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HKCA G1-2 Online Language Comprehension & Fluency (May 2025)

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The Six Shifts Where Science of Reading Meets Balanced Literacy. We provide resources, professional development, and literacy audits for busy literacy educators like you.

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HKCA KG-G2 Online Coaching Growing Vocabulary (Nov 2024)

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HKCA KG-G2 Online Coaching Growing Vocabulary (Nov 2024) (4)

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Keys to Learning Vocab & Active Engagement Examples

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Keys to Learning Vocab & Active Engagement Examples

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HKCA KG-G2 Online Coaching Growing Vocabulary (Nov 2024) (2)

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HKCA KG-G2 Online Coaching Growing Vocabulary (Nov 2024) (3)

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HKCA PLKS  KG2-KG3  Next Steps in Early Years Literacy (Sep 2024) (1)

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All teachers should participate in coaching. Collaboratively plan whole group and small group lessons based on current student data and samples.

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024) (4)

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Phonics Scope & Sequence / Lesson Numbers

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Phonics Scope & Sequence / Lesson Numbers

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Refer to the UFLI S&S for phonics intervention lessons

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024)

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Choosing Texts with Intention and Learning Goals Focus

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Choosing Texts with Intention and Learning Goals Focus

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024) (5)

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024) (1)

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Choose 'how' based on the current data...

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Choose 'how' based on the current data...

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024) (2)

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Sorting Student Data to Inform Instructional Decisions

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Sorting Student Data to Inform Instructional Decisions

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HKCA Onsite G3-6 Using Data to Guide Decision Making (Sep 2024)

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EKC Comprehension Planning Guide - Blank

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EKC Comprehension Planning Guide - Blank

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Make a copy of this document and edit for your own planning

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EKC Read Aloud Comprehension Planning Guide

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Another Comprehension/Read Aloud Planner with Example

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Another Comprehension/Read Aloud Planner with Example

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KG3 Demo Read Aloud Comprehension Planning

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G1 Demo Read Aloud Comprehension Planning

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Free Decodable Story Generator for the Science of Reading · Project Read

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Generate a decodable story compatible with any Science of Reading-based phonics curriculum for free. Download a student-friendly PDF in seconds.

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Passages that match the phonics feature you are using...

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About the cover artist

Elizabeth Close is an Anangu woman from the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara language groups in the APY Lands in outback South Australia. She was born in Adelaide and spent much of her upbringing in remote communities, learning her language and receiving cultural education.

'This artwork represents the literacy and numeracy learning journey, and the path towards independent learning. The circles represent the collaborative learning and supports around children with specific learning difficulties, including children, schools, families, SPELD SA and others.'  Elizabeth Close, Artist.
Click here for printing tips

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About the cover artist Elizabeth Close is an Anangu woman from the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara language groups in the APY Lands in outback South Australia. She was born in Adelaide and spent much of her upbringing in remote communities, learning her language and receiving cultural education.

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Text Project

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The Reading GPS gives teachers information about whether students are moving toward the goal of proficient reading.

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HKCA KG1, KG2, KG3 Coaching Writers (May 2025) (1)

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HKCA PLKIS - Responsive Planning  Phonics Transfer (May 2024)

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Using Writing Records to Plan Responsively

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Using Writing Records to Plan Responsively

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EY_Interactive / Shared Writing Quick Plan

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3-Day Cycle: PA & Phonics Application Planner

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PA & Phonics focused Small Group Planners

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PA & Phonics focused Small Group Planners

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1. PA & Phonics with Reading/Writing Examples

2. PA, Phonics & Reading BLANK PLANNER

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Phonics/Word Study Small Group Planning Template

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Phonics/Word Study Small Group Planning Template

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Phonics Word Study Focused Reading Group

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Consider how centers can be used and modified to specifically support the needs identified when analyzing student data.

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Literacy Centers: Quick Planner Template

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Literacy Centers: Quick Planner Template

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Make a copy of this template and begin a quick plan for upcoming literacy centers.

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This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Today we're going to talk about blending lines - a powerful, easy-to-use tool that will help your students become masters at decoding!

It's the fourth post in our 10-part series about teaching phonics.

