Foundational Skills (Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency): Students play with sounds by blending and segmenting words, match letters to sounds, and practice decoding with decodable texts. We build automaticity with quick routines (sound taps, word building, and fluency phrases) and celebrate progress often. Try this at home: play “Say It, Clap It” with short words (sun, cat, fish), make simple word ladders (change one letter to make a new word), and enjoy brief re-reads of familiar pages to grow confident, smooth reading.
Reading and Close Reading: Together we explore rich read-alouds and student-friendly texts. Children ask and answer questions, make predictions, talk about characters and settings, and learn to find evidence in pictures and words. During close reading, we revisit a short section to notice important details and vocabulary. Try this at home: after reading, ask, “What happened first, next, last?” or “Why did the character do that?” Invite your child to point to a picture or a sentence that supports their idea.
Vocabulary and Language: Each module highlights high-utility words and language structures. We act out new words, use them in sentences, and make connections to real life. Children also practice speaking in complete sentences and using academic language to explain their thinking. Try this at home: pick one new word from a book and use it three times that day; create a family “word hunt” on signs, labels, or during errands.
Small Group Time (Targeted Practice): During centers and teacher-led groups, children receive instruction that matches their needs—extra phonics practice, fluency coaching, comprehension conversations, or enrichment. Try this at home: play quick sound or sight-word games for a few minutes after dinner.
Writing: Students begin by saying sentences aloud, clapping words, and stretching sounds to spell.
Then, during modeled and shared writing the teacher thinks aloud while writing in front of the class (modeling planning, spelling strategies, punctuation, and revising). In shared writing, students contribute ideas and words while the teacher records, making the process visible and low‑pressure. During guided/interactive writing, students help write parts of a sentence or short piece—adding a label, a detail, or a specific word. They practice letter formation, spacing, and simple conventions in context. When they are ready to publish, students sketch first, talk through their ideas, then write. They reread to check meaning, add details to pictures and sentences, and revise with checklists (capitals, spacing, punctuation, “does it make sense?”). Older K–2 students add topic sentences and sequencing words.
Amira (Oral Reading Practice and Progress Monitoring): Amira is a child-friendly, voice-enabled reading tool that listens as students read aloud and gives immediate, supportive feedback. The goal of Amira is to build fluency and accuracy while strengthening decoding and expression, and to help teachers monitor growth so instruction stays targeted. Students read short passages at their level, practice tricky words, and receive gentle coaching prompts. Try this at home: encourage a calm, quiet space for reading, celebrate “best reading voice,” and ask your child to share one new word or strategy Amira highlighted for them.
How It All Fits Together: The program is designed to spiral. Skills introduced in one module return again and again with fresh texts and growing complexity. The spiral curriculum is built on the idea that learning is a journey. If your child finds something challenging at first, please know that this is expected and part of the process. Each revisit to a topic gives them another opportunity to grow and succeed. This steady revisit-and-build approach helps children feel successful and confident.
