Step 1. Understand the Six Primary Components
We start with letter sounds. Then we build and spell words. Students practice reading words smoothly to strengthen fluency. They learn how prefixes and suffixes work using word matrices. Finally, they bring all of these skills together to read real stories on their own with confidence.
Click on each component below to view an overview and a sample lesson.
Step 2. Determine a Starting Point and Start Teaching!
Instruct the student to start reading from the words, moving down each column. Your starting point is identified by the moment the student’s reading pace begins to decrease.
Click on the blue link to navigate to the corresponding section of the program. If the student can read all the words in the survey with ease, the program might be too easy for them.
Read down.
Rob
fin
hut
net
dot
kid
cup
pen
Did the student read all 10 words easily and accurately?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at 3-letter words.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at words that end in ck or ff, ll, ss, zz in the 3-Letter Words section.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Final Clusters in the Consonant Clusters course.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Initial Clusters in the Consonant Clusters course.
think
whisk
rich
that
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Consonant Digraphs course.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Introduce Long-Vowel Spellings.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Introduce Vowel Teams.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Introduce Vowel Teams, soft c or soft g.
Did the student read all 5 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at R-Colored Vowels.
tow
spoon
flies
carry
married
coat
blew
might
copy
studied
Did the student read all 10 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at More Vowel Teams.
stood
hall
crawl
coy
crowd
bull
bald
launch
spoil
mound
Did the student read all 10 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Other Vowel Sounds.
ankle
knight
taught
wander
guide
wrist
judge
tough
country
field
Did the student read all 10 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Other Phonics Patterns 1.
juice
hour
island
gnat
echo
veil
castle
scene
tomb
antique
Did the student read all 10 words correctly?
Yes – Continue to the next row.
No – Stop here. Evaluate responses. Begin instruction at Other Phonics Patterns 2.