Blending is the stringing of letter sounds to read a word.
There are two main types of blending:

Successive blending

Final blending

*Weird but important note: Some phonics experts use the terms "successive blending" and "final blending" differently. Beck and Beck ( Making Sense of Phonics) use the terms as I will use them in this article. Wiley Blevins, in his book ( A Fresh Look at Phonics) switches the terms around.

Successive and Final Blending
Successive blending
Successive blending is an excellent way to introduce blending to your students, and children who struggle will benefit from extended use of this approach.

The power of successive blending is that it helps students keep the sounds in their heads; short-term memory issues are a real problem for students who sound out p-a-t and come up with "tan."

While you should phase out successive blending after a few weeks, Beck and Beck recommend temporarily bringing it back when students start reading words with beginning blends (such as flat and swim).
Final blending
Final blending (which I like to call "sound by sound blending") is more efficient and the method you should use when your students understand the concept of blending.

However, if you are working with an individual student who is struggling, switch back to successive blending.
Watch this quick video to understand both types of blending.
(For a longer video of successive blending, see this post.)

Best practices for teaching blending

In his book, A Fresh Look at Phonic s, Wiley Blevins share these tips for teaching blending:

Model and practice blending often (every day for early readers).

When starting blending with new readers, use words that start with continuous sounds (such as mmmm and sssss).

Practice blending before reading a story (at least 20 words in 1st grade and up).

Select blending lines that include minimal contrasts so students have to fully analyze the words.

Create lines that allow you to informally assess your students.

Make sure your lines contain differentiated practice to meet everyone's needs.

Include sentences in your lines.

What are blending lines?

Blending lines are lines of words that students sound out using their phonics knowledge. Blending lines allow students to practice the new focus skill and review previously learned skills.

Students should read the these lines after the lesson but before reading their decodable book.

You can use the lines with a whole class or in a small group phonics lesson.

Sample blending lines
Wiley Blevins' tips for using blending lines

Model only one or two words at the beginning of the word set. You want your students to do the work.

Have students read the words chorally the first time through (observe to see which students drop out as the words become more challenging).

Revisit the lines by pointing to words in random order and calling on students to read them. Remember to call on struggling readers for the easier lines and advanced readers for the challenging ones. Keep the whole class engaged by having them give a thumbs-up to indicate when a word is read correctly.

Use the lines for multiple days of instruction as a quick review or warm-up.

Make copies of the week's lines for students to take home and practice.

Make sure that the time spent on the lines is no more than 5 minutes at a time.

More sample blending lines
So what do you think?
Are you ready to give blending lines a try?

It can be tricky to write your own blending lines, but I've made it easy for you!

As you can see in the above image, I've created a planning sheet for you that reminds you what to focus on for each line.

After you type in the words on the planning sheet, they auto-populate into the student page.

The page prints without the blue boxes, making it the perfect practice sheet for your students.

Just sign up below to get the freebie!

Check our the rest of our phonics series!

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Are you wondering how to use blending lines in your phonics lessons? We're here to help - with editable blending lines!

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Many children with literacy difficulties find it hard to blend phonemes together. Word Chains games allow a child to focus on sounds without the distraction of graphemes, as each sound is represented by a counter. A single phoneme is changed and the child 're-blends' to make a new word. The Word Chain lists progress from simple CVC words, like 'dog' and 'cat', to more complex words with initial and final blends, like 'stand' and 'crisp'. This allows targeted practice of a very specific skill in just a few minutes.

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Blending Phonemes - Word Chains - Dyslexic Logic

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Resources and word-chains (also called word ladders or word chains) to support teaching blending skills for children with poor phonological awareness, from basic CVC blends to CCVCC words with long and short medial vowels.

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Leverage small groups inside the workshop framework to offer data driven differentiation.

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Notice how each part of the workshop is planned with intention and in response to student needs.

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Even our youngest students have lots of stories to tell, whether real or imagined. How can we create entry points for writing, so that all writers feel confident and motivated to share their stories? How can we establish a classroom community of beginning writers where equity, empathy, and compassion become part of the process and vital by-products of story writing?

Enter story workshop, a structure for early literacy that amplifies the relationship between play, art, and writing. Children develop ideas and stories through choices of art materials. By creating images through play, story workshop invites children to explore the "amazingness" (Nisa, age 10) of their ideas in a variety of art forms. "Through their stories," Susan writes, "students share the meaning they make of their experiences in the world." Children in every classroom environment feel empowered to transition from play to pencil as they add words to their stories.

