. 13 Shout the car horn’s sound. (Beep! Beep!) pp. 8–9 Try to sound like a sheep when you say the lines. (Bleat! Bleat!)
Read Set the Purpose Guide children to read in pairs, helping each other read long e words. Listen and prompt children as you observe their reading of long e words. Divide the group. Half reads as the first sheep; the other half reads as the second sheep. Skills Prompts p. 2 What is a color word with ee in it? (green) pp. 4–5 Which ee word tells what kind of animal we see? (sheep) p. 15 see an ea word that means the sheep is being polite. What is it? (please)
Check for Comprehension: What is an event at the end that changes one of the sheep? (He gets his wool cut.)
extra practice, select on IF NEEDED Multilingual Learner Support Point out when future tense appears in the text, starting with p. 4: “I will use it at the beach.” Have children practice building off the “I will” repetition in the book, and challenge them to use long e words, such as: I will eat. will meet a friend. I will need new socks.
• Explain that at first the sheep in the story thinks he belongs at the beach. Then he feels like he doesn’t belong at the beach because his hair makes him too hot. The sheep feels better when he gets help from a group of other sheep who are used to being there. Ask: Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong somewhere? What helped you feel better?
• Find actionable language for modeling and questioning children on each page to reinforce the skill and confirm understanding.
• Use Check for Comprehension questions.
• Support multilingual learners.
Progress Monitoring Give children time to practice (per the next pages). Then, see how well they learned long e spelled ee ea Spelling Quick Skills Check: Dictate words with short and long e Have children write them on double-lined paper: leg feed bed heat If children have difficulty, segment the sounds, model stretching continuous sounds (e.g., /sss/, / mmm/,/lll/, /rrr/) or bouncing stop sounds (e.g., /t/, /p/, /g/), inserting pauses between the sounds for further support. For challenge, use sentences: We need a meal. He sets up a feast. See p. 56 of the Program Guide for more spelling dictation as children use p. 57 of the Reading Response Journal.
Warm Up with Phonemic Awareness
Phoneme Segmenting and Blending: Say the word. Guide children to segment the word into its sounds, and then blend those sounds together to say the whole word. seat /s/ /ē/ /t/ week /w/ /ē/ /k/ beach /b/ /ē/ /ch/
UNIT 4 LESSON 14: Long e Spelled ee , ea 12/16/22 10:26 AM
Review the Phonics Skill: Long ee, ea
Say: Remember, we can read long e words that are spelled with ee or ea
Go back to a few pages of the book to find ee and ea words. Point to individual words, and have children read them.
Lead cloze reading where you begin a sentence and have children say the word with the target skill.
Example: On p. 2, say: It is a ___ tube. (green)
Introduce the skill with the Long e SoundSpelling card for the sound /e/ and spellings.
Say: The letters ee together and ea together both stand for the long e sound.
Write the vowel teams ea and ee on a whiteboard, as well as sheep and beach Say the words aloud together as you underline ee and ea.
Reflect on the Book Talk about the meaning of the story. Discuss the questions in the back of the Student Book. Continue the conversation.
Support For groups who need extra practice, select and write these words on a whiteboard: bet beat feed fed leaf heat If children are having difficulty reading the words, model stretching out any sounds that are continuous (e.g., m f sh) to model how to smoothly blend the sounds together (e.g., /lll/ /ēēē/ /f).
articulation bee
Below Level On Level Above Level Mode Echo Read Choral Read Whisper Read Set the Purpose Listen to me read. Then, echo me. Let’s watch for and say all the long e words. As we read together, we’re going to say /ē/ each time we see ee or ea in a word. As you read quietly, say /ē/ when you read words with ee or ea Skills Prompts p. 1 Shout with me: Whee! Neat! pp. 4–5 Which word do you see two times? (beach) pp. 8–9 see beep This word has ee How do you say it? p. 16 will be the first sheep: Bleat! Now you’re the other sheep. (Bleat!)
cheek /ch/ /ē/ /k/ please /p/ /l/ /ē/ /z/ sweet /s/ /w/ /ē/ /t/ WORDS TO WATCH IN THE STUDENT BOOK Primary Skill Words ee: whee, need, green, see, sheep, feet, meet, beep neat, beach, please, sea, bleat Secondary Skill Words ey: key High-Frequency Words Regular: this, is, I, it, that, a, can, see, will, use, at, not, with, no, on, get, in, with, we Irregular: what, for, the, do, to, have, you, my, of Story Words (not decodable) group, belong Knowledge Building Words bleat: a sound that sheep and goats make group: a number of things, people, or animals that are together sheep: animals that have a lot of wool (a kind of hair) on their bodies WHAT MAKES THE STUDENT BOOK RICH Get to know the book so you’re ready to support children when they need it. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGE PRINT AND TEXT STRUCTURE Sheep often need to have their wool sheared. Having their hair taken off means they don’t get too hot in the summer. Inflatable inner tubes are water toys. Chidren may know other meanings for tube • Sand can be very hot at a beach in summer or at a tropical location. Sheep is a word that is both singular (one sheep) and plural (three sheep). • The word whee can be said when someone sees or does something fun. In this story, belong means something is in the right place, like children belong at school. • “This is neat!” means that someone really likes something. Neat also means clean. This story is fantasy with talking animals as the characters in the story. Speech bubbles are used to show when each character is talking. Words for sounds (beep and bleat appear on the page, outside of the body text. Prepare to Read Review words, concepts, and other text complexities of the book to anticipate children’s challenges. Consider the oral language proficiency, background knowledge, and decoding skills of each small group.
Ask: In the beginning, how does the sheep feel about going to the beach? How can you tell? (He’s excited. There are exclamation points. He says what he will do when he gets to the beach.)
• Review the phonics focus and reflect on the book with children to gauge their growth.
Support phoneme
• Point-of-use questions and additional Figuring Out Feelings or Building Knowledge conversations enable you to delve further into each book and help children connect to the central ideas.
p. 1 There are two long words on this page. Which has an ee? (whee) Which has an ea? (neat) p. 7 What ee and ea words are there? (green, sheep; please, neat, beach) p. 11 Make sheep sounds with me: Bleat! Bleat!
What happens that shows the beach is different than the sheep expected? (He says, “My feet!” and “I am hot!”)
• What makes the sheep happy at the end? (swimming with his tube)
Prepare for Practice
Prepare the small group to work on the digital app, reread, or practice. See p. 48 of the Program Guide for implementation options and classroom management ideas.
p. 1 Find two words that have long sounds and show the sheep is excited. (whee, neat) pp. 4–5 Find which character says, “Sheep do not go to the beach!” pp. 8–9 After your read, count how many ee and ea words you see. Below Level On Level Above Level Mode Partner Read Whisper Read Group Read Set the Purpose Guide children to read in pairs, helping each other read long e words. Listen and prompt children as you observe their reading of long e words. Divide the group. Half reads as the first sheep; the other half reads as the second sheep. Skills Prompts p. 2 What is a color word with ee in it? (green) pp. 4–5 Which ee word tells what kind of animal we see? (sheep) p. 15 see an word that means the sheep is being polite. What is it? (please)
p. 1 Do a pretend shout for exclamations like Whee! pp. 8–9 Notice ey in the word key What sound do you hear? (long e p. 16 Find three words that rhyme. (feet, neat, meet)
• Finish with a quick dictation activity on the skill.
Before Reading (3–5 minutes) During Reading (8–10 minutes) After Reading (4–6 minutes) © 2023 Learning Without Tears
Check for Comprehension: What does one character want to do and the other doesn’t want to? (go to the beach) Check for Comprehension: What is an event at the end that changes one of the sheep? (He gets his wool cut.)
p. 7 First sheep, give your best Please! Second sheep, stomp your feet as you read your line. p. 13 Shout the car horn’s sound. (Beep! Beep!) pp. 8–9 Try to sound like a sheep when you say the lines. (Bleat! Bleat!)
FIGURING OUT FEELINGS
• Review the habit of Belonging with children. See p. 36 of the Program Guide for a definition.
• Discuss the Figuring Out Feelings questions in the back of the Student Book. Then, continue the conversation.
• Explain that at first the sheep in the story thinks he belongs at the beach. Then he feels like he doesn’t belong at the beach because his hair makes him too hot. The sheep feels better when he gets help from a group of other sheep who are used to being there. Ask: Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong somewhere? What helped you feel better?
First Read Second Read UNIT 4 LESSON 14: Long e Spelled ee , ea PH22_G1U4L14_LC_Long-e_Pr_168724.indd 4-6 12/16/22 10:26 AM
Long e –ea -ey -y ie Progress Monitoring Give children time to practice (per the next pages). Then, see how well they learned long e spelled ee ea Spelling Quick Skills Check: Dictate words with short and long e. Have children write them on double-lined paper: leg feed bed heat If children have difficulty, segment the sounds, model stretching continuous sounds (e.g., /sss/, / mmm/,/lll/, /rrr/) or bouncing stop sounds (e.g., /t/, /p/, /g/), inserting pauses between the sounds for further support. For challenge, use sentences: We need a meal. He sets up a feast. See p. 56 of the Program Guide for more spelling dictation as children use p. 57 of the Reading Response Journal.
It’s important that, when children are learning grapheme-phoneme correspondences, they are also given opportunities to build knowledge
Side 1 to Show the Group
• Share the unit theme, connecting to children’s ideas, content-area concepts, and student texts.
• Motivate children with compelling images that pique their curiosity.
• Revisit the photos and concepts throughout the unit.
Side 2 to Read Aloud and Plan for Discussion
Some kids like to be in clubs. There are different clubs around the world: clubs about art, music, animals, sports, and more. Kids in a music club can learn to play instruments, such as drums. They can practice marching in parades with drums and flags
Kids can play indoors and outdoors. Some kids might beat a drum indoors and have a music show. Other kids might plan a craft activity. Other kids might race toy cars. There is always something to do indoors!
There are also a lot of ways to play outside. Some kids live in places that get snow. These kids might like to race sleds on the snow. Some kids live in places that are warm. They might swim, race around in the sand, or build sandcastles.
Many kids like to camp for fun. In some parts of the world, kids might spend a night in a tent with their family or friends. In other parts of the world, kids might live in cozy tents that have special vents that let out campfire smoke. They can race out of the tent to play with their friends.
There are so many ways to play all around the world!
Skills
Preview: Consonant Blends
• What are some different ways kids play around the world?
• What games or activities did you hear about?
o How are they similar to how you have fun?
o How are they different?
RACARDB-1 Credits: Top Left Photography Courtesy of Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com, Top Right Photography Courtesy of NeydtStock/Shutterstock.com, Bottom Left Photography Courtesy of Lumi Studio/Shutterstock.com, Bottom Right Photography Courtesy of Hurst Photo/ Shutterstock.com PH22_G1U1_RAC_AWKidsPlay_Pr_PP.indd 2 11/22/22 9:22 AM
• Expand vocabulary, especially for multilingual learners.
• Review a set of words that are part of the passage, defined in the related lesson, and are incorporated in the Student Books and Digital Text Set.
• Explain the skills category so children get a sense of how their phonics growth fits in.
• Invite children to share reactions and responses to critical-thinking questions.
from texts. Each unit in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) begins with a Read Aloud Card that introduces the unit theme, concepts, and knowledge building words. PRM strategically connects the student texts taught across a unit around an engaging theme to build knowledge and increase vocabulary.
