Program Overview

Phonics for Reading accelerates Grades 3–12 students toward grade-level reading using age-appropriate content, explicit instruction, and a scope and sequence designed for older learners.

A Scope and Sequence for Students in Grades 3–12

Phonics instruction starts with the easiest, most common skills and progressively builds to more challenging skills across all lessons within each of the three levels, culminating in less common but more difficult skills.

Students practice reading words in isolation and work their way up to reading meaningful, connected texts.

View Sample:

Level A | Level B | Level C

Predictable Lesson Structure Across All Levels

The program follows a consistent structure through each lesson and level. This means that teachers and students can always predict what is coming next.

Lesson Structure:

Say Sounds
Read Words
Read Sentences*
Spell Words
Read Text
Independent Practice

Watch the video to learn about the consistent lesson structure.

*The Read Sentences section is added partway through Level A and then continues through the remaining lessons and levels of the program.

View Sample:

Level A | Level B | Level C

Repeated Routines That Accelerate Learning

Throughout all levels of the program, repeated routines are scaffolded, predictable, and easy to follow.

Teachers and students internalize the routines to smoothly proceed through activities.
A high level of scaffolding is slowly reduced as lessons progress.
Teachers move at a progressively quicker pace as routines are internalized, thereby accelerating student learning.

Watch the video to learn more about repeated routines.

View Sample:

Level A | Level B | Level C

Decodable Texts That Honor Students’ Maturity

Within each lesson, students get to apply their new skills by reading a decodable text.

The progression of decodable texts builds in length and complexity as students build skills, helping students build stamina for lengthier reading assignments.

The texts honor striving readers as grade-level thinkers. Students engage with age-appropriate topics—both informative and narrative—while scaffolds for comprehension and vocabulary development support students to make meaning of texts, further preparing them for the demands of grade-level reading.

View Sample:

Level A | Level B | Level C

Support for Fluency with a Focus on Accuracy

Phonics for Reading integrates fluency practice throughout all three levels to help readers shift their focus from sounding out words to making sense of the content.

Across all levels, students have abundant opportunities to practice accurate reading of words, sentences, and decodable passages.
When students can accurately read words, their rate improves because they are not spending time decoding word by word.
Repeated readings including whisper and choral readings provide opportunities for students to practice expression and phrasing.
Fluent reading leads to understanding.

Sample of fluency practice from Level B

View Sample:

Level A | Level B | Level C