Story Workshop includes an abundance of classroom videos, photos, and student samples that illustrate what is possible when children use words, colors, textures, shapes and all kinds of materials to create the stories they want to tell. Watch how students' imaginations soar, their love of writing blossoms, and their connections with one another become the focal point of your classroom.

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How to create entry points for beginning writers by amplifying the relationship between play, art, and writing. - Heinemann

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Make a copy and save as your own:

Workshop Session Plan

Writing Small Group Planners

Predictable Needs Planner

Conferring Note Catcher

Mini Lesson Planner - MLL Focus

Phonics Application Small Group Planner

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G2 Demo Mini Lesson Planner

G2 Demo Small Group Planner

G2 Pictures for Sound Sort

G2 UFLI Decodable for Small Group

Scaffolds & Supports for MLLs

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G1 Demo Mini-Lesson Planner

G1 Demo Small Group Planner

Small Group Tools

Shared Reading Planning Menu

Scaffolds & Supports for MLLs

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Research Compliment Teach Conference Example

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Research Compliment Teach Conference Example

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Please add a post with any questions as they come up!

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The UFLI site has been having issues. If you need to access the Tool Box you can type/copy this address into the browser:
http:/ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/toolbox/

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View the slides along with the lesson #45 guide. See how using the slides will compliment the group instruction and steps.

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HKCA PK-G2 Literacy Reflections - Google Jamboard

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The version of the browser you are using is no longer supported. Please upgrade to a supported browser. Dismiss

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Presentation slides on transfer and intersection of responsive literacy and PYP.

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Implementation Instructions
Day 1
Day 2

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Lesson Resources

The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

Some of the companion lesson resources you will find below include:

Lesson slide decks (in PowerPoint and Google Slide formats)

Decodable passages

Homework sheets

Games and activities for additional practice

We have grouped the lessons into smaller units so you can access these resources more easily. Scroll down to use the buttons below to find the resources for each lesson or groups of lessons.

Please note that we are still building out these free resources, and we will be editing this page over the next few weeks. We wanted you to be able to access some materials as soon as possible, but be sure to come back later to see the rest!
New to UFLI Foundations? Learn about its development, check out a sample lesson plan, view the scope and sequence, and more.

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The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

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Many, many articles and resources

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Blog

The senior year for high school students and their parents can be an exciting time and a time of anxiety. For many, much anxiety focuses on the college application process. Some believe it is imperative to enroll in one of those colleges considered elite or "one of the best." Often this thinking is that an elite school will provide a better education than a non-elite one. This thinking is misguided....Read More

Thanks to a great kindergarten teacher, my mom, and my dad, I learned how to read before starting first grade. My journey illustrates that the path literacy is not always straight and narrow, children can come into literacy in a variety of different ways....Read More

Read this email from 7th grade teacher Kelly Beggs and learn how she used phonics and fluency instruction with her struggling readers in the 7th grade to increase her students' Lexile scores in just one school year....Read More

Freedom and independence are never free. They are won by those willing to stand up and work for these bedrock human values. Twice in the 20th century the people of the United States rose up to defend their freedom and independence. Among these people were hundreds of thousands of immigrants who came to the United States to gain these human rights and who then often found themselves fighting their own countrymen to keep these rights....Read More

I was first introduced to a Rapid Recognition Chart (RRC) during my initial-level Orton-Gillingham training. It is a tool that can be used during the fluency portion of a lesson; a way to add variety. During my advanced-level training, I used RRCs to improve my student's oral reading fluency and words read correct in their decodable texts. As I started to see the benefits of the RRC when working one on one with students, I began to use them in my reading intervention groups with exciting results....Read More

When phonics instruction is done with high-leverage instructional practices, using interactive writing, and decodable texts, the impact is palpable and leaves plenty of time for other types of reading and writing experiences, imaginative play, and knowledge-building across the curriculum. Learn why this type of deliberate practice is essential in getting all of our children to decode and encode with automaticity....Read More