Each lesson offers a Student Book and four Digital Texts. Children have the opportunity to see, hear, and practice phonics skills in connected texts that have engaging illustrations in fiction and captivating photos in nonfiction.
Children read an equal number of fiction and nonfiction texts to practice decoding and recognizing common words while gaining knowledge. These decodable texts were intentionally written to closely connect to phonics lessons. Student Books offer:
• Many words that exemplify the primary phonics skill in context
• Cumulative review, including phonics skills previously taught
• Exposure to the most common words in English, including grade-appropriate, irregular high-frequency words
• Meaningful stories and high-interest informational texts
• Every text supports children’s early literacy development, with clear sentences placed in easy-to-follow layouts.
• Illustrations, photos, maps, and diagrams in nonfiction books extend and enhance meaning without revealing too much that’s not in the text itself.
Intentional text in every book supports use for different purposes. Questions in the back of the book prompt conversations and encourage children to look back to consider meaning and find evidence to support their comprehension.
A chart on the back cover of each book shows the variety of words in the book including:
• Phonics words that feature the skill for children to learn and practice
• High-frequency words with irregular sound-spellings that children may recognize by sight, learn by heart, and read with a focus on the tricky parts
• Knowledge building words that connect to the lesson’s topic and unit’s theme, some of which are complex and ideal for you to read aloud
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ includes three pages to support every single lesson, giving children written practice to individually cement their learning. The Reading Response Journal has these three pages for each lesson:
• Skills practice: phonics or word study
• Text-response practice: writing about the story or informational text
• Spelling practice: teacher-led dictation
Children can use the Reading Response Journal as draft writing. Choose text-response pages for children to expand on and create polished writing using available digital publishing websites and software. It may include drawings and videos that they can share with the class.
• Children apply knowledge of the primary phonics skill.
• Children interact with the text, applying what they know from the primary phonics skill.
• A spelling page is available for each lesson to transfer decoding to encoding.
• An opportunity for a quick check is available at the end of each unit to determine if additional instruction/ support is needed.
• A cumulative check is provided to measure skills across all lessons.
The Reading Response Journal gives children an opportunity to practice and extend their experiences with the primary skill and text sets taught.
These 46 Sound-Spelling Cards offer an easy reference of each letter of the alphabet and spellings for the most common phonemes in English. Each card connects a sound to varied spelling patterns, using an exemplar word and picture. On the back of each card are playful chants and activities for the teacher to lead children in practice using the sound.
• Sound: Share clear language with children to say the sound.
• Spelling: The front and back of the card provide the spelling patterns associated with the sound.
• Exemplar Word and Matching Picture: The exemplar word and matching picture offer embedded mnemonics.
• Chants and Activities: Find chants, phonemic awareness and phonics activities, context sentences, and sample words.
• Review: Cards can be used to review prior skills, including short vowels and consonant digraphs.
With three sets of Letter Tiles, containing 100 tiles each, graphemes come to life! Children can use these Letter Tiles to practice grapheme-phoneme correspondences. Children can arrange the tiles for building phonics words, high-frequency words, as well as knowledge building words.
• Letters: Children can manipulate letters, along with digraphs and vowel teams, to build words.
• Color-Coordinated Sets: Color makes it easy to organize the tiles.
With 25 small black-and-white copies of the Student Books, each child has a book to reread and mark up while learning phonics. Children can bring home their Mini Books to read with their family members.
• Genres and Themes
Mini Books offer children engaging stories and topics connected to unit themes.
Formative assessment is a means for teachers to continually gather information with the goal of helping children make gains. In Phonics, Reading, and Me™, the Formative Assessment Card is a vehicle to understand what to do in response to observations about how children are doing and where they’re headed. The Formative Assessment Card is meant to provide immediate feedback to improve learning for children. Its format aligns with Lesson Cards for easy reference. Keep the unit cards together for scaffolding or reteaching during the lesson. Sometimes that’s all it takes.
Unit Preview: Use these tips to prepare for starting each unit, with class observation and progress monitoring planned. Before Reading: Check in on what children know about foundational skills necessary for success in the unit.
• Phonemic Awareness: Give additional modeling and practice, so children are more comfortable isolating, blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds.
• Phonics Focus: Use skills-specific techniques to remediate when children aren’t yet on target for the primary skill.
During Reading: As children read, provide immediate constructive feedback on how to improve their decoding and word-level reading. Have the card at your side as you’re reading each Student Book with a group.
After Reading: Your support doesn’t stop when children finish reading a book. Delve deeper to see that each group understands the meaning and language in the book.
• Comprehension: Demonstrate how to identify key ideas and details in each book.
• Language Development: Build children’s oral language and vocabulary by discussing and showing examples of words and phrases in the Student Book.
Unit Wrap-Up: Based on your observations and reflections on multimodal practice activities, decide on action steps to reteach and offer additional support before assessing the unit.
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) is built to teach the most high-utility foundational skills with a structure to give children the differentiated support they need to achieve these specific goals. Data-driven pathing ensures that every child gets what they need.
Regular assessment checkpoints ensure that the resources meet children where they are— providing instructional supports where needed and opportunities to stretch as children are ready. Following small-group sessions, children practice in Student Digital Learning. Children engage with texts and activities where they apply the primary phonics or word study skill in connected text and in isolation. If (and only if) children struggle, they are offered “on ramps,” or scaffolds, to help them reach proficiency in skills.
PRM digital assessments use speech technology to save teachers time and access rich data to inform pathing. Student Digital Learning starts with an oral reading screener for each skill to gauge the child’s ability to read skill words in connected text. This voice-enabled screener Digital Text, powered by SoapBox Labs, records each child reading a short decodable text and scores the reading based on:
• % correct primary skill (e.g., words with long e spelled ee, ea)
• % correct on cumulative review (e.g., decodable words with pre-taught skills)
• % correct on high-frequency words
• Words per minute read for automaticity
This feature serves as a time-saving tool for teachers and drives automated personalized pathing in the program. It also offers
• Equity: The voice engine provided by SoapBox accommodates accents and variants in pronunciations.
• Accuracy: Correct understanding of children’s voices is critical to the successful measure of their reading.
A series of formative assessment checkpoints determine personalized pathing and support. Formative assessment checkpoints include:
• Voice-enabled screener Digital Text as a measure for oral reading
• Skills activities to measure decoding words in isolation
• Skills checks within connected text
• Questions to check understanding of texts
• Efficiency: Using voice-enabled screening allows for adaptive pathing, so children spend instructional time on what they most need.
Voice-enabled reading powered by:
The student digital experience in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) occurs after you launch a lesson. You have the control to start the lesson-specific content, so the whole class can move along the scope and sequence together. When students need more support, they get it for a particular skill, without falling behind in the instructional goals for the class.
Assess in Context
Measure ability to read connected text with specific skills
Assess in Isolation
Measure targeted skills in isolated words
Personalized Practice
Read text sets with the same skill on the same topic
Learning Goal
Proficiency of skills in phonics or word study
With four more Digital Texts to read—on the same skill and same topic— children build toward reading fluency. As part of the same text set as the Student Book, these Digital Texts help to cement the same high-utility foundational skills while building knowledge.
Each Digital Text has a quick interaction to see how well children have internalized the lesson’s phonics or word study skill.
Questions check that children understood what they read while focused on decoding/reading connected text with primary skills.
Interspersed between the Digital Text readings, children get gamified skills practice with differentiated supports and differentiated content based on their individual needs.
Children earn interactive prizes in the form of theme-related “stickers” after reading each Digital Text.
Screener
In one click, you set up individualized scaffolds and stretch content for your whole class.
Screener
Scaffolded supports are offered as needed for below level paths. These may include strategic rereads or activities that break down a skill and provide additional modeling.
Above level paths offer opportunities to accelerate learning as children are ready. This may include longer texts or activities with longer or more complex words.
If a student has a check mark for a given lesson, instructional goals have been met and no further action is required. If a child did not yet demonstrate success on the skill, find insights into where the child struggled.
Formative assessments throughout the lesson check for progress and use that data to drive pathing.
The Teacher Digital Tool equips the teacher with resources for planning, teaching, assessing, and responding to children needs, as well as reporting on their progress. Planning
• Tools to help inform grouping at a pace that is aligned with expected reading rate
Teaching
• Program-wide and unit-specific content
• Lesson Card content for reference and modeling
• Professional learning tips, including articulation support
Assessing and Responding
• Data about children’s progress
• Recordings of children reading
• Options to adapt instruction according to children’s needs
• Ideas that inform small groups and focus of multimodal practice
Reporting
• Insights to help teachers determine individual progress, groupings, and additional instruction
• Data-management tools for easy tracking of individual child’s and whole-class progress
• High-level, at-a-glance view of children’s success in the program and the opportunity to drill down to more detail
If a child has a check mark for a given lesson, instructional goals have been met and no further action is required. The child can continue to explore and access new content to develop automaticity with the skill, or the child can revisit a favorite text or activity from a previous lesson.
If a child did not yet demonstrate success on the skill, this data can provide insights into where the child struggled, with details about:
• Which activities were completed
• Where the child struggled
• Which supports were offered
• Scores on specific activities
To launch children’s independent learning, teachers choose “Launch Practice” from their lesson page. This unlocks the lesson content for children and sets them on their personalized, data-driven learning path.
Teachers also have the option to view and adapt lesson content. They can override certain features or turn on scaffolds for all students. Teachers are encouraged to allow for the automated pathing because it is informed by data and can save them time. However, teachers know their students best and are always offered the option to customize digital materials to meet their needs.
• Lesson Content: Access lesson resources, such as digital versions of Lesson Cards, Read Aloud Cards, and student resources.
• Program Resources: Access program-level resources such as the program guide, family resources, and other remediation activities.
• Professional Learning: Access professional learning resources, such as articulation videos and implementation guides.
PRM is designed to be used flexibly alongside other literacy curricula. We recognize that it can take a mountain of materials to offer everything a class needs. We recommend that PRM complement core programs and supplement for the gaps with application of foundational skills in rich connected text.
Occasionally, PRM works well for the whole class, such as:
• Launching a new unit using the Read Aloud Card
• Modeling, reviewing, reinforcing routines, and clarifying directions for multimodal practice
• Assessing spelling, unit, and cumulative skills
PRM is meant to be mainly used for the small-group rotation with a teacher leading three to six children in skills-based reading.
The Teacher’s Role in Small-Group Learning
• groups children based on data about skills
• differentiates for individual children
• models phonics and foundational skills
• observes use of primary and secondary skills
• offers corrective feedback about skills and comprehension
• sets up partner, triad, or independent practice
Students’ Role in Small-Group Learning
• develop print awareness with routine reading
• read aloud, along with peers, and alone with support
• work collaboratively and socially to learn
• take risks as readers in a supportive setting
• use academic vocabulary
• transfer knowledge and skills
The teacher leads one group and prepares the rest of the class for purposeful practice. A teacher may have two to six groups rotating through literacy centers, with children moving with the same group throughout a unit or moving flexibly from one lesson to the next, depending on teaching and classroom management styles.
PRM promises to promote efficiency and effectiveness. Consider options to maximize instructional time and accelerate reading each day and across the school year.
Option 1: The teacher leads one group while practice takes place in centers set up around the classroom with supplies at each for two to five student-led groups.
