Directions for Using Phonics Progression and Spelling

Spelling should be linked to your phonics progression. The phonics progression should be developed around the decodable text you are using in your school. Text is not decodable for all children unless you are using a consistent progression for grade levels K-2 and for intervention in grades 3-5 in your building. This is how you will use the phonics progression and link spelling with your progression:

• See sample Phonics Progressions which are to be followed in the systematic order given.

• Follow your progression to introduce the spelling pattern to the whole group in all

grade levels.

• Children should be given meaningful practice opportunities using the spelling pattern each week. Writing words repeatedly or in sentences does not qualify as meaningful practice.

• Beginning in kindergarten, the progression will be used in small group and/or

intervention (depending on needs) using explicit phonics lesson format to differentiate and target instruction so that children are able to segment and blend with accuracy.

• Kindergarten children should meet daily in small group. Kindergarten children

will most likely begin the year with small group explicit phonemic awareness instruction and then move on to phonics instruction in small group.

• Kindergarten children will need to be phonemically aware before small group

phonics instruction begins. Students will need to be assessed to determine readiness for small group phonics instruction. Please use the Phonics Inventory provided to determine placement. We cannot hold children that are ready back because we need to accelerate the learning of all students.

• The phonics progression should be used for intervention with children that are

below grade level in any grade. Teachers will need to give the phonics inventory to determine where individual children need to be placed on the progression. Then the Intervention Lesson Plan (which is included) should be followed, with the phonics explicit lesson taking place in the Guided Reading portion of the plan.