Because of the kindness and support with which my dad inspired me, I have gained the confidence to invest in others while creating a synergy of positive goodness in my students and my colleagues. The pride that I take in my students' accomplishments is similar to that which my dad always took in my accomplishments. I am proud to say that even though this journey still has many more steps for me to take, I am finally becoming you, Dad....Read More

The "reading wars" have been around for longer than you might think. In the last century and now again, we have gone in and out of debates about the best way to teach reading - as if there was a single best way for all children - with the arguments focusing on phonics, whole language and balanced literacy. This post - written by David Reinking, Peter Smagorinsky, and David B. Yaden - looks at the debate on phonics in a different way than is most often voiced these days....Read More

I'm an elementary music teacher and I am going to describe a process for teaching songs that I frequently employ in my music lessons. I believe that it is a unique approach to song instruction and that it can be used for strengthening fluent reading in students...Read More

Read Two Impress is a synergistic reading intervention that combines the Neurological Impress Method (NIM), Repeated Readings, and Echo Reading. Essentially, read chunks of text with a student using NIM and stop frequently and have the student read each section aloud. Here are the steps in more detail....Read More

I'd spent my life teaching little ones to read and write with a clear focus on the struggler, and in a moment, I was one of them. Unable to even speak my own name, I started my journey unable to read a kindergarten-level book, had no recognition of the alphabet, and many preschoolers could surely write better than I could. I feel impassioned to share my deepened understanding of the process with teachers, especially those who struggle with becoming literate....Read More

In this media-driven world of fast messages and even faster decisions, we educators must create optimal learning environments that encourage mindfulness, playfulness, exploration, careful thought, and a sense of wonder and joy. These traits constitute the artistic nature of teaching. As my seventh-grade integrated language arts students would say, "You're making sure that your lessons are 'lit' (by placing the emphasis on literacy)."...Read More

This study evaluated a 12 week intervention delivered by regular teaching staff as a whole class, to assess whether it could make a difference for 8-9 year old children. The study included 103 students from two Local Authority schools and five teaching staff. ...Read More

In my kindergarten classroom, it turns out I do work on fluency more than I realized. Songs and poems are a key component of my reading instruction. Every morning we begin with a "morning dance party." This is a wonderful way to start any day for many reasons, but it is actually important to my instruction as well. ...Read More

I have always enjoyed challenging and enriching my second grade students with word work since becoming a teacher in 2003. During my second year of teaching 2005 Daily Word Ladders were brand new and I instantly fell in love with them. The routine became part of my bell ringer work. I always knew the transfer into daily writing was evident and continued to make this important daily work a priority. I bragged about this transfer to my peers and told them they were missing out on a daily 8-10 minute activity, one that would profoundly impact writing outcome....Read More

This project presents results of whole class Fluency Development Lessons (FDL) in four upper elementary classrooms on fluency and reading comprehension. Findings provide insight into the ways in which the various components of FDL (repeated reading, prosodic reading, teacher modeling, explicit instruction of comprehension strategies and time with texts of age-appropriate complexity) can be effectively and flexibly integrated into whole class instruction....Read More

As we gratefully transition to the summer of 2021, our eyes are opened but our nerves are frayed. It's a time of change, but change brings opportunity. We need to choose to act courageously to reconsider relationships with parents. We have a new opportunity to learn from the pandemic experience and reconstruct our relationship with the 'first and forever' teachers in our students' lives. We need to change the paradigm of the passive parent role to a true teaching partnership. Summer Reading is the logical place to start...Read More

Abbey Galeza, conducted an action research project on the role of repeated singing/reading in her class of preschoolers. Findings from her study are quite promising. In addition to singing/reading being an enjoyable and community building experience, the children learned concepts of print, so important for early literacy development....Read More

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Building students' knowledge of word meanings is essential to their success in reading, writing, and content area learning. The Building Vocabulary series is a groundbreaking structured approach to developing your students' general and academic vocabularies for the present and future. ......Read More

Long before the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s in which certain Americans demanded that all citizens, regardless of the color of their skin, be treated fairly and with respect. Read this Readers Theater Script to celebrate Sojourner Truth and the fight for equal rights for women...Read More

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David L. Harrison writes poems for young readers and partners with authorities on early language and literacy development to create books to support classroom teachers. In this blog he gives six reasons why poetry is a powerful teaching tool...Read More