Option 2: If there are multiple adults, one group can be teacher-led and other groups can have a student teacher, paraprofessional, or parent volunteer facilitate.
Option 3: While the teacher leads one group, the rest of the class works at their seats. With 1:1 devices, all children can go to Student Digital Learning.
You have routines to establish at the start of the school year. You may ease in to the small-group rotation, gradually building up to having multiple groups running simultaneously and smoothly after a few weeks.
Timing depends on the rest of your 90- to 120-minute literacy block and your district year-long goals. These are some varied expectations for pacing.
There are four sets in PRM.
• Set A (late kindergarten skills) Set A starts the sequence, building off alphabet knowledge.
• Set B (grade 1 skills) Set B follows Set A, after children have learned short vowels and digraphs.
• Set C (grade 2 skills) Set C follows Set B, as students know many spelling patterns and are ready for more complex texts.
• Set D (grade 3 skills) Set D follows Set C, as students have developed strategies for reading longer words.
Some lessons may take longer than others.
Sample snapshot of one lesson spread across three sessions:
• Session 1 = teacher leads 2 groups
• Session 2 = teacher leads 2 more groups
• Session 3 = teacher meets again with 1 or 2 groups that need more support
• Group 1 (below level): 2–4 times per week
• Group 2 (below or on level): 2–3 times per week
• Group 3 (on level): 2 times per week
• Group 4 (above level): 1 time per week
• Keep everyone moving along at a steady pace to ensure the class follows the same path.
• Allot time for individual conferences weekly, based on observations and digital reporting.
Teachers have several options in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ for monitoring progress, using data to inform grouping, and driving instructional decisions. Assessment checkpoints include:
• Lesson Cards for guidance on observing children read during teacher-led groups and applying skills during student-directed classroom practice
• Formative Assessment Cards for responsive support based on small-group and independent work
• Reading Response Journal for lesson-level and unit-level skills checks as well as a beginning-of-theprogram screener and cumulative check at the end
• Digital Screener and Skills Activities for data-driven pathing within the Student Digital Learning
• Digital Text Quick Checks to check understanding and drive personalized supports
Student Reports
The Teacher Digital Tool gives you easy access to Student Reports that provide summaries of children’s progress at the individual and group level, include a place for teachers to log observations, offer alerts for when to take notice of particular students, and suggest next steps.
Formative Assessment in Student Digital Learning
At the beginning of the year:
• Reading Response Journal: Screener
At the beginning of each unit:
• Formative Assessment Card
Within each lesson:
• Reading Response Journal: Lesson Pages
• Teacher-led Instruction
– Spelling Skills Check: based on primary skills
• Voice-enabled Oral Reading
• Skills Activities
• Digital Text Quick Checks
At the end of each unit:
• Reading Response Journal: Unit Review and Unit Check
• Formative Assessment Card
At the end of the year:
• Reading Response Journal: Cumulative Check
• Screener: Students start with an Oral-Reading Screener Text and Screener Activity to set them on their personalized path.
• Differentiated Pathing: Based on assessment checkpoints, children are served just-right content and supports.
• Assessment Checkpoints: Quick Checks throughout the lesson continually check for progress.
• Lesson Complete: A check mark indicates a student has met the lesson requirements and has demonstrated proficiency with the primary skill.
Learning Without Tears® (LWT) is well known for its developmentally appropriate strategies to instill in children a love of learning and to help all learners succeed. We believe that all students deserve equitable access to high-quality instruction and that children benefit from different modes of learning. Across our programs, we support multilingual learners and children who learn differently.
“Multimodal instruction . . . does not try to match a child to a mode. It offers content to all children in many modes, and carefully considers which modes will best convey the content.”
(Rumenapp et al., 2018)
“Literacy includes all modes that hold meaning, even beyond reading, writing, and speaking.”
(Crane-Deklerk, 2020)
Multimodal Learning in PRM
Modes of learning in PRM include:
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
• Drawing
• Digital learning
• Chanting and gesturing
• Socializing and playing
There are many LWT manipulatives that support or extend PRM. Preview lwtears.com for additional LWT materials that could enhance PRM or other programs you use in your classroom.
• Sound Around Box: To practice phonemic awareness and phonics skills, use the magnetic tiles and other items to help children identify beginning sounds, segment, and blend words.
• Blackboard with Double Lines: Use for writing letters and words in print on double lines as taught in Handwriting Without Tears®.
• Magnetic Lowercase and Blackboard Set: Children manipulate letters to make words and word parts.
• Line It Up: Children build phonemic awareness, comprehension, and narrative skills as they sequence.
Looking to the science of reading, we understand that reading isn’t a natural process and doesn’t come easily for many children. It’s essential that instruction in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) is guided by research, beginning with the foundations, so that all children can successfully attain reading proficiency.
PRM sequentially moves from simpler to more complex skills to lead to reading comprehension. Explicit instruction in each lesson efficiently integrates skills.
• The Set B sequence of skills begins where Set A finishes, with knowledge of consonants, short vowels, and digraphs.
• Units of high-utility skills immerse children in reading words with similar patterns.
• Set B moves from common grapheme-phonemes to two-syllable words to complex spellings.
• Children solidify prior learning through cumulative review in texts and distributive practice in Reading Response Journals.
• Lessons connect speech and print.
PRM is built on the belief that all children have the right to read. They acquire and apply foundational skills to be successful readers. Some children need extensive direct instruction, modeling, and repetition. All children benefit from purposeful practice and a high volume of reading. In PRM,
• All children read the same highly decodable multicriteria texts.
• Rather than different levels of texts, children receive different scaffolds and extensions.
• Teachers monitor children’s progress in class and through digital learning reports so that groups adjust and children are accelerated.
• Every lesson models how to implement differentiated scaffolds, designed for below-level, on-level, and above-level groups.
• If-needed supports for articulation, blending, and multilingual learners give tips to enable all children to read rich, meaningful texts.
“The course of development portraying how students learn to read words evidenced in our theory and research is best aligned with the structure and goals of systematic phonics instruction, particularly in the primary grades.” (Ehri, 2020)
“Differentiated instructional opportunities for students based on need . . . should be fundamental to any notion of equity in education.”
(Fien et al., 2021)Fluency Alphabet Knowledge Word Recognition Phonemic Awareness Morphology Word Study PHONICS
In Phonics, Reading, and Me™, you don’t need to choose between focusing on skills or fostering the kind of curiosity that comes from reading great books. The lessons and student texts are intentionally developed to offer both to children.
We aim to motivate children to communicate about what they learn from reading so that they can ultimately become more knowledgeable. They can only do this when they excel at word-level reading, which comes from skilled decoding.
• Children develop phonological processing abilities with a phonemic awareness warm-up in every lesson.
• Cognitive load is accounted for in each text with accessible words and concepts.
• Constructing meaning from texts comes from the reciprocal processes as children decode and encode; they read and write in every lesson, with every book.
• Small-group and partner work invite conversation. Children continually talk and socialize with their peers to deepen their knowledge of words and concepts.
• We trust you know your classes best. Use tools for making daily, weekly, and quarterly adjustments to give children support for a given skill or text.
72(4), 499–507.Ehri, L. C. (2020). The science of learning to read words: A case for systematic phonics instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S45–S60. Fien, H., Chard, D. J., & Baker, S. K. (2021). Can the evidence revolution and multi-tiered systems of support improve education
equity and reading achievement? Reading Research Quarterly, 56, S105–S118.
“Even while students are learning to read words, they can and should have opportunities to build knowledge from texts with worthwhile ideas and words. Delaying attention to knowledge building can be especially disadvantageous for students whose academic experiences occur primarily in schools.” (Cervetti & Hiebert, 2019)
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ is structured to teach systematic phonics skills in the service of reading comprehension. Its instructional design incorporates the evidence-based best practices of:
• Direct instruction
• Modeling
• Scaffolded application
• Responsive feedback
• Multimodal practice opportunities
• Reading connected text with high decodability and multiple criteria
PRM integrates these foundational literacy skills.
Phonics is the system of written symbols (graphemes) used to represent sounds (phonemes) that are the base for a language. When children learn to read, they learn the 26 letters of the alphabet with the sounds each letter stands for, moving toward recognizing all 44 phonemes. Phonics also means learning that vowels represent more than one sound and that there are different correspondences between letter teams and sounds, depending on the word (Lindsey et al., 2020).
• Decoding is reading by breaking down words, based on the processing of written symbols into speech. Children decode words in isolation and in connected text— critical for regular reading practice.
• Encoding is the opposite process, where we spell words, based on the transposition of speech into writing (Moats, 2010). Children can encode with dictation and word-building activities in which they write the letters for the sounds they hear.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to listen to spoken words and break them down into smaller units of sounds called phonemes. Children with strong phonemic awareness are able to quickly read new words (Kilpatrick, 2016).
The frequency of words is one of the strongest predictors of automatic word recognition (Brysbaert et al., 2018). Many of the most common words in texts are irregular in that they don’t follow expected grapheme-phoneme correspondences. A high-frequency word may also be completely regular, with familiar spelling patterns, or have parts that can be decoded. Children can learn to recognize high-frequency words, even with irregular patterns, “by heart” to improve their reading.
Morphology is the study of word parts in relation to meaning. Some morphemes are free and can stand alone, while others are bound and need to be tied to other morphemes (Freeman et al., 2019). Children improve at reading when they develop awareness about the meaning of word parts—inflectional endings, prefixes, suffixes, roots, base words.
Handwriting is one of the fundamental pieces of early literacy development as children build their fine motor skills (Suggate et al., 2019). Children reinforce their letter-sounds as they form written words.
Writing in response to reading also gives children more practice with the spelling patterns they’re learning and provides a context that increases their comprehension of text.
Oral language is spoken expression. It encompasses the way children communicate, including the vocabulary they use and the structure of their sentences. Providing instruction in and opportunities to build oral language helps children make connections. Through talk, they tie the new vocabulary words they read to their background knowledge (Foorman et al., 2016).
Reading text that is highly decodable—made up of a number of words with targeted phonics patterns and review of previously learned skills—enables children to practice their decoding skills. It is valuable for children to read words in meaningful contexts. While decodability is a critical characteristic of early reading text, it is not the only criterion for purposeful learning. Texts with other criteria, such as the inclusion of high-frequency words, repetition of skill words, and meaningfulness, are beneficial for children learning to read (Cheatham et al., 2014).
Brysbaert, M., Mandera, P., & Keuleers, E. (2018). The word frequency effect in word processing: An updated review. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(1), 45–50.
Cheatham, J.P., Allor, J.H, & Roberts, J. K. (2014). How does independent practice of multiple-criteria text influence the reading performance and development of second graders? Learning Disability Quarterly, 37(1), 3–14.
Foorman, B., Beyler, N., Borradaile, K., Coyne, M., Denton, C. A., Dimino, J., ... & Wissel, S. (2016). Foundational skills to support reading for understanding in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Educator’s Practice Guide. NCEE 2016–4008. What Works Clearinghouse.
Freeman, N. D., Townsend, D., & Templeton, S. (2019). Thinking about words: First graders’ response to morphological instruction. The Reading Teacher, 72(4), 463–473.
Kilpatrick, D. A. (2020). Equipped for Reading success: A comprehensive, step-by-step program for developing phoneme awareness and fluent word recognition. Casey & Kirsch Publishers.
