Reading Foundations

The Keys to Success!

Before we start our reading adventure, let's remember three important things that will help us learn best.

• Keep it Short & Fun: We will practice for just 10-15 minutes a day. A little bit of fun practice every day is the best way to learn!
• Master the Sounds: Learning the pure sounds of letters is like a superpower. For 'M', we say /mmmm/, not "muh". This makes building words easy.
• Stay Positive: Every new word you read is a big win! We will celebrate all your hard work. Your amazing attitude will make you a great reader.

Unit 1: Building with Letters

In the first four weeks, we will build a strong foundation. It's like building the first floor of a cool LEGO castle!

• We will learn the sounds for our first letters, all in UPPERCASE.
• We will practice blending those sounds together to read our very first words (like C-A-T makes CAT).
• By the end of this unit, you will be able to read short sentences all by yourself!

Weeks 1 & 2: First Words & Sentences

We start with just a few letters to make simple words. Then we put those words together to make sentences!

• New Sounds (Week 1): A, T, S, P, I, N
• Example Words: SAT, PAT, TAP, PIN, TIN, PAN
• New Sounds (Week 2): M, C, D, O, G
• Example Sentence: A CAT SAT.

Activity: Letter Names

Let's practice our letter names! Click on any letter below to hear its name. How many do you know?

Activity: Letter Sounds

Now for the letter sounds! Click on a letter to hear the sound it makes. This is a reading superpower!

Unit 2: Advancing Your Skills

In the next four weeks, we learn some cool new tricks that will let us read almost anything!

• Lowercase Letters: We'll see that small letters (like 'a') make the same sound as big letters (like 'A').
• Consonant Blends: We'll learn how to read letters that are close together, like the 'st' in stop.
• Digraphs: We'll learn that some letters team up to make one new sound, like 'sh' in shop.

Weeks 6 & 7: Blends & Digraphs

Blends and Digraphs are the keys to reading thousands of new words.

• A Blend is two letters that are 'blended' together, but you can still hear both sounds (like `s` and `t` in stop).
• A Digraph is a team of two letters that makes one completely new sound (like `s` and `h` making the /sh/ sound in shop).

Activity: What's the First Sound?

Click the speaker to hear a word. Then, click the letter that makes the very first sound you hear!

Activity: Sight Words

These are special words we learn to read super fast! Click a word to hear it, then practice reading them all.

Phonics Playground

Use this page to practice! Type any word to hear it, or click the buttons below to explore phonemes and letter sounds.

Reading Resources

Keep your reading adventure going! Here are some great places to find more fun activities.

• WORKSHEETS: Designed to actively engage students.
• EXTRA READING: Reading on the subject for reinforcement.
• PRACTICE TESTS: Aiding students in testing familiarity.
• GAMES: Essential for all students to learn while relaxing.