Herts for Learning (HfL) is an award-winning provider of products and services to schools and educational settings within and outside Hertfordshire...Read More

"Fast Start has been an amazing journey for our students, parents, and teachers...Read More

"My granddaughter, Helena has a rare syndrome......Read More

"The process of determining the base of a Latin verb is systematic and consistent....Read More

"Alan Becker's journey with using Greek and Latin roots as an educator began in 2011...Read More

"Tammy Noska learns about the Fluency Development Lesson during her work as a reading clinician at the Kent State University Reading Clinic....Read More

"What do solo and sole (as in "sole survivor") have in common?...Read More

"Activities and a special video from Tim Rasinski. Video link: https://go.tcmpub.com/rasinski-video ...Read More

"It's Poetry Month! Grab a favorite poem and immerse your students in it with these ideas to integrate repeated readings in an engaging way! ...Read More

"Start with "Winter", a season of cold and snow. ...Read More

"Start with "boy" another name for a young man. ...Read More

"Start with "pop" another name for a fizzy soda drink. ...Read More

"Veteran - Take away 4 letters to make the past tense of "run." ...Read More

"Start with "Quarter" - One fourth of an object; a coin worth 25 cents. ...Read More

"Start with "Touch" - To come into contact with someone or something. ...Read More

"Start with the word "Summer" - a time for sun, swimming and play. ...Read More

"Start with the word "Sham" - a word that means something that is fake or false. ...Read More

"Start with the word "Love" - the emotion celebrated on Valentine's Day. ...Read More

"Start with the word "King" - a ruler of a country....Read More

"Start with the word "Harbor" - a place of safety, usually for ships and boats...Read More

"Most of us can remember the traditional way of teaching vocabulary"...Read More

"Start with Foot - the part of our body we use for standing and walking."...Read More

"Here's a Halloween word ladder. Enjoy! Start with the word "trick"...Read More

"I recently visited the National Art Museum and Portrait Gallery in Washington DC."...Read More

"Start with Hurricane - a large and sever tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean."...Read More

"Let's start with sun, our star that gives us warmth"...Read More

"With vacation time rapidly approaching, here's a quick lesson to help your students expand their vocabulary and learn a bit more about the English language."...Read More

"Start with Spring, the season where April showers bring May flowers"...Read More

"Let's start with May, the fifth month of the year"...Read More

"Let's start with April, the fourth month of the year"...Read More

"Let's start with a word that describes our Earth and all the large bodies in the solar system"...Read More

"Let's start with a word the famous spring Holiday"...Read More

"April Showers bring May Flowers." One of the meanings for shower is a type of rain."...Read More

"Hello Everyone - here's a word ladder that you can do with your students on the first day of April. Word study can be fun!..."...Read More

"Besides being the name of month, the word "March" refers to a particular way of walking (in unison as a group)..."...Read More

"Let's start with a word that describes an animal that roars..."...Read More

"Let's start with a word that describes the man who can leap tall buildings and is faster than a locomotive..."...Read More

"Start with the top word and guide your students to make a series of new words..."...Read More

"Now that it's October, the days are getting shorter (in the northern hemisphere) and the temperature is starting to dip"...Read More

"In the U.S. Sept 5th is a holiday - Labor Day; a day to celebrate the working person"...Read More

"Here's a Word Ladder to share with your students on the first day of school! Feel free to add to or change the clues. Go from top to bottom"...Read More

"I am a self-proclaimed and unapologetic lexophile, word nerd, or vocabulary zealot! I love words! I love to learn about how words came to be; I love the fact that some words have the same spelling but varied pronunciations and meanings while other words may have the same pronunciation but different spellings; and I love how words can be used to convey facts, tell a story, or elicit emotion"...Read More

"A few years ago several colleagues and I were engaged in a study of reading fluency in high school students. Our study involved having ninth-grade students from a local urban high school read orally a relatively short informational text. Our intent was to check their reading rate (words read correctly per minute) to see if fluency may be an issue that is causing students difficulty in their reading. Our findings confirmed our hypothesis. Many 9th graders experienced difficulty in fluency and this appeared to be a contributor to their reading difficulties..." Read More