Lindsey, J. B., Kuehl, R., & Mesmer, H. A. (2020). What’s hot in literacy? Phonics and phonemic awareness. In E. Ortlieb, S. Grote-Garcia, J. Cassidy, & E. H. Cheek, Jr. (Eds.), What’s hot in literacy: Exemplar models of effective practice (pp. 159–180). Emerald Publishing.
Moats, L. C. (2010). Speech to print: Language essentials for teachers (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
Suggate, S., Pufke, E., & Stoeger, H. (2019). Children’s fine motor skills in kindergarten predict reading in grade 1. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 47, 248–258.
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ sets the bar high for your class. The program is designed to help all children follow the same sequential route to reach reading proficiency, while differentiating to address the needs of diverse learners. We recognize what a challenge it is to help the whole class meet grade-level targets while attending to the specific reinforcements and extensions that individual children need. That’s why our lessons and digital learning prescribe different paths for each skill. We also offer suggestions for tailoring learning as needed.
Each lesson is structured with recommendations for how to read the Student Book together in a small group, with differentiation and scaffolding. We put control in your hands to provide explicit instructional support to meet each group’s needs.
• All groups read the same text.
• Some groups just need more or less support.
“Regardless of the grade level, text genre, curriculum area, or the students’ level of ability, difficult text does not have to be frustrating for students.”
Our program offers models for how to differentiate before, during, and after reading. Lessons have:
• Below, On, and Above Level Supports in each section
• Multilingual Learner Supports for demanding aspects of language
• Decoding and articulation supports for individuals who need them
Highly
Based on evidence-based practices, PRM is designed to offer point-of-use techniques for providing rigor and acceleration for all students, even when teachers recognize that many in their class are performing below level in reading. We’ve learned from teachers who employ what The New Teacher Project calls “scaffolding up” to help students acquire skills and become independent rather than oversimplifying content and holding children back.
Forms of differentiation include
• Different amounts of time for each skill
• Different kinds of background building
• Different modes of reading
• Different language for questioning
• Different options for responding
• Different modalities of practice
(Dougherty Stahl, 2012)
Build background on anything that could impede understanding. Choose which supports fit each group.
• Background Knowledge: Find concepts to review and information to share.
• Language: Define vocabulary, multiple-meaning words, and idiomatic expressions.
• Print and Text Structure: Support on text structure, features, and navigation.
Engage in shared reading to help children with accuracy, comprehension, and fluency, including focus on both word-level reading and reading for meaning.
• Two shared reads, with differentiated supports for below-, on-, and above-level groups
• Modes of reading from highly supported to independent: echo, choral, cloze, partner, whisper
• Different prompts for engaging interactions on the primary and secondary skills
Culminate the lesson with each small group and guide children to transfer their learning via multimodal practice. Differentiate based on what they most need.
• Digital Learning: Adaptive pathways to read more texts with the same skills and topics and play skills-based games.
• Familiar Reading: Partners read mini books they can make their own.
• Word Depth: Children explore the meaning and function of words.
• Responsive Writing: Give children the same practice page but adjust guidance.
• Phonics and Word Study: Partners build words using Letter Tiles.
“Conceptually, we are not trying to close the achievement gap between the weakest and strongest students in our classrooms by preventing the strongest students from growing. We are trying to close the achievement gap between struggling students and grade-level goals while also maximizing growth for our strongest readers and writers.”
(Walpole & McKenna, 2017)
At Learning Without Tears®, we believe that learning shouldn’t be rote for any child. It also shouldn’t be so rigorous that children lose confidence. Our approach is to adjust the method of reading so that every child has access to the same text.
Silent reading is not easy or appropriate for beginning readers. Children learning to read benefit from participating in a group where they’re engaged in supportive shared reading as a means to read for accuracy, meaning, and oral reading fluency.
These are the modes of reading we recommend across lessons from most to least scaffolded.
Reading Mode Description
echo read The teacher reads part of a text aloud and children echo by reading the same part aloud.
cloze read The teacher guides children to read along and then stops reading before specific words for children to read without help.
choral read The teacher leads a group to read aloud at the same time.
constant time delay Children read a word first in their head—such as one with the primary skill. Then, the teacher signals to read it aloud chorally.
group read A small group is divided up and each sub-group reads different parts.
partner read Children read aloud with a partner. The pair may read chorally or take turns with one reading and the other following along, and then alternating.
Keep the end goal in mind: independent reading proficiency. To get there, take incremental steps to help children see themselves as readers. Follow concrete ideas for how to introduce the book, set a purpose, use recommended modes to differentiate the reading experience, engage with prompts for when to pause and interact for skills focus, and ask comprehension questions to monitor understanding.
We recommend three reads for every book. It may take place in one session or across two or three sessions.
First Read
• Above-level groups receive modeling and specific skills goals. 2
Second Read
• Below-level and on-level groups read with more support, such as echo or choral reading.
• Below-level groups continue to receive teacher modeling.
• On-level groups gain more independence.
whisper read Children read aloud quietly to themselves as the teacher monitors. 1
• Above-level groups focus on fluency and meaning. 3
Third Read
• Children can read the mini book with a partner.
• The teacher displays the eBook on an interactive whiteboard for shared reading.
Providing differentiated reading experiences with the same texts and same skills continues in our Student Digital Learning. Digital Texts are offered in varied reading modes, which are offered up as differentiated supports based on the child’s need. You can also opt to turn on or off supports by child, group, or class.
The first Digital Text that children get in each lesson is delivered in the oral reading mode, if you have opted to turn on the voice-enabled assessment to inform pathing. (If voice technology is turned off, a quick assessment will inform pathing instead.)
The microphone shows that the reading is being recorded.
Models show students how to sound out words by sound or part.
These are the modes of reading children engage in online, depending on their personalized path or decisions you make about their reading experience:
Read-Along Mode
• Most scaffolding
• Audio plays for children to hear the text read aloud as they track print.
• If children struggle the first time reading a text, they are served the text again with this scaffold.
Click-for-Support Mode
• Some scaffolding
• If children struggle with a text, they receive this scaffolding on the next text.
• Decodable words can be clicked to get models for how to blend them.
• All other words are clickable for audio support.
Independent Mode
• No scaffolding
• Children who have successfully read a text in the lesson use this mode.
• As a second read, children who have already read with Click-for-Support have the scaffold lifted to read in this mode.
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) supports orthographic mapping so that children become automatic readers. One means is by providing efficient explicit phonics instruction and phonological awareness word-play activities, helping children connect speech to print. Then, children practice and apply those skills.
• The scope and sequence prioritizes skills that are represented by a large body of words and may be confusing for students to orthographically map.
• Secondary skills, not as high-utility as the primary skills for this stage of readers, are included at appropriate points in the sequence so that children begin to recognize them in print.
• Similar phonics skills are grouped into categories by unit, so that children learn to develop a set for variability where they can to transfer skills without extensive time on every single spelling pattern.
• Children connect phonemes and graphemes both in isolated words and in connected text.
Children using Set B of PRM can apply their growing knowledge of grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) to decoding words. A purposeful integration of phonics instruction with high-frequency word practice helps children transfer their isolated word reading skills to reading connected text. In PRM, they read text that is highly controlled based on decodability and other criteria, establishing a meaningful connection between phonics instruction and authentic reading.
Look at this excerpt from a Unit 1 Student Book to see the kinds of words children decode and read:
Mom claps . Gran claps .
primary skill words (initial r-blends)
secondary skill word (final blend nk)
decodable words (previously learned skills)
high-frequency words
story words
Fran and Fred sing.
Frog grins at the show.
Brad taps with the drum
Then Brad gets up
He grabs at the drum .
Brad has a big grin
Brad is glad .
But , when will one day come?
Brad taps a lot
Brad taps on a sink .
20 decodable books in Set B 80 decodable texts online one for each skill four for each skill
“Orthographic mapping helps explain how words become familiar. If a word is ‘mapped’ to permanent memory, it is a familiar word and instantly recognizable. No sounding out or guessing is needed.” (Kilpatrick, 2020)
“Research examining exposure and interaction with decodable text has shown that practicing newly learned GPCs in context builds decoding skill, likely because it allows children to solidify their knowledge of them.” (Saha et al., 2021)
Children have opportunities to encode, considered as overlearning the phonics skill, in every lesson of PRM by:
• Using the Spelling Quick Skills Check for dictated words
• Working in pairs to review the Mini Book to practice spelling words
• Mapping letters to sounds with Letter Tiles to build words, including letter teams that represent one sound, such as the sh Letter Tile for the /sh/ sound
• Applying knowledge of primary skills to spelling words in the Reading Response Journal
• Writing about texts in the Reading Response Journal using graphic organizers and meaningful responses
Children continue with decoding and encoding practice when they work independently online. Phonics is fun for children when they get on devices to use PRM Digital Student Learning for:
• Gamification: playful and engaging skills practice
• Differentiated Content: personalized paths mean scaffolded or stretch content within activities
• Instructional Corrective Feedback: immediate feedback, hints, and modeling
• Cumulative Review: systematic distributive practice of primary and secondary skills, as well as heart words (high-frequency words)
These are the four kinds of practice games children may participate in for any lesson.
Screener Activity
Required
Children decode words in isolation. This decoding activity informs pathing.
Kilpatrick,
Support Activities
As Needed
This scaffold is an on ramp for decoding words in isolation. Support Activities repeat, as needed.
Skills Activities
Required
Every child completes an encoding or decoding activity. The content rotates.
Bonus Activities
As Time Allows
1 2 3 4
An additional activity is available to build automaticity with the skill.
“Research has shown that learning to spell and learning to read rely on much of the same underlying knowledge—such as the relationships between letters and sounds—and, not surprisingly, that spelling instruction can be designed to help children better understand that key knowledge, resulting in better reading.” (Moats, 2005)
D. A. (2020). Equipped for reading success: A comprehensive, step-by-step program for developing phoneme awareness and fluent word recognition. Casey & Kirsch Publishers. Moats, L. C. (2005). How spelling supports reading. American Educator, 6(12–22), 42.
Saha, N. M., Cutting, L. E., Del Tufo, S., & Bailey, S. (2021). Initial validation of a measure of decoding difficulty as a unique predictor of miscues and passage reading fluency. Reading and Writing, 34(2), 497–527.
Children who are successful at reading can distinguish the sounds in spoken words. Being able to hear, say, and compare sounds is an integral part of learning in Phonics, Reading, and Me™. Every lesson has a brief warm-up with phonemic awareness that leads into phonics instruction. These are as simple as modeling some words and sounds for children to hear and say.
Isolate Phonemes: Say each word. Prompt children to say the first (only one phoneme), last, or middle sound in the word.
Initial sound flag: /f/ clip: /k/
Final sound glass: /s/ club: /b/
Medial sound flip: /ĭ/ plug: /ŭ/
Introduce Phonics Skill: Initial Consonant Blends with l
Read Club Day guiding prompts. comprehension. clubs. What kinds
First Read
Mode Set the Purpose Listen watch with
In Set B, phonemic and phonological awareness skills include:
• Isolating phonemes in words
club flip plus
• Blending three to five phonemes in words
• Write the word club on the board. Underline the letters c and l. Say: Some consonant sounds blend together, like the /k/ and /l/ sounds at the beginning of the word club. Say club and listen to the blended sounds at the beginning of the word.
• Counting phonemes in words
• Blending and segmenting syllables in spoken words
• Write the words flip and plus. Guide children to blend the sounds as you underline the initial l-blend, and then blend all the sounds together to say each word.