"November is one of my favorite times of year. Despite the weather getting increasingly colder and the threat of winter weather on the horizon, I view November as a time for nesting, when family and friends often come for visits. During these visits it is not unusual to bring out a board or card game...Read More

"Teaching Is Joyous Work: It's early September and school has begun or will begin soon for teachers, principals, and other educators. I certainly believe that teaching is a joyous profession; however, it is also a profession that requires lots of work. Thankfully, Labor Day rolls around on the first Monday in September and gives teachers a chance to take a quick breather. Here's a word ladder I did that connects work to labor..." Read More

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Timothy Rasinski is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University. He has written over 150 articles and has authored, co-authored or edited over 15 books or curriculum programs on reading education.

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The Six Shifts Where Science of Reading Meets Balanced Literacy. We provide resources, professional development, and literacy audits for busy literacy educators like you.

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UFLI Foundations: Progress Monitoring and Differentiation

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1-Prealphabetic (sounds)
2-Partial Alphabetic (short vowels, CVC)
3-Full Alphabetic (long vowels)
4-Consolidated Alphabetic (multisyllabic)

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Decodable Text Linda Farrell  Michael Hunter Oct 2021

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PA & Phonics Application Word Study Planner

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EXAMPLE- Early Word Recognition Lesson Plan

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PA & Phonics Application Word Study Planner - Blank

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Keep: Teaching foundational skills
Shed: Unstructured lessons for literacy
Evolve: Make our lessons more structured and explicit with progressions

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Keep: Building phonetic foundation daily / Reading stories to kids
Shed: using only one method of teaching phonics
Evolve: The timeframe of introducing new concepts and the breakdown of each phonics lesson

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What are your reflections on literacy instruction so far? For the upcoming school year what do you plan to keep, plan to shed and plan to evolve. Share your thoughts!

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"Finally, a book that has the power to stop the literacy pendulum swings! In Shifting the Balance, Burkins and Yates skillfully explore 'balanced literacy' and 'the science of reading' to find the sweet spots where they overlap, connect, and actually complement one another. The result is a resource that raises our level of instruction while helping children discover and reap the joyful rewards of reading."

"What are the research-based, critical elements for teaching reading? In Shifting the Balance, Jan and Kari give you the information, classroom examples, and tools to help you make the best decisions around six key shifts for instruction. After reviewing the misunderstandings, the science, and the needs of your students, you will be able to audit your current practices (individually, in a PLC, or system-wide) to provide responsive and effective literacy learning for all your students."

"In Shifting the Balance, Jan and Kari invite us to reflect and reexamine our beliefs about teaching reading. They gently nudge us to rethink and possibly adjust our early literacy practices. Jan and Kari have taken on this controversial topic by embracing vulnerability and modeling what it means to be truly reflective practitioners. This book is a must read for new and veteran teachers!"

"In Shifting the Balance, Kari and Jan have masterfully dispelled many of the myths and misunderstandings associated with reading instruction. Additionally, they offer classroom teachers and coaches six simple, practical shifts that have the power to transform the way we teach children how to read. Indeed, balanced literacy and science do exist in harmony, and we practitioners can offer our children both concurrently. Thank you, Kari and Jan, for this important work that is sure to change lives!"

"In Shifting the Balance, Jan Burkins and Kari Yates provide a safe space for teachers to courageously examine some long-held balanced literacy practices and turn a critical eye to where those practices have gotten out of balance. If you're willing to be vulnerable and move towards resolving the gap between research and practice, this book provides actionable steps you can take to shift your thinking and bring instruction into alignment with the scientific evidence."

"Shifting the Balance is a welcoming opportunity to reexamine our familiar teaching practices. Without judgment, Burkins and Yates invigorate these practices by inviting educators to make scientific shifts in the systems that have been in place for years. This book will revolutionize reading instruction and in turn, the lives of countless students."

"This book speaks to teachers. It is overwhelmingly clear that Jan Burkins and Kari Yates have been and are immersed in the world of today's classrooms. Shifting the Balance will help many rethink instruction in ways that will support all students. In the current version of the Reading Wars, it is difficult for any of us to say we were wrong about some of our beliefs or practices. And thus, few do. However, Jan Burkins and Kari Yates have done just that. This is as commendable as it is unusual."

"This book found me at just the right time! Shifting the Balance gives voice to the questions I've had in my mind about Balanced Literacy and the Science of Reading and provides clear insights on how to connect the best parts of both to benefit early readers. Throughout the book, Jan and Kari confirm practices worth holding onto while providing actionable next steps I can't wait to implement with students to strengthen my reading instruction."

Dr. Jan Burkins was an elementary classroom teacher for seven years and a literacy coach for seven years. She has worked as a part-time assistant professor, a district literacy leader, and is currently a fulltime writer and consultant.

Kari Yates is an author, speaker, consultant and staff developer with a passion for helping busy literacy educators thrive. Her experiences include classroom teacher, special education, Reading Recovery teacher, elementary principal and district literacy coordinator.

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Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

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Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom

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The newest addition to Scholastic's "Science of Reading" collection is an early literacy handbook written by a teacher for teachers. This book is about decoding and phonics. Lindsey uses her impeccable body of research to create a powerful translational work interpreting reading science. She employs a scaffolded approach to teaching foundational skills, starting with decoding and oral language, moving through phonemic awareness and sound-spelling knowledge, and ending with fluency. Of particular value is the focus on bridging to practice: activities and lessons presented here can be used immediately in the classroom. The book is predicated on the "Essential Instructional Swap" of substituting ineffective activities for more effective, evidence-based routines. For example, "Fewer Rhymes, More Phonemes" and "Less Pointing to Text in Predictable Books, More Engaging in Shared Reading." The depth of research backing this text cannot be overstated. Lindsey refers to the findings of meta-analyses throughout, and the book sports a beefy and current reference section. VERDICT This title can be used as a handbook for professional educators; its clear organization and focused language will be useful for early literacy teachers.-Jennifer Townesα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

" Reading Above the Fray is a wonderful resource, a book I read from cover to cover. The scholarship is impeccable, citing the central and most impactful studies surrounding foundational skills and their importance to reading acquisition. Authored by a passionate educator, the book is rich in stories, lessons, activities, and ideas. It is a joy to read and will become a well-worn guide for teachers and students of reading!"Book Smart: How to , Julia masterfully connects the deep research base on how kids learn to read to what teachers can do tomorrow in their classrooms. What I love even more about the book is her focus on the joy of helping students develop the tools they need to achieve reading success."

- ANNE E. CUNNINGHAM, Professor, Learning Sciences and Human Development, University of California, Berkeley; author of Develop and Support Successful, Motivated Readers Letter Lessons and First Words: Phonics Foundations That Work

"This book speaks to something near and dear to my heart-the power of early literacy to lead to lifelong learning and immeasurable opportunities. With clarity and precision, Dr. Lindsey cuts through the distracting noise around reading instruction. Her book should be required reading in preservice and inservice programs. With it, we can chart a course forward to literacy for all."

- SHARIF EL-MEKKI, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Black Educator Development

"One of the best books I've read on decoding and phonics. With passion for teaching, Dr. Lindsey interprets reading science in ways that are directly transferable to the classroom. Her book is chock full of techniques, activities, and strategies-a veritable 'go-to' resource. This is exactly the kind of translational work the field needs!"

- SUSANNE NOBLES, Chief Academic Officer, ReadWorks

"Accessible, timely, and easy to use, this is a book that needed to be written for teachers, literacy coaches, and school administrators looking to develop efficient and effective literacy instruction. Dr. Lindsey simplifies the complexities of foundational skills instruction, synthesizes research by bridging it to practice, and provides routines that can be implemented the very next day. I predict it will become a primary resource that educators return to time and again."

- REBECCA MILES, Early Literacy Consultant and Coach Coordinator, Berrien Regional Educational Service Agency

"If you think a professional book about decoding and foundational skills can't be engaging, think again! Dr. Lindsey artfully combines wit, wisdom, and classroom realism with evidence-based routines that we can implement immediately. Most important, she centers each chapter on children, calling us to value and build upon the strengths, perspectives, and cultural assets they bring. This book is a win for educators and, by extension, the children and families they serve!"

- ANNIE PETROZZELLI SPEAR, Literacy Specialist, Consultant, and Author

"Elementary teachers have been waiting for this one! Dr. Lindsey explains not only the 'why' behind the essential elements of decoding, but also provides explicit guidance and routines to help any teacher swap out ineffective practices for more effective and efficient research-based ones. She makes it easy to align instruction to reading science
and teach 'above the fray.'"