• Distinguishing between short and long sounds
• Producing words that rhyme
• Substituting medial short and long vowels
• Adding and deleting final sounds to make new words
• Manipulating phonemes within base words
For groups who need it, provide extra practice in blending words with l -blends. Start with a word without a blend. Write lip. Guide children to smoothly blend the word, stretching continuous sounds, as you run your finger under the word (e.g., /lll/ /ĭĭĭ/ /p/, lip). Add f to make the word flip: /fff/ /lll/ / ĭĭĭ / /p/, flip. Repeat with these word pairs: lot/plot; lap/clap, lock/block
• Blending and segmenting phonemes in multisyllabic spoken words
Review words, concepts, and other text complexities of the book to anticipate children’s challenges. Consider the oral language proficiency, background knowledge, and decoding skills of each small group.
Skills Prompts p. (Club, p. words (four) p. the
Check for Comprehension: Mode Set the Purpose Guide Stop aloud
Second Read
Primary Skill Words club, class, plus, clap, clip, Bliss, Fluff, Black, Cliff, flip, Clem
Secondary Skill Words patch, catch
High-Frequency Words Regular: it, is, in, this, we, can, not, a, but, with, has Irregular: the, they, and, for, all
• Key details, central message, and story elements in literature
Story Words (not decodable) day, quilt, sports
• Key details, main topics, and connecting ideas in informational text
Knowledge Building Words club: a group of people who do the same activity or sport together
You can monitor children’s progress on the comprehension focus as they
In PRM, word-level reading is closely connected to reading for meaning. We want children to recognize that reading has a purpose and that they can gain understanding from every text they read, regardless of the length or difficulty of the words. Each lesson has a comprehension focus suited for the Text Set that aligns to national and state standards about
Support phoneme articulation by having children press their tongue against the roof of their mouth behind their top teeth to make the /l/ sound as part of the consonant blend with l
Skills Prompts p. missing? p. describes p. times?
Check for Comprehension:
• discuss the questions in the back of each Student Book
Get to know the book so you’re ready to support children when they need it.
If a child is
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
LANGUAGE
• engage children in the After Reading questions in the Lesson Card
PRINT AND TEXT STRUCTURE
• retell or summarize key events and details in texts
• People who do the same activity or sport together can be part of a club
• Some schools have a day to learn about different clubs.
• Club is a multiple-meaning word. It can mean a group, a suit in playing cards, and a weapon.
• Quotation marks tell a reader a character is talking.
• Focus child’s words. Prompt guide the
• Model smooth
• observe how children complete each text response activity in the Reading Response Journal
• Many schools and community centers have clubs as after-school programs.
• A quilt is a blanket made of small pieces of cloth sewn together.
• review reports on the Teacher Digital Tool
• Clubs can bring together people with similar interests, regardless of their background, including disabilities.
• Clip can mean to cut something.
• Patch can mean putting pieces together.
• Pet can be the action of touching an animal. It is also a noun: “my pet cat.”
• In this book, names of clubs are capitalized to indicate that each is specific, such as Math Club
• Names for clubs and pet animals appear on pages outside of the body text, as part of the artwork, such as Club Day on p. 1 and Fluff on p. 6.
• Model onset-rime
One criterion for student texts in PRM is the use of high-frequency words. Children strengthen their automaticity when they encounter them. Automatic word recognition is important to ensuring that children can read sight words effortlessly, whether they learned words by decoding or by recognizing parts they know when they read. As children combine their decoding skills with sight-word recognition, they are building fluency.
In Set B, high-frequency words:
• are selected from the first 110 words on one of the most powerful word frequency lists because of the appearance of words in English texts (Zeno et al., 1995).
• can be considered temporarily irregular when the words are decodable, yet contain grapheme-phoneme correspondences that have not yet been introduced in the sequence
• that are decodable, temporarily irregular, or permanently irregular, based on the PRM phonics sequence, are listed in the Lesson Cards
• that are temporarily or permanently irregular appear on the back cover of Student Books
• should be analyzed so that children sound out the parts of the word that have familiar grapheme-phoneme correspondences and recall the irregular parts, which they need to remember by heart
the of and to a in is that it was for you he on as are
they with be his at or from had I not have this but by were one
all she when an their there her can we what about up said out if some
would so people them other more will into your which do then many these no time
been who like could has him how than two may only most its made over see
first new very my also down make now way each called did just after water through
• Display words in the context of sentences.
• Ask children to listen as you say each word to count the sounds they hear.
• Pair children to use Letter Tiles to build words and have partners read the words.
• Write each word on a card and draw a heart under any irregularly spelled parts.
• Have children identify parts they can decode in the word.
• Say each word, use finger pointing per letter or letter team, have children listen to and repeat the heart parts.
get because back where know little such even much our must use well man
Multilingual learners are children who speak at least one language in addition to English. Multilingual learners may also be known as English learners (ELs) or dual language learners (DLLs). The percentage of multilingual learners is growing in many communities and schools across the United States, as you likely experience each day. Teachers are more successful at reaching a range of multilingual learners—and monolingual learners, too—when they are equipped with knowledge about instructional best practices and use supports for tailoring curricula.
“The foundational knowledge and skills that ELs must learn to be able to read in English are identical to the foundational knowledge and skills that proficient English speakers must learn: how the alphabet represents sounds and how letters and sounds are combined in a rule-based system to represent comprehensible words.” (Goldenberg, 2020)
• learn the foundations of English at the same time they’re developing them in their home language
• need the same systematic and explicit reading instruction as monolingual learners
“In general, multilingual learners benefit when teachers are knowledgeable about differences and similarities in language development between multilingual learners and monolingual children, and when teachers understand how they can support the language development of both groups.” (Meyer et al., 2020)
Our approach in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) is to envelop children in learning to read. We welcome multilingual learners that arrive in classrooms with a wealth of talents stemming from their individual personalities and cultural backgrounds. They bring knowledge and language that differ from their peers but are instrumental in what they offer to their reading experiences and to social learning.
“Developing reading and writing capabilities in a new language involves a complex interweaving of related yet distinct threads.” (Helman et al., 2016)
Small groups for PRM give multilingual learners
• a supportive space for listening and learning
• a chance to mirror the models of their teacher
• focus on reading skills alongside others at similar stages of literacy development
Goldenberg, C. (2020). Reading wars, reading science, and english learners. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S131–S144.
Helman, L. A., Rogers, C., Frederick, A., & Struck, M. (2016). Inclusive literacy teaching: Differentiating approaches in multilingual elementary classrooms. Teachers College Press. Meyer, J. L., Irwin, C. W., Coleman, G. A., & Stramblera, M. J. (2020). Effective instruction for multilingual learners. Partnership for Early Education Research. Silverman, R. D., Martin‐Beltrán, M., Peercy, M. M., & Taylor, K. S. (2021). Revisiting reading buddies to support multilingual learners and their peers. The Reading Teacher
Children develop positive habits as they practice decoding and build background knowledge with Phonics, Reading, and Me™.
Fiction books and digital texts expose children to diverse characters and situations that are relatable. Through these reading experiences, children reflect on the actions of characters in everyday situations and link them to their own experiences. Through a comprehensive library of multicriteria texts, connected lessons, and practice activities, children develop positive habits that build character. In Set B, children focus on five positive habits. These habits instill kindness and understandings that will enrich children’s views of themselves and others, setting the foundation for positive self images and lasting friendships.
Lessons provide ideas to extend discussions.
Belonging I can enjoy a feeling of belonging when I’m with other people that I spend time with.
Kindness I can think about how others feel, and I can do things to help others.
• Club Day
• Sheep Do Not Go to the Beach!
• Two Mules and a Tube
• An Artist in the City Problem Solving I can come up with a plan or join a plan when there is a problem so I can get a solution.
• We Fix Crushed Cars!
Understanding Feelings I can understand my own feelings and recognize other people’s feelings.
I can think about what is important to me, and I can be curious to learn what is important to others.
• Kate Is Late to the Game
• Pepper’s Yellow Bird
• Brad and the Drum
• Goat Goes Home
• Rabbit’s Nursery
Figuring Out Feelings questions are included in the inside back cover of every fiction book.
Children aren’t exclusively focused on skills when they read PRM texts. They’re also building knowledge. To be able to comprehend a text, students need to understand the topic or theme. The texts children read should be based on different considerations, as this visual shows.
Build content knowledge.
Motivate readers to read and write.
(Lupo
Provide access to challenging language and ideas. Provide opportunities to read accessible texts.
Each unit is designed to help children build knowledge and vocabulary while reducing cognitive load. Texts in a unit repeatedly draw from a select group of words that are within children's oral language (Kuperman et al., 2012).
• A Read Aloud Card introduces concepts and themes.
• Lesson Cards provide Knowledge Building Word definitions.
• New words are repeated within a lesson and across the unit. Questions in During Reading and After Reading prompt students to use the words in small-group discussions.
Children delve deeper into certain words that appear in the Student Book in every lesson. They explore word meaning and function in practice such as:
• Visualization activities
• Semantic mapping where children use web and four square organizers to connect meanings
• Compare and contrast exercises with T-charts and Venn diagrams for mental processing
Kuperman,
Lupo,
Wexler, N. (2020). Building knowledge: What an elementary school curriculum should do. American Educator, 44(2), 18.
“While instruction in the early grades has focused on ‘learning to read’ rather than ‘reading to learn,’ many educators have overlooked the fact that part of learning to read is acquiring knowledge.” (Wexler, 2020)
UNIT 1
Around the World: Kids at Play
• beat
• camp
• club
UNIT 2
• drum
• flag
• plan
My Community:
Fun Things to Do
• brake
• dinosaur
• game
• goal
• nature
• paleontologist
• pedal
• tube
UNIT 4
Animals in Groups
• bleat
• colony
• flock
• flying fox
• goat
UNIT 5
Art and Music
• artist
• draw
• metal
• musician
• show
• sled
• vent
UNIT 3
Jobs: Inside and Outside
• bakery
• blossom
• electricity
• judge
• nursery
• power
• shop
• worker
• group
• herd
• hood
• sheep
• snail
• paint
• picture
• portrait
• sound
and
children build world and domain-specific knowledge while developing high-utility vocabulary.et al., 2020)
The progression in Phonics, Reading, and Me™ is designed to lead children through the essential skills they need efficiently, with all children moving toward reading proficiency. It moves from securing fundamental phonics skills to intertwining morphological awareness and reading longer, more complex words.
Secondary Phonics Skill (* for Word Study)
Trigraph -tch
Final Consonant Blend nk
Inflectional Ending -es*
More Consonant Blends
Long e spelled e_e
Digraph ng
Long Sound for oo
Long u Spelled ue
Soft c and Soft g
Trigraph -dge
Short Sound for oo
Two-Syllable Words with Schwa
Long o Spelled oe
Long e Spelled ey
Long u Spelled ou, ew
Changing y to i with Endings -es, -ed*
Contractions with not*
Contractions with am, is*
Diphthong /ow/ Spelled ou, ow
Long e Spelled ie
Phonemic Awareness Skill (** for Phonological Awareness)
Comprehension Focus
Phoneme Isolating—Consonant Blend Words Events
Blending 3–5 Phonemes—Consonant Blend Words Characters
Phoneme Segmenting—Consonant Blend Words Key Details
Phoneme Blending and Segmenting—Consonant Blends Main Topic
Long and Short Vowel Sound Discriminating Events
Producing Rhyming Words*
Connect Ideas
Phoneme Blending and Segmenting—Medial Long Vowel Words Key Details
Phoneme Substituting—Long and Short Vowels Characters
Blending and Segmenting Syllables* Setting
Adding and Deleting Ending Sounds
Manipulating Phonemes
Key Details
Main Topic
Blending and Segmenting Two-syllable Spoken Words Events
Substituting Short and Long Vowels
Connect Ideas
Blending and Segmenting—Long Vowels Characters
Distinguishing Short and Long Vowels Setting
Adding and Deleting Ending Sounds Main Topic
Producing Rhyming Words* Characters
Blending and Segmenting Words
Key Details
Distinguishing Vowel Sounds Main Topic
Blending and Segmenting—Multisyllabic Spoken Words Events
Text Sets tie learning together in Phonics, Reading, and Me™.
• 20 Text Sets
• Each Text Set = 1 Student Book 4 related Digital Texts
• 10 fiction books, 10 nonfiction books
• Text Set focused on one topic
• Topics of 4 Text Sets connect to the Unit Theme
• Children decode as they read entertaining and informative texts.
• Children are exposed to a high repetition of primary skill words, as well as secondary skill words, cumulative review of decodable words, and high-frequency words.
• Children learn targeted vocabulary and positive habits that build character.
Belonging, Problem Solving Club Day The Cluck Club; The Flag Club; The Clog Club; The Flip Flop Club
Kindness, Understanding Myself and Others Brad and the Drum Grin and Drum; You Can Drum!; The Drum Truck; The Drum Drill
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings
All Kinds of Sleds Sleds for Work; Skip Gets Lost; The Snack Sled; How to Have Fun on a Sled
All Kinds of Tents How to Mend a Tent; A Tent in the Sand; A Tent Made by Hand; A Tent and a Chimp
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings Kate Is Late to the Game Nate and the Plane Game; The Name Game; Games with Tape; Ape Games
Kindness, Understanding Myself and Others Ride a Bike Time to Ride; Hike and Bike; Pond and Pine; We Can Ride!
Problem Solving, Understanding Myself and Others
Kindness, Problem Solving, Understanding Myself and Others
Hoping to Find Dinosaur Bones How to Pose a Bone; A Cave of Bones; A Bone Trail; A Bone in the Bend
Two Mules and a Tube
A Flute and a Tube; Tubing in June; Fix the Tube!; Tubing in the Dune
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings We Fix Crushed Cars! Fixing Our Car; Sanding and Painting a Car; Checking a Car, Thumping and Jumping
Kindness, Problem Solving
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings
Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings, Understanding Myself and Others
Kindness, Understanding Feelings
Belonging, Kindness
Problem Solving, Understanding Myself and Others
Understanding Feelings, Understanding Myself and Others
Kindness, Problem Solving, Understanding Feelings
Belonging, Kindness
Belonging, Kindness
Belonging, Kindness, Understanding Myself and Others
Making Wedding Cakes Baking Around the World; Baking for Pups; The Bakery Is Closed!; Making and Shipping Cakes
A Windmill Worker’s Day William Built a Windmill; Windmills Do Jobs; A Windmill for Water; No Wind for Windmill
Rabbit’s Nursery Traffic Blossoms; A Cactus and a Blossom; Blossoms Across Town; Pollen and Blossoms
Snail Trails Wait, Snail, Wait!; Shane Snail Waits for Mail; A Nice Day for Paige and Ray; Snail Shells
Sheep Do Not Go to the Beach!
Hide and Sheep at the Sea; In a Sheep Flock; Sheep!; Your Teeth are Green!
Goat Goes Home Go Goat!; Where Is That Goat?; Joan and the Yellow Glow; What Do Goats Know?
A Fox That Can Fly? Pups Do Not Fly; A Black Sky; Try My Pie!; Two Sly Spies
Pepper’s Yellow Bird A Lot of Green Fur; Stir the Paint; You Can Paint Birds; Elephants Stir the Paint
It’s a Fork! The Harp; A Porch Concert; The Barn Band; Cork and Wood
The Joy of Metal Arts Turning Foil into Art; A Metal Voice; The Royal Foil; Care and Toil
An Artist in the City Draw a Kitty; A Gift for the Baby; Tiny, Cheery Art; Draw a Bunny Family
Children flourish as readers when they have the chance to extend their learning at home. With Phonics, Reading, and Me™, we encourage you to invite families to make literacy more meaningful by reading words and texts with their children. Be sure to utilize the
• Family letters
• Mini books
• Additional digital resources
Family Letters to Introduce Literacy Tips
Send home a family letter to
• Give an overview of Phonics, Reading, and Me™.
• Launch learning in each unit so that families can support skill words, vocabulary words, and building knowledge about the themes.
Unit 1
Around the World: Kids at Play
Dear Family,
Your child is working on Unit 1 of Phonics, Reading, and Me,
Set B. In this unit, children learn to read words with consonant blends. A consonant blend has two or more consonants in a row that each stand for a sound. Think of cl at the start of the word click or st at the end of the word last
In Unit 1, your child will practice:
• Initial consonant blends with l, such as block and flag
• Initial consonant blends with r, such as dress and grin
• Consonant blends with s, such as fast and spot
• Final consonant blends with n, m, such as bump and land
Unit 1 positive habits: belonging, kindness, understanding feelings, problem solving, understanding myself and others
Invite families to reread books at home.
In this unit, we’re exploring the theme Around the World: Kids at Play
Your child will be reading these books:
• Club Day (fiction)
• Brad and the Drum (fiction)
• All Kinds of Sleds (nonfiction)
• All Kinds of Tents (nonfiction)
Would you like to share in the learning at home? You can!
Here are a few ideas.
• Read Unit 1 mini books with your child.
Unit 1 Knowledge Building Words
beat camp club drum flag plan show sled vent
Look at the back cover to find phonics words. If your child doesn’t know how to read one of these words in the book, give a reminder about consonant blends—make sure to say what each letter stands for before blending the sounds together.
Talk about the questions in the back of the book.
• Read books about the theme with your child at home.
• Talk with your child about clubs, drums, sleds, and tents. Encourage your child to use unit words.
• Point out words with consonant blends on signs and packages. Ask your child to show you how to say each sound the letters represent and then blend the sounds together and read the word.
• Turn everyday situations into character building opportunities. For example, point out a problem and talk through practical ways to solve it.
Go to prm-student.lwtears.com to visit the Phonics, Reading, and Me Family Center to find out more and see your child’s progress. Enjoy reading and learning at home!
©
Without Tears
Give families support for the phonics and word study skills so they get ideas for how to reinforce them.
Inform families about habits children are developing and knowledge building words they’re learning.
Send home mini books and ask children to
• Read to family members.
• Find words on the back cover in the book.
• Talk about the questions in the back with their families.
Visit the Phonics, Reading, and Me™ Family Center to
• Share family letters by printing or emailing to support reading at home.
• Give families access to Student Digital Learning to monitor their child’s progress and encourage reading and phonics practice at home.
Welcome families to partner with you in helping children grow as readers. Ideas to share with families:
• Point out the same sounds, letters, and letter patterns that are in PRM lessons when reading to a child or listening to a child read at home.
• Discuss what sounds letters stand for when looking at signs and packaging together. For example, with a STOP sign, blend the s and t, with the short o sound, and final p
• Read the mini book and other books from a local library, encouraging the child to try to say the sounds for letters in any new words. Remind the child to blend the sounds together from left to right. If the child has trouble, demonstrate how to blend sounds.
• Play “I Spy” to have children find things that start or end with certain sounds.
• Encourage children to help write shopping lists, emails, or texts to family members, using skill words learned.
• Talk with children before, during, and after reading a book or digital text together.
– Before reading, ask what children predict the text will be about and to share what they’re excited to learn.
– During reading, talk about problem solving by characters in fiction or big ideas and details in nonfiction. Compare and contrast parts of the text to other books.
– After reading, ask the child about the big things that happened and what the key messages are in the text.
• Model how to read smoothly. Make it playful by changing how fast you read, how many pauses you add, and what elaborate expressions you use. Invite the child to give you directions on what sounds like the best pace and tone. Then, switch roles so the child can try.
Letter learning is a multifaceted skill that includes knowledge of letter names, letter sounds, and letter forms. Letter learning, also known as alphabet knowledge, is integral to early literacy and has been shown to be one of the strongest predictors of later literacy development (Piasta et al., 2020; Reutzel et al., 2019; Treiman et al., 2008). A–Z for Mat Man® and Me teaches alphabet knowledge and leads into Phonics, Reading, and Me™, which builds high-utility phonics skills. Using A–Z for Mat Man® and Me, children, mainly in kindergarten, acquire alphabet knowledge with teacher-led reading to prepare them for Set A of PRM, with short vowels, CV words, and consonant digraphs. By Set B, children should have a solid base of early phonics skills, which they’re ready to apply in connected texts.
• Research-based letter order
• Explicit instruction and practice in every lesson
• Ties print concepts, phonemic awareness, and phonics
• Learning is focused on books
• Digital literacy activities reinforce and extend learning
• Same books for all children
• Different prompts and practice books for emerging and developing readers
• Books for shared reading are rich with words for children to learn through meaningful stories
• Books center on habits and diverse, relatable characters
• Teachers can easily differentiate to meet individual children’s learning needs
• Teacher’s Guide gives support to novice and experienced teachers with many models
• Clear scope and sequence
• Explicit instruction and practice in every lesson
• Ties to phonemic awareness, morphology, and fluency
• Learning is focused on books
PRINT AND DIGITAL MEDIUMS
• Digital texts and digital phonics activities deepen knowledge
• Same books for all children
• Prescriptive support for below level, on level, and above level
• Texts for independent reading are intentional about word-level reading and meaning
• Rich, relatable text topics, with habits and knowledge building
EMBEDDED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
• Teachers use data for flexible groupings to help children with like needs learn collaboratively
• Lesson Cards build routines and the teaching tool offers more implementation ideas
Research is clear that handwriting letters and early reading success are inextricably tied. The process of forming letters while handwriting activates neural pathways associated with strong reading skills. In fact, handwriting plays a crucial role in the formation of these brain networks that underlie the development of strong reading skills.
Phonics, Reading, and Me™ (PRM) includes the trademark handwriting models that are core to the Handwriting Without Tears® (HWT) curriculum. Using both programs together reinforces and extends handwriting instruction and phonics skills. In HWT, children practice the formation of letters they recognize for graphemephoneme correspondence. In PRM, children further use the tactile written forms as they are practicing phonics skills via encoding and writing skills in response to the texts they read. Together, both programs deepen literacy learning.
Model writing on the double lines, as taught in HWT, by teaching the introduction lesson, Teaching Writing on Double Lines found in the Program Resources of the Teacher Digital Tool. This readiness lesson helps children understand letter size before they write on double lines before starting Phonics, Reading, and Me™.
In the Reading Response Journal, children use developmentally-appropriate double lines to assist with handwriting. Double lines help children place letters correctly, eliminating line confusion. The baseline guides placement, and the midline controls the size of letters.