- KATHARINE NOONAN, English Language Arts Instructional Coach, District of Columbia Public Schools
- HEIDI ANNE MESMER, Professor of Literacy Education, Virginia Tech; author of Reading Above the Fray

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Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills (The Science of Reading in Practice)

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Julia Lindsey's evidence-backed routines help young readers decode words efficiently so they can spend more energy on comprehending--and enjoying--what they read! You'll find:1. need-to-know essentials of how kids learn to read.2. principles of high-quality foundational skills instruction.3. teac...

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Your Research-based Guide to Developing Skilled Readers. 300+ strategies with learning progressions support 13 reading goals, with each strategy cross-linked to skills, teacher tips, prompts, research, and reading levels-everything from fluency to literary analysis.

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UFLI Passages
The Measured Mom-Fiction  Nonfiction
Core Knowledge Student Readers
Beyond Decodables
Speld Phonic Books
Open Source Phonics (Passages)
Flyleaf Publishing
Starfall

Other decodable books to purchase

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Language Comprehension & Word Recognition

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Language Comprehension & Word Recognition

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Choosing and Using Decodable Texts: Practical Tips and Strategies for Enhancing Phonics Instruction

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Amazon.com: Choosing and Using Decodable Texts: Practical Tips and Strategies for Enhancing Phonics Instruction: 9781338714630: Blevins, Wiley: Books

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justine@erinkentconsulting
https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-otte/

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If you want hard copies of the books for your students and your school cannot afford to buy them, many teachers have written grants to obtain them, asked their PTO for help or used websites such as Donors Choose who buy materials for classrooms. It is unlawful to copy the books!

Please know that these digital books show up best on computers or iPad and tablets rather than phones.

In addition, you will see that I have listed the skills that children need to learn, BEFORE reading each set of books. Each book builds upon the skills from previous books so the books should be presented in sequence. An explicit, systematic, sequential and cumulative approach to teaching reading is the Science of Reading!

I have also included links to the FREE Teaching Guides, Activity Pages and Literacy Centers. You have permission to download and print these supplemental resources but you do not have permission to change the content and/or resell them.

Thank you and happy reading!

LuAnn Santillo, Author

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Online Materials Portal - Half Pint Kids Decodable Books

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If you want hard copies of the books for your students and your school cannot afford to buy them, many teachers have written grants to obtain them, asked their PTO for help or used websites such as Donors Choose who buy materials for classrooms. It is unlawful to copy the books!

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Flyleaf Publishing - Online Materials Portal

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For Students - Flyleaf Publishing - Online Materials Portal

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Conversations with researchers and scholars and how to apply what research suggests in classrooms.

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conversations with researchers and Educators

The collection of knowledge and advice about best practices in literacy education is always evolving. This is both a gift and a challenge. In my new podcast for educators,I interview leading researchers and scholars to understand current, relevant, and digestible answers to all things literacy, learning, and best-practice, regardless of an educator's approach to literacy instruction. I'm joined by colleagues from my consulting team, and classroom educators, to debrief the researcher interview and answer the question, "How will we take what we've learned to the classroom?"

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To the Classroom: Conversations with Researchers and Educators - Jennifer Serravallo Author & Consulting

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Jennifer Serravallo interviews leading researchers and scholars about important findings, and has post-interview conversations about practical takeaways with colleagues from her consulting team.

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Join the EKC Literacy Community of Teachers

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Join the EKC Literacy Community of Teachers

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https://erinkentconsulting.com/community

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Literacy Consultants & Consulting Services | Erin Kent Consulting

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About the Community | Erin Kent Consulting (EKC)

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A few special gifts for signing up now: a strategy call with Erin Kent or an EKC Senior Strategist to get started using the EKC Community to support your current literacy initiatives; and 5 free spots in our live, virtual winter courses ($1495 value!)

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Melissa and Lori Love Litereacy

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Hi Teacher Friends! Welcome to Melissa and Lori Love Literacy, the weekly podcast that discusses all things literacy. We love to tackle big ideas about the way we teach reading and writing within the science of reading.