For more than 40 years, Learning Without Tears® has had a mission to make a difference in children’s lives by providing the foundational skills for learning. To optimize instructional effectiveness, we provide interactive professional learning opportunities with a hands-on, minds-on approach to motivate, educate, and support all educators. Our professional learning team members bring their rich classroom experiences to INSPIRE you to try something new, to EMPOWER your growth and to fuel you and your students to THRIVE. Come and learn with us in a format that meets your learning style—on-site, live virtual, modular, or blended learning.
For educators to effectively teach children how to read, they need high-quality, ongoing professional learning experiences that deepen knowledge and pedagogical skills.
Our engaging, expert-led professional learning sessions provide effective tools, strategies, and techniques to promote children’s success.
• We show how to effectively and efficiently implement Phonics, Reading, and Me™ in your literacy block. During our sessions, you will build and strengthen reading strategies anchored in the science of reading to effectively teach phonics skills that are typically difficult for children to learn. You will also expand your toolkit to meet the unique instructional needs of each of your children.
• We model how to incorporate our new early literacy lessons in your classroom, effectively teaching alphabet knowledge, oral language, and other foundational literacy skills.
• Embedded Professional Learning
The Teacher Digital Tool provides strategies to build and strengthen your practice.
• Additional Professional Learning Offerings
Renowned literacy researchers including Dr. Heidi Anne Mesmer, Dr. Deborah K. Reed, Dr. Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl, Dr. Miriam Ortiz, and Dr. Kathleen “Kit” Mohr provide professional development anchored in the science of reading. You will find:
– Accelerating Alphabet Learning: Learn strategies to effectively accelerate alphabet learning in school and at home.
– Bridging the Language Gap: Learn strategies to help children develop and improve their oral language skills.
– Blogs: Learn strategies for implementation; PL for PLC meetings.
– Video Blogs: Education experts support you in building a literacy-rich classroom.
Recognize the traits of phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction for emergent, novice, and transitional readers.
Have you noticed how children watch your mouth when you speak? Children learn to say sounds and words by understanding how to form their mouth to make sounds. Research has shown that helping children understand the mouth formations may help them remember how to make the sounds, strengthening their phonemic awareness and phonics skills.
Educators and children benefit from embedded articulation support in Phonics, Reading, and Me™. Support is just a click away and appropriate videos and other e-learning experiences are available for each lesson. These video and explicit articulation supports in the lessons help you understand what the tongue, lips, and mouth do when forming sounds that are stops, fricatives, nasals, affricates, liquids, glides, and combinations. These articulation videos may be used when introducing a SoundSpelling Card or building Phonemic Awareness skills so students not only hear the sounds but accurately say the sounds.
In addition to the articulation videos, we have micro professional learnings available to understand how to best use the articulation videos and to share common errors and strategies to support English language learners and other students who may have difficulty with a specific sound.
Educators also benefit from learning from literacy experts and other teachers through classroom videos, question and answer sections, and other learning methods. You will see how to successfully implement specific lessons with students and learn other important strategies, such as how to effectively and efficiently teach phonological awareness skills, how to effectively use read alouds, how to teach difficult phonics skills, how to build vocabulary skills, and more.
Most of the planning is already done for you! Just read over the Lesson Card and Student Book to prepare for leading small groups and setting up practice. Log into the Teacher Digital Tool for more support and information on your class for their digital learning.
What materials do I need to start teaching with PRM?
First, finish exploring the Program Guide. Then, start with the Lesson Card. Go to p. 1 to see which Read Aloud Card and Student Book to use. Go to p. 2 to find any related Sound-Spelling Cards. For practice, have devices (tablets, laptops, or desktop computers) ready for children. Place other materials at centers or at desks. These include Reading Response Journals, double-lined paper, and pencils, as well as Letter Tiles and Mini Books.
How do I manage the class so that I can stay focused on the group I’m leading?
How do I use PRM if the sequence doesn’t match another curriculum my school uses?
Start with routines for PRM so the whole class understands how to move into small-group rotations. Be patient—this may take a week or months! Model and practice movement in your classroom, signals for timing, reminders about noise levels, and what children should do when they have questions or finish tasks. Have plenty of options available so that if one form of practice gets confusing, children can move to another. Encourage children to help each other and solve problems on their own.
Any research-based curriculum is likely to move along a similar path for early literacy skills, but no two programs are identical. Use PRM lessons and texts to introduce a skill if one comes sooner than in your core program, or use PRM content to reinforce what children have previously learned. How much time you spend and how deep you go into each skill is your choice. Aim to move sequentially to maximize the value of PRM instruction, while adjusting your daily, weekly, and quarterly pacing flexibly.
How much time should I spend on PRM if my school already has a phonics program?
The strength of PRM is that it explicitly teaches the most highutility and problematic skills with a differentiated focus to use in small groups. Plan to block out at minimum two small-group sessions weekly for PRM, allowing time to use other resources. If you find that you have more time, take advantage of the print and digital components to meet with groups four sessions a week, saving room for individual conferences to check on progress.
What do I do if we run out of time for reading the book more than once during my literacy block?
Take your time! You can always accelerate later. Children may need more time articulating, blending, and segmenting skill words before they read. Or a group may get involved in a story or topic and want to talk more about it. It’s fine to come back the next day or later in the week for a second session with the same book. Feel free to move children to reading their mini books after a first read. You may find that they come better prepared to read a second time. One book may take one session for a few groups or three sessions for another group. For the next lesson, you may find you can speed up if children are grasping the skill more quickly.
What do I do if none of the children in my group are able to read the book on their own?
Our goal is equitable access so that all children have a pathway to become independent readers. Will all children be ready to read in September? No. Maybe it will take all year. Your role is to support children. You may use echo and choral reading for groups that are not yet on level. Children have the chance to grow in their independence when they work on Student Digital Learning. Reading and rereading texts online will help prepare them for when they meet with you again.
How much time should I spend on phonemic awareness if children in my group aren’t getting it?
Phonological and phonemic awareness (PA) are not the kinds of learning that are demonstrated instantly. Children develop awareness of sounds over time. Keep PA warm-ups short and sweet! If you notice that certain children aren’t hearing and saying specific sounds, make note of it so that you can come back to help them individually. For the group, move on and try another activity the next day.
What can I share with families about skills in PRM and progress children are making?
Send home family letters and instructions on how to access the Family Center to keep the home connection strong and invite families to reinforce what children are practicing in class. Take advantage of the reporting on the Teacher Digital Tool to show families successes children are having and areas where they need more time and development.
With Phonics, Reading, and Me™, children get a cohesive experience. From the Student Books they read in groups to the Digital Texts they read on their own, to discussions with classmates, to the writing responses they contribute, the concepts are tied together—all because of the unit organization. Set B has five units, each divided into four lessons.
Each lesson focuses on phonics skills that relate to the broader skills category for that unit.
• Skills are aligned to standards.
• Focus is on the most difficult and most important patterns to acquire.
• Children learn to generalize decoding as they encounter similar words across texts.
Units are also organized topically to build knowledge around concepts and ideas. Children read texts and learn vocabulary words that are connected by topics and themes of units. Each unit correlates to social studies and science topics commonly taught in grade 1. Children engage with the theme by:
• Learning about concepts shared on the Read Aloud Card.
• Discussing the theme after the small-group reading of the Student Book.
• Deepening understanding of the theme as they read Digital Texts.
The 20 multicriteria text sets in print and digital format are intentionally developed for decoding practice and strengthening knowledge building. Ultimately, pairing of skills and topics give children the tools to transfer their learning and succeed as readers.
Motivate and prepare children to read on their own by introducing the Unit 1 Read Aloud Card. Use the card at the start of the unit, and then have it available to revisit with each new Student Book you read.
This unit is all about universal ways that children play— in their homes, schools, and communities. In this unit, children read about:
Clubs Drums Sleds Tents
• Build a knowledge base about forms of play for children around the world.
• Determine the meaning of words related to play in context and in real-life situations.
Before Reading
• Display the Read Aloud Card for all children to see.
• Introduce the Unit 1 knowledge building words listed on the card: beat, camp, club, drum, flag, plan, show, sled, vent.
• Open discussion by having children turn to a partner and share one way they like to play or one place where they like to play, using one of the knowledge building words.
• Ask children to listen closely for ways of play they know and ways that may be new to them.
During Reading
• Read the passage, emphasizing the knowledge building words. Reread, as needed, to clarify meanings of the words and concepts.
• Refer to each of the four photos as you read each paragraph.
After Reading
• Decide whether to have children answer the discussion questions aloud in a group or to talk with a partner about them and then return to the group.
• Encourage children to use the knowledge building words in their discussion.
• Encourage children to predict what they will read about in the Student Books based on the photos.
Scaffold responses by providing sentence frames, such as: Kids like to ____. In some places, kids may use a _____ to _____.
Motivate and prepare children to read on their own by introducing the Unit 2 Read Aloud Card. Use the card at the start of the unit, and then have it available to revisit with each new Student Book you read.
This unit focuses on community, emphasizing recreational activities children can do in school, with friends, and in the area around their home. In this unit, children read about:
Games
Bones on the Trail
Read Aloud Card Objectives
Bikes and Hikes
Tubes in June
• Build a knowledge base about recreational activities children in communities enjoy.
• Determine the meaning of words related to discovery and play in context and in real-life situations.
Before Reading
• Display the Read Aloud Card for all children to see.
• Introduce the Unit 2 knowledge building words listed on the card: brake, dinosaur, game, goal, nature, paleontologist, pedal, tube.
• Open discussion by having children turn to a partner and say one fun thing they like to or would like to do in their community, using one of the knowledge building words.
• Ask children to listen closely for fun activities they have participated in within their community and identify new activities they hear about that they may like to try.
During Reading
• Read the passage, emphasizing the knowledge building words. Reread, as needed, to clarify meanings of the words and concepts.
• Refer to each of the four photos as you read each paragraph.
After Reading
• Decide whether to have children answer the discussion questions aloud in a group or to talk with a partner about them and then return to the group.
• Encourage children to use the knowledge building words in their discussion.
• Discuss how the photos connect to Student Books children read in their groups.
Multilingual Learner Support
Support children’s understanding of locations where they can have fun in a community by providing extra visual support. You may include images of the following: classroom, playground, river, creek, community park, community pool, hiking trail.
Motivate and prepare children to read on their own by introducing the Unit 3 Read Aloud Card. Use the card at the start of the unit, and then have it available to revisit with each new Student Book you read.
This unit introduces children to a variety of workers and the different jobs they do—indoors and outdoors—that keep communities safe, content, and in motion. In this unit, children read about:
Fixing Cars
Making Windmills
Baking Cakes
Growing Blossoms
Read Aloud Card Objectives
• Build a knowledge base about the jobs people do indoors and outdoors.
• Determine the meaning of words related to jobs in context and in real-life situations.
Before Reading
• Display the Read Aloud Card for all children to see.
• Introduce the Unit 3 knowledge building words listed on the card: bakery, blossom, electricity, judge, nursery, power, shop, worker.
• Open discussion by having children turn and talk to a partner about a job that an adult they know does, using one of the knowledge building words.
• Ask children to listen closely and identify where they think the worker does the job, specifying indoors or outdoors.
During Reading
• Read the passage, emphasizing the knowledge building words. Reread, as needed, to clarify meanings of the words and concepts.
• Refer to each of the four photos as you read each paragraph.
After Reading
• Decide whether to have children answer the discussion questions aloud in a group or to talk with a partner about them and then return to the group.
• Encourage children to use the knowledge building words in their discussion.
• Discuss how the photos connect to Student Books children read in their groups.
Multilingual Learner Support
Provide scaffolding for indoors and outdoors. Display a picture of a room and a city street. Say: A job done indoors is done in a room. A job done outdoors is done under the sky. Label the pictures “indoors” and “outdoors.”
Motivate and prepare children to read on their own by introducing the Unit 4 Read Aloud Card. Use the card at the start of the unit, and then have it available to revisit with each new Student Book you read.
This unit explores the reasons why some animals must live in groups to survive. In this unit, children read about:
Snails Sheep Goats Flying Foxes
Read Aloud Card Objectives
• Build a knowledge base about animals that live in groups to survive.
• Determine the meaning of words related to animals that live in groups in context and in real-life situations.
Before Reading
• Display the Read Aloud Card for all children to see.
• Introduce the Unit 4 knowledge building words listed on the card: bleat, colony, flock, flying fox, goat, group, herd, hood, sheep, snail.
• Open discussion by having children turn to a partner and talk about one animal they know of that lives in a group, using one of the knowledge building words.
• Ask children to listen closely for animal groups they already know about and those they want to know more about.
During Reading
• Read the passage, emphasizing the knowledge building words. Reread, as needed, to clarify meanings of the words and concepts.
• Refer to each of the four photos as you read each paragraph.
After Reading
• Decide whether to have children answer the discussion questions aloud in a group or to talk with a partner about them and then return to the group.
• Encourage children to use the knowledge building words in their discussion.
• Discuss how the photos connect to Student Books children read in their groups.
Multilingual Learner Support Scaffold learning by providing sentence frames, such as: A ___ lives in a ____. It lives in this group to____.
Motivate and prepare children to read on their own by introducing the Unit 5 Read Aloud Card. Use the card at the start of the unit, and then have it available to revisit with each new Student Book you read.
This unit explores the arts by introducing children to different modes of visual and performing arts. In this unit, children read about:
Painting Music Metal Arts Drawing
• Build a knowledge base about the various kinds of art, dance, and music people produce.
• Determine the meaning of words related to art, music, and dance in context and in real-life situations.
Before Reading
• Display the Read Aloud Card for all children to see.
• Introduce the Unit 5 knowledge building words listed on the card: artist, draw, metal, musician, paint, picture, portrait, sound.
• Open discussion by having children turn to a partner and share one way they like to enjoy art or music, using one of the knowledge building words.
• Ask children to listen closely for activities they enjoy too or may like to try.
During Reading
• Read the passage, emphasizing the knowledge building words. Reread, as needed, to clarify meanings of the words and concepts.
• Refer to the photo as you read each paragraph.
After Reading
• Decide whether to have children answer the discussion questions aloud in a group or to talk with a partner about them and then return to the group.
• Encourage children to use the knowledge building words in their discussion.
• Encourage children to predict what they will read about in the Student Books based on the photos.
Engage children with the theme by inviting them to discuss arts they enjoy from their own cultures. Invite them to share an art form, dance, song, or instrument they enjoy.
Use the Reading Response Journal pages 54–73 to assess spelling of words with the primary phonics skill, as well as other previously learned graphemephoneme correspondences. To implement the dictation activity, you will say each word aloud, repeating as needed. Children will write their answers in their Reading Response Journal. After you dictate each word, you will dictate a sentence for children to write.
Directions:
• Dictate words with spelling patterns children have learned. (Use the words in blue for each lesson.)
• Have children write each word they hear.
• After you have read five words, then read the sentence. (Use the sentence in blue for each lesson.)
• Finish each spelling page by having children check their work together as another learning opportunity.
Lesson
Lesson 3 Consonant
2. crib
3. step
4. spot
5. lost
I will ask for a snack.
Lesson 4
Final Consonant Blends with n, m
1. rent
2. sand
3. skip
4. lamp
5. smell
We can camp on the sand.
Lesson 5
Long a Spelled a_e
1. take
2. came
3. stamp
4. plate
5. last
We wave to the plane.
Lesson 6
Long i Spelled i_e
1. hide
2. grin
3. line
4. trip
5. dime
I like to dive into the lake.
Lesson 9
Inflectional Endings -ed, -ing
1. yelled
2. cute
3. wished
4. smelling
5. melted
She smelled the planted roses.
Lesson 10
Inflectional Endings: Spelling Changes
1. skipped
2. hoping
3. jumping
4. smiled
5. running
They liked swimming in the pool.
Lesson 7
Long o Spelled o_e
1. block
2. nose
3. vote
4. pond
5. joke
We drove home on time.
Lesson 8
Long u Spelled u_e
1. rule
2. use
3. jump
4. dust
5. flute
I can ride in a tube on the dune.
Lesson 11 Compound Words
1. bedtime
2. smiling
3. bathrobe
4. toolbox
5. named
Digging in the sandbox is fun.
Lesson 12
Two-Syllable Words with Double Consonants
1. mitten
2. puppet
3. inside
4. tennis
5. uphill
I ate a muffin and a pancake.
Unit 4
Unit 5
Lesson 13
Long a Spelled ai, ay
1. rain
2. train
3. snail 4. say 5. back
It rained a lot that day.
Lesson 14
Long e Spelled ee, ea
1. sheep
2. nail 3. beach 4. wet 5. teeth
The bee sat on a green leaf.
Lesson 17
r-Controlled Vowels: ir, er, ur
1. first
2. grow
3. her 4. tree
5. turn
Her shirt fell in the dirt.
Lesson 18
r-Controlled Vowels: or, ar
1. dark
2. short
3. girl
4. card
5. storm
I rode a horse in the park.
Lesson 15
Long o Spelled oa, ow
1. show
2. teach
3. soap
4. cloth
5. coach
My coat feels wet from the snow.
Lesson 16
Long i Spelled y, ie
1. shy
2. blow
3. tie
4. try
5. spill
Try to fly my green kite.
Lesson 19 /oi/ Spelled oi, oy
1. soil
2. joy
3. verb
4. point
5. horn
I need coins to get a toy.
Lesson 20
Long e Spelled y
1. silly
2. muddy
3. chart
4. funny
5. join
The bunny has a fluffy tail.
In the Reading Response Journal, there is a one-page screener activity on p. 74 that you can use to determine children’s readiness at the beginning of Set B of PRM. This screener focuses on words that have short vowel sounds. It is just a small way to see where children stand, to be used along with other data points you’re gathering about each child. Implementing the screener before teaching skills in PRM Set B gives you a benchmark for understanding which previously taught target skills your children know and can help you determine groups for small-group reading.
This informal assessment can be implemented in one of two ways:
• As a whole group
• In small groups
Have children open to p. 74 of their Reading Response Journal for the Words with Short Vowel Sounds Screener for Set B. Read aloud the directions and confirm children understand what to do. Identify any pictures children have questions about. Then, instruct children to complete the assessment independently. They may say the name of each picture quietly and then write the word on the line. Remind children that saying the picture’s name will help them think about each sound in the word. Encourage them to do their best to form the letters of each word on the double lines.
Use this scoring guideline as a starting point for grouping children:
• 8 correct = above level
• 5–7 correct = on level
• 0–4 correct = below level
As you know, it’s important to observe children and to continually monitor their progress. Give the groupings a try based on this screener page. However, keep in mind that you may quickly notice that you’ll want to regroup based on children’s progress in reading with you, in using the Reading Response Journal, and in engaging in digital learning.
Culminate each unit with some playful review. Two Unit Review pages are included in the Reading Response Journal for each PRM unit. These pages provide children with extra practice of the primary skills in a collaborative setting. Children can work with a partner or in a triad to complete the activities. The Unit Reviews provide a variety of activities for practice.
These are activities included in Unit Review pages:
• Fill in the Blank: Children read words in the bank. Then, they read each sentence and think about the meaning of the words they read before they choose which to write on the double lines.
• Picture Match: There are additional words that represent the phonics skills children have learned. Children look at each picture, whisper the name of the word for it, and then write the word on the double lines—saying sound-by-sound to represent the letters for each phoneme.
• Gameboard: Children go head-to-head as they practice skill words! Provide pairs or triads of children with a die and a game piece per player (coins, math counters, buttons, paper clips, or whatever you have available). Children take turns rolling the die and moving their game piece to skill words on the gameboard. They say the word they land on before the next player takes his or her turn. If a player says the word incorrectly two times, encourage other players to help the child read the word. Each gameboard includes 22 review words. The first player to reach the end of the gameboard wins!
Unit 2 Review
Lon Vowels Spelled wih Vowel-Consonan-e
Let’s Play!
Lon Vowels Spelled wih Vowel-Consonan-e
Roll he die. ove he marker. Say he word.
We go to the My is red and black. I smell the We can sing a .
3
Let’s Play!
nrodcion o
o back 1
bahb swimmin smelled clappin
rinned rabbi o back 3 cpcake smilin
mffin
named pppe hidin pled
pancake
hiked Roll he die. ove he marker. Say he word.
kien
RRJB_TEXT.indd 32 12/18/22 10:40 PM Unit
coin shark fork hurt arm puppy toy herd
bird noise
Get a sense of where your students stand by using the Unit Check formative assessment pages after you finish teaching each unit.
Each Unit Check will capture children’s understanding of primary skills in the sequence. These assessments will help you determine whether adjustments should be made in regard to grouping or rigor of practice with skills.
Have children open to the appropriate Unit Check page of their Reading Response Journal (pp. 75–79). Read aloud the directions and confirm children understand what to do. Invite children to ask for any clarification and then explain that they will work independently. Encourage them to say words and sounds in a whisper to make sure they connect the letters and sounds before they do their best to form the letters of each word on the double lines.
There are 8 or 9 items on each Unit Check. Use this scoring guideline as a starting point for grouping children:
• 8 or 9 = above level
• 5–7 correct = on level
• 0–4 correct = below level
Keep in mind that you will continually monitor children’s progress as you observe them reading in their groups, practicing with peers and on their own, and in the digital reporting. This is just one of many data points that can inform your flexible groupings and support your instructional decisions about where to provide more support or enhance with stretch content.
In the Reading Response Journal, there is a one-page Cumulative Check on p. 80 that you can use to assess children’s proficiency with skills learned in Set B of Phonics, Reading, and Me™. This page allows you to get a snapshot of children’s understanding of the skills taught in Set B. The results of the assessment will paint a picture of where each child in your classroom stands. Along with the data found on the PRM Teacher Digital Tool and other data you’re collecting, you can determine if children are on track, advanced, or need additional support.
This informal assessment can be implemented in one of two ways:
• As a whole group
• In small groups
Have children open to p. 80 of their Reading Response Journal for the Cumulative Check for Set B. Read aloud the directions and confirm children understand what to do. Instruct children to complete the assessment independently. Remind them to do their best to form the letters of each word on the double lines.
Use this scoring guideline to determine next steps for children:
• 5–8 correct = ready for Set C
• 3–4 correct = continue to use digital and additional supports in Set B
• 0–2 correct = consider additional remediation
You’re well acquainted with the need to use multiple tools to measure children’s growth. Consider this Cumulative Check as one of many that determine how to differentiate instruction and tailor learning to individual children as you culminate the program and school year, looking ahead to prepare children for more and more solid reading proficiency.
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• Assessment, pacing, teaching, and management ideas
